‘A true red Munster man, a special person’

Anthony Foley was the only man for the job and Munster chief Garrett Fitzgerald is happy to entrust a favourite son with the task of returning the province to glory days.

There may still be silverware to come in the last weeks of the Rob Penney era, but once the New Zealander felt unable to turn down longer-term security on offer elsewhere, it was to a heritage much closer to home Munster turned for a successor.

Announcing Foley’s promotion to head coach on a two-year contract starting July 1, Fitzgerald spoke of the continuity and clarity the appointment of Munster’s 2006 Heineken Cup-winning captain would bring, two years on from being passed over when Penney was lured from Canterbury.

“He’s a true, I can’t say blue, red Munster man and always has been for as long as I’ve known him,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s always wanted the best for Munster. I’ve never seen him any other way. He’s just always wanted the best for the teams he plays for and coaches. He has a phenomenal knowledge of the game, that is respected by a lot of people, and I think as an individual he is respected by people. I’ve worked with him for ages and look, he’s a special person. He’s a different personality. Every head coach is a different personality, but I just know he’ll be good at it.”

From the moment Penney surprised everyone by announcing his decision to turn down the one-year contract extension and move on, Fitzgerald received 22 credible applications for the head coaching vacancy, mostly from overseas. Yet the province’s Professional Game Committee, on which the CEO sits, felt it necessary to interview only one candidate — Foley.

“I think Anthony believed he was always going to be the Munster coach because of that ingrained confidence he has in himself. It’s a life ambition of his. He always believed he was going to be good enough and he’s very open about learnings and issues that he needs to improve and has been. I think that’s why he has improved more and more as an individual.

“It’s a big change for a person going from being a professional rugby player for 10 or 15 years to suddenly get on the other side and learn all the different things. I constantly say the biggest challenge a head coach has in rugby today is managing the staff more than managing the players, because if you have good coaches underneath you they do more of the coaching and they manage the players. But you must remember all of these people are dealing with a staff of up to 30 people... That’s a new challenge for Anthony. I think he’s ready for it.”

Asked for the one piece of advice to offer his new head coach, Fitzgerald said: “Listen to people, which he does. He listens very well. There are a lot of very good people around him, but, at the same time, when he does listen he’s got to be his own man.

“He hasn’t got the job because of someone else, but because of who he is, what he is and what he brings to the table. But when you’re in the head coach position you’re on your own. It’s amazing how the people around you disappear when you-know-what hits the fan.”