Breathing space when the air is thick with negativity
The day after 840 people offer you a standing ovation makes it odd to be talking about operating in a negative environment.
But it’s a relevant issue for Munster as they head into the final 80 minutes of a troubled season.
The Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, addressed this topic last week, bemoaning the “difficult climate” his players operate in at the Emirates Stadium and how much it has cost them. He compared the atmosphere with Anfield, where Liverpool supporters hide their frustration for the sake of the team.
Last Friday night at Musgrave Park was all we expected it to be from the Cork following. It was a significant occasion and the positive vibes from the crowd helped the atmosphere and the players. It’s a two-way street. The Munster players had that business-to-be-done gameface on and the crowd bought into that.
Supporters aren’t dummies. They need something to relate to as well. The rugby hasn’t been good enough this season, that’s the bottom line.
Munster return to Thomond Park tomorrow and the same boxes need ticking on and off the field.
If everyone’s breathing a little easier after the Edinburgh win, that’s the first flashing danger sign. It’s always been a problem in the Irish psyche — backing things up the following week. We need look no further than World Cups for that.
Llanelli are dangerous, their game is all about width and speed, they don’t have the monkey on their back of needing the result, so it’ll be quick tempo, quick taps. It could actually be pandemonium tomorrow.
And that’s where the Thomond crowd needs to put frustrations on mute. , not least when they’ve been knocked back so many times this year.
In the case of a young 10 like Johnny Holland, that’s a very fraught environment to be expressing himself in. Imagine he was coming into a team heading into a Champions Cup final, and looking for a home semi-final in the PRO12. That’s a night-and-day difference scenario.
Holland’s added something. He has a good backbone. That’s most important — he’s not afraid of making mistakes, or of expressing himself. It’s a position that probably takes two years to find yourself and everyone must accept he’s well off that at the moment.
Against Edinburgh last Friday, he showed there is an immediate need to improve his restarts, because that’s fixable and such a big play in the modern game. But in terms of attacking the line, managing the team, the portents are very good. You look at where he is coming from — he hasn’t come the gilded pathway — and that can sometimes be rocky. That helps you see what he is made of and how beneficial that can be when things aren’t going according to plan. I tip my hat to those guys.
Ian Keatley needs to be thinking ‘impact’ now, and balance that with his responsibilities to the team. The fear is he tries to do too much at a time he needs to go steady, steady. That allows him make the right sort of impact in the last 15 minutes.
I know for a fact the senior players have taken more responsibility and control of their own situations in recent times, the likes of Keith Earls and Conor Murray are far more hands on, driving training, and how they want to play. But even they’re in virgin territory. There is very little to relate this final-day situation to in the PRO12 for any of the Munster players, seasoned or not, but they know what you are not meant to do. Everything is about the result tomorrow — and the support is fundamental in achieving that by first acknowledging it. Remember those Rounds 4 and 5 games from a decade ago in Europe — either driving on to win the pool or going the other way? It’s that sort of pressure.
Frequently when under pressure, you over-try to fix things, which means you over-work during the week. In the 2007 World Cup, we were so frustrated with how things went on a Saturday, that we couldn’t wait to get on the pitch on a Monday and do an extra 40 minutes. And the same on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. An extended captain’s run too, so by the time the game comes on a Saturday, you’re shot.
A successful team breathes easily in its own environment. The meetings now at Racing 92 are shorter. There’s just a flow. You try to maintain the intensity but cut the time doing it. Keep the lid on it to allow them explode at the weekend.
CJ Stander spoke this week about reconnecting with the Munster support, the real support. Fan frustration in Munster has been rare. But I stress again, it’s understandable. Munster is a world brand. It was the jersey second only to the All Blacks in sales not so long ago, that’s the standard. Once you taste that standard, people will go by that. The market place has completely changed but you sense the craving for a marquee signing to energise everyone and make a real statement. Not dining at the top table and not getting the best out of players is something that should never sit comfortably with a Munster supporter.
The top six situation should swell the Thomond numbers tomorrow. In fact, it’s a signature day all around for the PRO12, which has a spotlight and a status going into the final weekend that it has failed to achieve heretofore. That’s a shop window too for Munster to sell themselves.
Because of the money in England and France, and the lack of Celtic nation progress in Europe this year, the PRO12 has a platform to sell its wares and show what a good league it can become. As you can gather, previously I wouldn’t have been convinced that was possible.
Racing are down in Brive tomorrow in the Top 14, a week out from the Champions Cup final against Saracens. Very few of the recognised starters will be togging, but the coaching staff will not accept sub standard attitude or performance in Brive. That’s the culture thing again. Everyone must give every bit of himself. The players must demand that of themselves.
The Champions Cup final may be a first for Racing 92, but the trepidation I felt in 2000 is not a concern, oddly, around here.
First off, the French mentality is to get excited for a final, whereas for me, there was just fear. They actually think going to a final is a great thing, which makes no sense to me. Going to a final was always just about winning the bloody thing, and always will be. The culture here is soaking up the build up, savouring it. Plus many of our overseas players are quite experienced, and won’t be fazed by the occasion.
I was quite fazed on Wednesday night to receive an IRUPA Hall of Fame award in Dublin. Nonetheless, it was a lovely, lovely honour, and people who gave me a standing ovation were unbelievably generous in their praise.
As they showed a career montage, for that brief few moments I wished I was 10 years younger.
But that is quickly overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude.
Thank you for that.
