Ian McGeechan: Dead man walking?

This morning's (London) Times are reporting that Ian McGeechan's position as DOR at Bath is in the balance following the 26-6 home loss to Northampton with owner Bruce Craig contemplating an overhaul of the coaching set up. An announcement is expected in the next day or two.

The Times are linking South Africans Nick Mallett and Gary Gold with the Bath DOR role, while also speculating about LI's Mike Catt and Toby Booth.

They go on to speculate about McGeechan taking a more hands-on role with the 2013 Lions

Bath fan I speak to occasionally seems to think that the vast majority want rid of him and they arent happy at all with his performance at the club. Also heard Nick Mallett suggested.

Our Scottish saboteur has worked a treat

He hasn't been brilliant, but there is no doubting his worth to any side. Is getting rid of him the right answer? To a large extent the team was the one inherited from Meehan, which ignoring my natural instinct to wind up my neighbours, was simply not good enough. The question mark I do have over Geech is have his signings been good enough? The Leicester contingent haven't set the world on fire and Donald hasn't been a success yet.

Apparently a new head coach was going to come in at the end of the season anyway, but the pretty average performances have made that a certainty. I think Geech is best in a non-tracksuit role, he has respect from around the rugby world, so to have him in an overseeing role, speaking to future signing etc while leaving the day to day rugby to others would be best in my opinion.
I wouldnt shed any tears if he left completely though, Bruce has just signed the biggest name coach he could and the (at the time) England captain, neither of which have been successes.

Kiwireddevil wrote:This morning's (London) Times are reporting that Ian McGeechan's position as DOR at Bath is in the balance following the 26-6 home loss to Northampton with owner Bruce Craig contemplating an overhaul of the coaching set up. An announcement is expected in the next day or two.

The Times are linking South Africans Nick Mallett and Gary Gold with the Bath DOR role, while also speculating about LI's Mike Catt and Toby Booth.

They go on to speculate about McGeechan taking a more hands-on role with the 2013 Lions

No, no, no, Bath deserve a Bath man thru&thru, someone with world cup experience - hmm, I've got just the fellow for you: Robinson

Don't thank me now

More than anything else the new coach needs to cast off a lot of deadwood in the pack and backs. Get in some more experienced pro's to help nurture the talented yougsters coming through and build a culture of hard grafting grit rather then the kamikazie rugby they play now.

Robinson?! I think you'll find his long contract at Scotland will prohibit that, phew! Although I agree about someone who is 'Bath', so Catt as backs coach would get my thumbs up.

yappy, removing the dead wood is exactly what is needed, a bit more grit up front too. The kamikazie rugby has sadly been abandoned for a more pragmatic style which as it turns out is even less effective!

Seeing as how Hersh got pipped at the post for the England, job, I feel that he'd be just the man to complete the job at Bath.

Bathman_in_London wrote:Robinson?! I think you'll find his long contract at Scotland will prohibit that, phew! Although I agree about someone who is 'Bath', so Catt as backs coach would get my thumbs up.

yappy, removing the dead wood is exactly what is needed, a bit more grit up front too. The kamikazie rugby has sadly been abandoned for a more pragmatic style which as it turns out is even less effective!

Bathman, very reluctantly we are prepared to let him go from his contract as we feel he has a higher calling and will never reach his full potential with Scotland ...

Mallet would be a good signing for Bath.

Bathman_in_London wrote:Robinson?! I think you'll find his long contract at Scotland will prohibit that, phew! Although I agree about someone who is 'Bath', so Catt as backs coach would get my thumbs up.

yappy, removing the dead wood is exactly what is needed, a bit more grit up front too. The kamikazie rugby has sadly been abandoned for a more pragmatic style which as it turns out is even less effective!

Bath I think it might more be a problem of the wrong game plans for the wrong games maybe. A better coach will hopefully sort this as well as more experience at 10.

You definitely need new front 5 players, your backrow seems very good though.

I think Geech is a bit over rated as a coach and his book was well boring. I know that is sacrilege as a Scot who grew up in Northamptonshire but it's true so there

I do agree that he's overhyped as a coach. He's a great man manager and motivator, but as a tactician and selector I have reservations.

If you're looking to win a cup final, McGeechan is a great man to have on board, but if you're looking to plot a long-term strategy and build a team and style of play, then I think there are better out there.

The foundations aren't right at Bath. I thought the signing of Dave Attwood was a big step in the right direction, but the signing of Moody was a big mistake, and the pack as a unit, with the individual exception of Caldwell, just isn't scary. Too many old players carrying injuries.

The backs on paper are strong, but Donald hasn't clicked at all, and it now seems unthinkable that Barkley will actually be fit to play a decent run of games.

Rumor has it that Bath will announce McGeechan's departure within 48 Hours.

Rumored replacements are Nick Mallett, Gary Gold, Mike Catt and Toby Booth.

http://www.espnscrum.com/premiership-2011-12/rugby/story/162343.html

Great news

You'll still need a squad overhaul as frankly the team isn't good enough.

Mallett's already been interviewed, plus he still wants the England job at some point, so he needs some Jeff experiance plus if Lancaster stuffs it up he'll be on hand to take over.

Welcome to Bath Nick.

Mike Catt as backs coach for me.

Bath need to move things along in a lot of places and it's not necessarily the coaches. They need re-inforcements across the front row, a lineout specialist in the second row, a flanker and a number 8, a new IC and an additional winger/fb.

Clearing some of the deadwood like Flatman (his shoulder is no good), Dixon (average hooker on a good day), Taylor (awful), Skirving (average), Barkley (average), Vesty (average) and that's just the first teamers. The squad depth isn't there either so there would probably need some chopping there as well. Shame they can't get out of the Donald contract as he is a Championship level 10 for 70 mins of every game with around 10 mins where you think "actually he might have been an international". Can't believe that people mocked me for suggesting Bath sign Geraghty this time last year!

Could this be Henson's calling!

I know you all want Geech out - but cannot say the replacements look any better.

Signing Mallett is the coaching equivalent to signing Lewis Moody.
Toby Booth - great bloke, but bluntly has failed at LI.
Gary Gold - chequered history, sometimes seemed when he was PdVs assistant that he was trying to depower the SA pack
Mike Catt - talented but inexperienced coach

He couldn't play a lot worse than Barkley and Donald have this season.

Such good news. Agree that Geech is good in a non-tracksuit role. Added to that Davis and Haag just aren't good enough, and never have been as coaches at this level. There's currently a lack of game plan and direction that Meehan used to provide.

"Signing Mallett is the coaching equivalent to signing Lewis Moody."


Explain please?

Portnoy wrote:Seeing as how Hersh got pipped at the post for the England, job, I feel that he'd be just the man to complete the job at Bath.

Now that you're on-line Hersh.

What are you - available or not?

Portnoy wrote:

Portnoy wrote:Seeing as how Hersh got pipped at the post for the England, job, I feel that he'd be just the man to complete the job at Bath.

Now that you're on-line Hersh.

What are you - available or not?

Hersh that's probably the best offer you'll get all week

HERSH wrote:"Signing Mallett is the coaching equivalent to signing Lewis Moody."


Explain please?

Overpaid and over the hill. Was excellent once.

LondonTiger wrote:

HERSH wrote:"Signing Mallett is the coaching equivalent to signing Lewis Moody."


Explain please?

Overpaid and over the hill. Was excellent once.

?

Please explain, as your comments don't make any sense?

Portnoy I fear it would be too close to my heart to coach Bath.

When you signed Moody you paid him too much (overpaid) and he was well past his best (over the hill). He had a WC winners medal (was excellent once)

Mallett will cost a lot (over paid) his recent record is poor (over the hill) and he once led SA to a record number of wins in a row (was excellent once)

HERSH wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

HERSH wrote:"Signing Mallett is the coaching equivalent to signing Lewis Moody."


Explain please?

Overpaid and over the hill. Was excellent once.

?

Please explain, as your comments don't make any sense?

Portnoy I fear it would be too close to my heart to coach Bath.

Hellfire Hersh, who'd have guessed it?

Bath before country? ? Shoorly not!

In the style of Gibson, I'd like to say - I love ye man!

LondonTiger wrote:When you signed Moody you paid him too much (overpaid) and he was well past his best (over the hill). He had a WC winners medal (was excellent once)

Mallett will cost a lot (over paid) his recent record is poor (over the hill) and he once led SA to a record number of wins in a row (was excellent once)

Why is Mallett over the hill?
Excellent Once?

I'm still not getting it, he would have been the England Coach if England had lost either the France or Ireland game IMO, so why is he not good enough for Bath all of a sudden, I take it you didn't rate Italy beating France, considering what he had to work with I'd say that was one of the greatest achievements in NH international rugby.

Hersh, it would be a nice change to have someone who actually looks like they care in charge, put your CV in man!

The thing is I love being a Bath fan (most of the time, its hard at the moment) therefore its the one job I wouldn't want in rugby.

Sorry Bruce I can't be bought on this one.

One win against France did not vindicate the frankly weird selections Mallett made at times. Italian rugby was at risk of stagnating due to the continued selection of iffy overseas journeymen. Then of course there was Bergamasco at 9!

After Geech, I would have thought you would be after a coach with a good, recent track record at club level. Someone who can galvanise the West Country player base, introduce some snarl to the pack and frankly get the players playing with a sense of pride.

Clone Rob Baxter and splice in a few of Roger Spurrell's genes, and you have a head coach. Then appoint Graham Dawe as forwards coach, and Mike Catt for the backs.

Dare I say it Italy don't really have the pool of players available to take on the world, yet he made them very competitive for 50/60mins of a game against anyone.

Italy is no longer the whipping boys of international rugby, ok they have there bad days as do most teams.

I think he really is the best option for Bath with maybe Catt on the staff to provide that former player roll.

As for that No9 selection it was a bad call from all involved but during training it went well.

We will have to agree to disagree.

I am glad that the Mallett PR machine did not get him the England job. I take no pleasure in seeing the decline of Bath and would like to see you guys have a decent coach and team.

We will don't worry.

I've think we'll win the Jeff, LV and Amlin next season, you heard it here 1st.

So he's going then http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17600634

Shame, but maybe they should look to hire HERSH's fat lady?

I guess it frees him up should Gatland want his assistance on the Lions tour. Personally I think that's unlikely, as Gatland won't want his authority in any way compromised, but I guess it's an option.

I'm sure he'll have other offers, doubt he'll want to finish his career in this way.

formerly known as Sam wrote:You'll still need a squad overhaul as frankly the team isn't good enough.

There are much worse squads above us in the league, that have bigger heart, strategy and direction. Geech hasn't provided any of these, lets hope the new man can

Bathite wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:You'll still need a squad overhaul as frankly the team isn't good enough.

There are much worse squads above us in the league, that have bigger heart, strategy and direction. Geech hasn't provided any of these, lets hope the new man can

Which squads do you believe are much worse than Bath?

In terms of personnel, experience and on paper, quite a few. A good coach should get the best out of them and inspire some form / consistency and a playing style. On paper, this squad is equal to, if not slightly better than the one Meehan had, which regularly got into the playoffs.

Just realized this was posted above.

Bath have individually bigger names than say Exeter and Gloucester but in terms of depth of talent across the squad Bath is one of the worst in the league. For me only Worcester, Wasps and Newcastle have worse squads and Worcester are only let down in the backs because their pack is better than Bath's.

Even the maligned Sale have got better depth of squad, they are missing players through injury and are lacking direction from 10 and 12 but in terms of squad talent are ahead of Bath.

In your opinion. But yeah we lack depth in some areas, as do plenty of other squads. The pluses of this season are P-Newport, Cook, Heathcote, Mercer, Woodburn all stepping up and showing they are worthy of first team starting spots. That's added massively to our depth.

Names don't count for jack though, I'd kill for 10% of the ethos of Exeter have. Geech recruited really poorly and hasn't addressed the lack of strength identified by the previous season.

Sir Ian McGeechan to depart as Bath's director of rugby
Director of rugby Sir Ian McGeechan will leave Bath at the end of the season after just a year in charge.

McGeechan, 65, arrived in 2010 as performance director, but moved to his current role after Steve Meehan's exit.

Bath have struggled domestically and in Europe this season and lie eighth in the Premiership table with three rounds of the regular season remaining.

The future of forwards coach Martin Haag is also uncertain with his contract due to expire in the summer.
McGeechan's departure could mark the end of what has been a stellar coaching career.

The four-times Lions coach was initially brought to The Rec following a spell as an advisor at Gloucester.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17600634

That's the Lions coach sorted out then.

Just noticed another thread on this subject ,, Mod's please merge

To be honest I noticed little difference in the recruitment policy from previous seasons. The only difference under Geech is that more opportunities were given to your academy players.

Have Bath agreed any signings other than Webber for next season?

Previous seasons - Salvi, Carraro, Biggs
All hard working, honest players with points to prove. All a good age at come at good value.

Dominic Day also coming over, having a great season with the Scarlets, so should be another nice addition to the second row, where we certainly lack depth. Looking like this for next year. I look at it and feel confident about it on paper, but it just isn't transferring onto the pitch!

Defineitly need another back rower after Moody and Beattie retire and another centre now Carraro has gone. Hopefully a LH as well.

Catt / Flatman
Mears / Webber
Perenise / Wilson
Attwood / Day
Caldwell / Hooper
Louw / Skirving
?? / Mercer
Fearns / Taylor

Classens / Cook
Donald / Heathcote

Biggs / Woodburn
Barkley / Williams
?? / Hipkiss
Banahan / Eastmond
Abendanon / Vesty