Rule me out of England job - for now
Hello there – It's Johnno here again. I’m trying to come to terms with the fact that Ladbrokes have made me second favourite behind Dean Richards to replace Brian Ashton as the next England coach.
I’ve got some advice for you – don’t put any money on me. I’ve never coached in my life. People have a perception that because you were successful as a player, you can go back into the game and be successful as a coach.
If I want to get back into the game, I’ll do it in my own time and in my own way. I think that to go and do the biggest job in English rugby without any coaching experience would be a very difficult thing to do, to say the least.
Looking further ahead, I wouldn’t rule it out completely because you can’t rule anything out completely. But at the moment I’ve got no plans to go into coaching, and particularly with the England job.
The sad thing is that England are in a position where they haven’t played too well in this World Cup so people are starting to speculate during the tournament about who’s going to replace the coach when he’s actually still in the job.
It’s just media speculation – one of those things that comes up when England aren’t playing well. In fact they’ve still got a good chance of making the quarter-finals.
The players need to be concentrating on the game against Samoa, and on what’s actually happening, not on all the media speculation. It’s vital that they beat Samoa.
As for Dean Richards, he’s won four leagues and two European Cups and is now doing a good job with Harlequins, so his name is always going to get a mention as well. At least he’s been doing a coaching job for some time, unlike me!
Other names in the hat? I’m not going to add to the speculation because there’s no hat to put them in at the moment.
I wouldn’t have minded the Chelsea job though! They say that Jose’s expecting a £25m pay-off. That’s not a bad little package.
Joking apart, the important thing for Brian and his England side is to concentrate on the Samoa game on Saturday. I’ll be back shortly after the match to give my verdict. Join me then.
They're not looking too good right now. It's as if English players, whatever the sport, from football to tennis to rugby, are unable to respond to coaching. Most dispiriting.
Posted by: North London Boy | 26 February 2008 at 23:32
Dear sir i want to start job in orange shop any kind of job i will do for you in Bradford area,
Posted by: shakil iqbal | 31 January 2008 at 16:29
England were wiped out in what must be the most embarassing score against any defending champions yet you still think that they will make the quarters!!!
Wilkinson is only one player and past his best, the team has to perform in the present and I would predict that lowly Samoa send this lamentable english squad to an early bath.
Posted by: Alistair | 22 September 2007 at 01:03