Martin Johnson Resigns
Discussion
sharpfocus said:
Shame. I think there's bigger problems within the England camp.
Indeed, but I don't think that MJ was the person to sort them out. Too close to a lot of the old guard and so any attempt to "professionalise" the on and off-pitch behaviour would lack credibility (after all, he was doing the same 4/8 years ago).Ground up rebuild with better discipline on the pitch (get that penalty count down) and better discipline off the pitch during tournaments (as the press will just hound you anyway and that has to be a distraction).
hornetrider said:
The RFU has problems right from the top though
This so many times over- always amuses me when people talk about bringing Francis Baron back. Frankly he's been the root cause of many of the problems- the whole structure is riddled with petty fiefdoms and egomaniacs who are now mostly interested in protecting their "little patch" rather than doing what is best for the RFu and English Rugby.
Really makes me sick and i'm not sure why all the clubs continue to support the current structure!
The great man brought low by pygmies. Twas ever thus 
Johnson's greatest strength was that he was Johnson, the man who could cower entire nations just by looking at them. Johnson's greatest weakness was that he was Johnson.
Much like Eales in the respect that he was almost too humble to recognise that he was first amongst equals. So when he went from that position where he could just "do" and everything would follow to another position where he had to rely on others doing the doing, he couldnt understand or put in place what was needed for others to carry on the doing.
Johnson thought Steve Borthwick was just like him, all the same attributes as a player. Yes MJ, apart from one...he couldnt look Matfield, Smit and McCaw in the eye and command them to look away first. Unfortunately it made all the difference and set the tone from the top.
Of course he also had outstanding deputies during his playing days, Dally, Back, Hill, Dawson, Bracken and Jonny 1 alongside him. The current England team does not have that level of class running through it.
Johnson's greatest strength was that he was Johnson, the man who could cower entire nations just by looking at them. Johnson's greatest weakness was that he was Johnson.
Much like Eales in the respect that he was almost too humble to recognise that he was first amongst equals. So when he went from that position where he could just "do" and everything would follow to another position where he had to rely on others doing the doing, he couldnt understand or put in place what was needed for others to carry on the doing.
Johnson thought Steve Borthwick was just like him, all the same attributes as a player. Yes MJ, apart from one...he couldnt look Matfield, Smit and McCaw in the eye and command them to look away first. Unfortunately it made all the difference and set the tone from the top.
Of course he also had outstanding deputies during his playing days, Dally, Back, Hill, Dawson, Bracken and Jonny 1 alongside him. The current England team does not have that level of class running through it.
If you want to be the best team in the world - hire the best coach/manager in the world. Given a bit of time coaching in the lower reaches of the game. Johnson might well have/might still become one of the best. Chucking him in the deep end almost straight after his playing career ended was always daft.
DJRC said:
The great man brought low by pygmies. Twas ever thus
Johnson's greatest strength was that he was Johnson, the man who could cower entire nations just by looking at them. Johnson's greatest weakness was that he was Johnson.
Much like Eales in the respect that he was almost too humble to recognise that he was first amongst equals. So when he went from that position where he could just "do" and everything would follow to another position where he had to rely on others doing the doing, he couldnt understand or put in place what was needed for others to carry on the doing.
Johnson thought Steve Borthwick was just like him, all the same attributes as a player. Yes MJ, apart from one...he couldnt look Matfield, Smit and McCaw in the eye and command them to look away first. Unfortunately it made all the difference and set the tone from the top.
Of course he also had outstanding deputies during his playing days, Dally, Back, Hill, Dawson, Bracken and Jonny 1 alongside him. The current England team does not have that level of class running through it.
+1Johnson's greatest strength was that he was Johnson, the man who could cower entire nations just by looking at them. Johnson's greatest weakness was that he was Johnson.
Much like Eales in the respect that he was almost too humble to recognise that he was first amongst equals. So when he went from that position where he could just "do" and everything would follow to another position where he had to rely on others doing the doing, he couldnt understand or put in place what was needed for others to carry on the doing.
Johnson thought Steve Borthwick was just like him, all the same attributes as a player. Yes MJ, apart from one...he couldnt look Matfield, Smit and McCaw in the eye and command them to look away first. Unfortunately it made all the difference and set the tone from the top.
Of course he also had outstanding deputies during his playing days, Dally, Back, Hill, Dawson, Bracken and Jonny 1 alongside him. The current England team does not have that level of class running through it.
I'm sorry to see the chap go.
I've followed him for years and 2003 was a fantastic time, and not only with the RWC. A brilliant leader. If I was to pick a world 15 I'd have him as captain. He's the best I've seen and I'm not in my first flush of youth. The way he put pressure on his own side to perform, I remember him lifting one of his own players against an upright after giving away a penalty, against the ref by never stopping talking, against the other side by all sorts of tactics, and against the crowd, remember refusing to move (as if he'd made a mistake when deciding where to stand) in Ireland before a critical 6N match.
Not universally liked by his players I'm told, but everyone admired him.
He's a hero of my son.
But he was put in the position too soon. Shame. I won't hold it against him though. Brilliant bloke.
I've followed him for years and 2003 was a fantastic time, and not only with the RWC. A brilliant leader. If I was to pick a world 15 I'd have him as captain. He's the best I've seen and I'm not in my first flush of youth. The way he put pressure on his own side to perform, I remember him lifting one of his own players against an upright after giving away a penalty, against the ref by never stopping talking, against the other side by all sorts of tactics, and against the crowd, remember refusing to move (as if he'd made a mistake when deciding where to stand) in Ireland before a critical 6N match.
Not universally liked by his players I'm told, but everyone admired him.
He's a hero of my son.
But he was put in the position too soon. Shame. I won't hold it against him though. Brilliant bloke.
krusty said:
Hopefully Ron Andrew will follow
from someone who truly knows.LOL
Johnson, I laugh when I think that he really believes his own hype, and how he won the World Cup by dominating CW.
One of the boys doesn't work Im afraid.
He never did it for me, a bit of a plank when it came to it.
Not frightening enough by half.
A proper fierce coach wouldn't have had the high jinx of the tour.
Don't let the door knob hit you
where the dog shouldve bit you
Leithen said:
If you want to be the best team in the world - hire the best coach/manager in the world. Given a bit of time coaching in the lower reaches of the game. Johnson might well have/might still become one of the best. Chucking him in the deep end almost straight after his playing career ended was always daft.
+1How about Dean Richards
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