Now here is a turn I wasn’t expecting. I walked into the press conference on Wednesday afternoon with a feeling of indifference.
There was a new coach to be unveiled. Eric Elwood would be stepping up from the assistant role providing some continuity in the camp. Yet it all seemed very routine.
Here is how we expected it to go, Eric will take over in June, here is his playing and coaching record. He’s happy, we’re happy, don’t worry about the 1 year contract stuff and no more talk of this until the summer.
It didn’t go that way.
The above was the worst case scenario, best case. Well for that you’d need a list of all the things you’d want to hear from a new coach about to take over a Connacht side that has made some progress this year but according to some reports of late, is once again operating under the dark cloud of the IRFU’s demolition ball
That list would include plenty of fire and passion, a determination to move things forwards, some new and brave goals, an acceptance of a need to grow the fan base.
Wait there is more, a target of moving us off the bottom of the table would be good, a clear commitment to developing local indigenous talent is always a must and an undertaking to continue the recruitment of young Irish players.
To complete this best case scenario you’d probably want some sort of a sign that personal reputations were happily being put on the line for a chance to move Connacht rugby up a level. Permanently.
We got it all with bells. For a quarter of an hour on Wednesday morning, Connacht’s longest serving and most high profile servant, spoke from the heart about his determination to drive the whole process up to a new level
He fielded tough questions about a measly one year contract, IRFU restrictions on player recruitment for longer contracts, the absolute necessity of a four province structure, the need for Connacht to make their case on the pitch and help create a stronger identity between the people of the province and their rugby team.
Elwood accepted the reality that his unblemished reputation during his provincial career – that spanned close to 16 season – could be affected by taking this role on but seemed to be hardly bothered by this. He simply appears to believe that he’s got what it takes to do the job successfully and after that, nothing matters.
The Irish under 20 Grand Slam winning coach certainly has some fine credentials . He isn’t the type of ex-player who always seemed destined to be a coach, it didn’t even interest him initially.
He admitted as much on Wednesday stating that he wouldn’t say it was always his ambition to coach Connacht (more of that honesty) but stressed that once he got into coaching and worked with Michael Bradley things changed.
From his words and body language, Eric Elwood seems ready for the task. Many would have turned down a one year contract on the grounds that it wasn’t sufficient backing but for Elwood it’s got to be enough for now.
Like everyone else, he winced a little on Friday morning when he opened the Irish Times and looked at Gerry Thornley’s article but it didn’t take him long to see the positive. Connacht are being led by a man who sees professional rugby lasting long into the future.
“I genuinely believe it (the operations and governance review) is a positive for Connacht rugby. I’ll tell you why. The Branch went to the union. They instigated this. I firmly believe after this review is done, positive things will come out of it. We certainly want to be part of the four provinces not three plus one.”
There were a number of stand out moments that are worth recording.
First of all on bringing Connacht up a tier, he had this to say.
“We have committed to re-signing the vast majority our squad, the continuity is important. In the modern professional game, you have to have a certain minimum of support staff and analysis staff. We know the players we have and we have to challenge them in other areas
“My vision, yes I want to get off the bottom of that bloody table, I really genuinely want us to be competitive but as I say my passion and me saying that will only get us so far.
“I really want the players to believe it. So when we go away from home get ten points behind, we don’t just chuck in the towel, we have got to get something to aim for in every game. We want to get that consistency in our performances.”
On risking his reputation
“I want to get over loyalty and being a Connacht man, that’s all fine but I want to get over that. I’m here to do a job, I see it as a serious challenge, maybe I’m putting my reputation on the line but that doesn’t matter to me. I’m here to try and make a difference.
“Yes I’d say it means something to me but I don’t want to get bogged down on that. I’m talking about sheer ability here, I want to take on this challenge, It might be only one year, not ideal but it is a challenge,I’ve never stood back from one before and we all have to embrace it.
“We’ve got to change the mindset on and off the park. Community and media, but we’ll change that with results and a change of attitude. I relish the challenge, reputation doesn’t bother me.”
On growing a sense of identify between team and supporters through on-field results.
“I think it is very important that I get people walking up the road to support Connacht because of what we do on the park, that’s the ideal scenario. Obviously Leinster and Munster, good luck to them, they’ve got a great brand.”
“I know there are people from Galway who go down to support Munster. Good luck to them that’s fine, they may be originally from there or have relations there, that’s grand. It’s my job to get people to embrace this team and say we want a professional team in Connacht.”
“That’s all of us, the community, the media, you guys got a job to do and that’s fine but we need to be serious that we want a Connacht team a pro team in Galway.”
“We need to get people behind that, coming to games, buying season tickets and supporting us. When they are there, they are very good we got a core support of 1500 or 2000. It’s not enough we need more. We need to get there, we need to show ambition.”
Elwood could well be inheriting a Connacht side off the back of their best ever season under Michael Bradley. Time will tell on that but it certainly be ironic if the current coaches’ most promising campaign came at the end of a seven season association with the province.
If Bradley was in his second year, calls for a change would seem ridiculous, based on the improved form this season but the time is probably right for a fresh approach and all of a sudden the idea of promoting the assistant coach appears to be bringing that sense of freshness many in the province were craving.
Elwood himself would be dismissive of the idea that a press conference and words can mean anything. He’s an actions man for sure and he will look to be judged on what he can get out of the team in the early part of next season. However, there now appears to be some hope on the horizon.
Before that though, there is the small matter of a shot at real glory for this current crop of players. Three Magners League games stand between Connacht and a showdown with Bourgoin with a place in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup on the line.
Lets hope this refreshing new straight talking mantra is allowed to flourish in the new regime because if it is, and if the barriers are stripped down, then its hard not to see Connacht sports fans pouring their heart and soul back into the team in return.
Rob Murphy - www.Knockon.ie
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Here is a sound bite free full recording of the media briefing.
You will hear first from Connacht CEO Gerry Kelly before he opens the floor to questions for Connacht’s new Head Coach for 2010/11 Eric Elwood.
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