I wish that...... NZRU would reappoint Graham Henry as the All-Blacks coach! Yes that's what they did and despite his unrivalled record in charge, the Robbie Dean's fan club is far from happy.
Henry's 42 wins from 48 games makes impressive reading, but it's no use being the best in the world if you don't win trophies. Twenty years down the line and we won't even remember the 2007 All-Blacks. They'll be another Dan Carter by then, another powerful and pacy winger, and a few more 40+ point victories over the northern hemisphere elite, but the 20 years and counting of World Cup pain will live long in the memory...
The reinstatement reeks of politcs, especially with the betting on Deans becoming the next All-Black coach all but stopped leading up to yesterday's decision.
Henry wasn't really put under the knife leading up to the World Cup citing every negative as positive preparation for the Webb Ellis trophy. So you were useless in France, so what's the excuse now.... Oh yes, a referee.
Football managers are fined for criticising refs yet Henry has been given the most coveted coaching job in rugby because of it.
So now the plan is for a six-month review of the recent shambles. What a money waster! With all the top stars more of less paying their own way to Europe, shouldn't the money be better spent on working out the reasons why some of the top names are done with the All-Black jersey?
Additionally if they find out from the review that Henry's regime stunk due to poor planning from the start, then where does it leave him and the NZRU then?
Deans looks like he'd heading straight across the Tasman to take up the equivalent post with the Wallabies.
Losing another of their top coaches will hurt the kiwi public more than the World Cup, espcially if he wins gold in 2011. First Gatland, now Deans. It's not only the players who have lost all confidence in their employers.
Mike Eagle said recently that the selection process being followed is in line with NZRU policy and
that results over the whole of the last four years will be taken into
account. Just ask John Mitchell about policy...
Mitchell was ultimately chopped for failing to win the World Cup and four year's later, after a poorer World Cup showing from New Zealand, Henry get's to keep his job.
Mitchell told the AAP, "It's just a great shame that politics continue to contaminate the process."
"Robbie was clearly the best man for the job,"
Well the whole of New Zealand thought so, as do the Aussies, especially if Deans wins the Bledisloe Cup in the green and gold next time around... Could be curtains for Henry after that.