Tana's Toulon Torment
To quote the Twelfth Man (who in turn is taking the piss out of Bill Lawry), Tana is GOONNNNNNE.
It may not be official yet but it’s just like our Rachel used to say – it may not happen over night, but it will happen.
Gregor Paul summarised the situation in the NZ Herald a little while ago.
Tana might be a living legend in NZ but it’s a completely different ball game being a coach than being a player, albeit a legend.
The irony of it all – when a team loses, the coach has the power to dump a player. But in a professional environment, the owner’s main option is to dump the coach.
Particularly when the said owner has poured millions into the team with the expectation that his pride and joy will be battling for the competition honours, not for survival.
As it stands, Toulon is bang smack in the relegation zone and Tana is on a hiding to nothing. Paul puts it this way:
If Toulon are relegated, Umaga will almost certainly be fired. If Toulon stay up, Umaga will almost certainly be fired. Boudjellal is a man who is blown by the wind. He is impulsive, emotional and not necessarily governed by rational thought.
So given that Tana is a good bloke, a legend to boot, and his owner is a mad Frenchie, the instinct is to sympathise with Tana.
Don’t. Simply because a bloke is a good bloke and a playing legend does not a coach make.
On top of that, Tana has surrounded himself with mates, wannabees, and never were. Jerry Collins may have been another legend but sadly legends live in the past.
Sonny Bill was a potential legend in league but he needed to prove he could handle the physical contact.
Leaving league as he did for a sport he had not track record in demonstrates the paradox Tana faces as a coach. If SBW is a success, it’s a case of you pay your dollars and that’s what you expect from a highly paid superstar. If he fails, the coach takes it on the chin.
Toulon have slipped even further over the last couple of days and frankly the writing looks very much on the wall. Not that Frank is in Toulon but he could help!
Tana’s best bet would be an assistant role so he can learn how to coach.
Mind you, Tana may still score francs in the end!
Just to add some informations frm Toulon since un informed journalist spread a lot of bullshits.
“Boudjellal is a man who is blown by the wind. He is impulsive, emotional and not necessarily governed by rational thought.”
I would say he is provocative (and he can he depends on nobodyelse) and without a wooden tongue, but logical and rational unless it is said, and want a success for the club he owns and pay for.Unless you think irrational to buy and use a club to become a politician and for a social revenge in your birth town.
Tana has struggled to make the team click in a difficult and very long championship different from NZ where the forwards and scrummaging play a greater role.Until now his success has been far under expectation (however there are recent improvements since Jake White came).
SBW has proven in the last games that he has really an enormous potential in XV.
However having a successfull team needs time and some key positions players are not at the level it was expected like for the fLyhalf
But the
Is Umaga gone? I don’t think so.Not yet.
“Tana’s best bet would be an assistant role so he can learn how to coach.”
Yes I think so and Philippe Saint André the great coach of Sale Sharks is said to come.
Boudjellal will made a big annoucement the 26 of january and some expect that 3 top players will arrive (some has said Mac Allister or Carlos Spencer or Wilkinson or Contepomi… for the flyhalf).
Toulon is not yet finished in the Top 14.Expect Boudjellal to spend few million $ more soon.He is a smart self made man, a winner and a killer.