Twitter threatens sanctity of the dressing room
A strike-rate of two wins from three, both secured away from home, is a good return at any time. However there’s a flip-side: Ireland could just as easily have been three from three or none from three. The performances to date have fluctuated between the sublime and the ridiculous.
Factor in the frustrating tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot and you have a proper curate’s egg of a championship. It also has to be recognised that Ireland’s two victories, by margins of two and three points respectively, are over the two sides that will be left winless and contesting for the wooden spoon.
In addition, there have been some worrying trends and tell tale signs from within the squad that I personally have no time for — and I am not talking about the continuous concession of silly penalties.
No, these are strictly off-field issues.
Let me state from the outset that I am an old world dinosaur when it comes to social media, Facebook and Twitter. I have received numerous e-mails from people I don’t even know inviting me to be their ‘friends’ in cyberspace. In my world, friends are people who ring me and want to meet for lunch or go for a pint. They are the ones to whom you look for help in times of trouble or offer support when they are experiencing difficulties of their own.
When it comes to Twitter, my views are directly aligned with those of Martin Johnson who commented last year that the only entry he would post is “mind your own f***ing business”. In a world where celebrities and sports stars allegedly despise intrusion into their private lives, why would you bother?
I understand some of the Irish squad are a little disappointed with the reaction of some supporters having a go at them on the same social media vehicles that they themselves have chosen to express their views. Surely if the players choose these outlets to communicate to the person on the street, then their business becomes everyone’s business. You have opened the door and invited them in. Don’t therefore be disappointed when they decide to turn up.
TEN years ago while in Australia managing the 2001 Lions, the phenomenon of the ghost-written column by members of a highly-motivated party of 37 players was all the rage. Of course there were dissenting voices from a few players who failed to make the starting line up for the first test. After a period (and with a time difference of 11 hours between Sydney and London), the Aussie media began to surf the internet and cherrypick comments from some Lions players, recycling them in the local broad sheets for breakfast every morning.
Likewise, the current player must realise that the journalist of today (so my sports editor keeps reminding me) are cocked, ready and waiting to spring on every word delivered on Twitter from players within the Irish camp.
You are feeding a voracious appetite for information nowadays and some of that will be misinterpreted and create problems.
I admit to being old school — what happens within the Irish squad and any potential issues of contention should stay within the walls of the dressing and meeting room. Selection is the one area that is not up for debate by the players. That is the prerogative of the management.
Of course, honest comment is always welcome and valued. In this respect Gordon D’Arcy’s post match utterances on Ireland’s disciplinary issues was spot on, as are Ronan O’Gara’s straight and forthright views any time he is interviewed — well most of the time anyway.
Criticism is never easy to take but it is part and parcel of being a professional player.
In the amateur days many an Irish player had to absorb and deal with ruthless criticism despite the fact that he was rolling out of his bed within twelve hours of a game to go to work.
And to think I set out this morning to write a rugby column…. Leaving aside the done-to-death issues of ill-discipline, penalty counts and the culpability or otherwise of referees, let’s have a closer look at one issue within the gift of the Irish management last Sunday — substitutions.
Changes are made for a variety of reasons but primarily because of injury, exhaustion, poor performance or the need to change the shape and direction of a game. Declan Kidney has never been one to go down the road of pre-ordained changes, like, for example, ex-French coach Bernard Laporte.
England at now using tracking equipment to trace the energy output of their players and acting decisively when the red light goes off. I prefer to initiate change on the basis of what is unfolding before my eyes and responding to the requirements of the day.
That is why the triple substitution of Rory Best, Donncha O’Callaghan and Eoin Reddan on 60 mins, when all were contributing handsomely to Ireland’s best period of the game, was very un-Kidney like. Was he reacting to the criticism after the French game for his poor use of the bench?
In my view the triple change threw Ireland off course, though it must also be recognised the introduction of the vastly experienced Dan Parks for Scotland had a big bearing on the game.
The decision to withdraw O’Gara with thirteen minutes to go also struck me as strange. OK he did kick a re-start out on the full and he did comment afterwards that he was knackered; perhaps the faulty restart was a by product of that. However, I felt at that stage there was a palpable air of panic within the Irish ranks and throwing Jonny Sexton into that environment was asking a lot.
Yes, the introduction of Denis Leamy had a positive influence, even if he was lucky to avoid a yellow card, as he was immense along with Paul O’Connell in stemming the tide at the end.
But such are the vagaries of team management. Sometimes changes work, sometimes fortune plays its part and on occasions, the simple fact is that the wrong calls are made.
It’s not an exact science. Ireland can only influence the areas within their control and that goes for players as well as the management.
