STIR O VER S TILES
THE worrying omen for Nick Stiles is that the Queensland Rugby Union is renowned for review processes that find the answers they want to find.
The “Stiles sacked” murmurs are intensifying. He is on annual leave, he hasn’t been fired and if that is the future the head coach won’t yet have been told about it.
When the smoke rings of speculation start swirling around Ballymore, it usually means a bushfire is not far behind.
If the QRU board of directors have decided to install cub coach Brad Thorn, they will have found the reasons to remove Stiles as Queensland Reds boss.
If they want to keep Stiles for 2018, he’ll be the coach who showed passion and promise yet underperformed as a four- from- 15 boss this season.
If they want him out, he’ll be burdened with the poor co- coach results of 2016 as well, strategy flaws and so on.
Few will remember the 10- topic review of 2000 when the Reds split from John Connolly, their coach of 12 years, to appoint Mark McBain.
Connolly’s time was up but he actually topscored in the two categories most specific to coaching a Super Rugby side.
He topped the areas of technical proficiency as an on- field coach and rugby analysis yet was marked down in “relationship building” and “collaboration.”
The point is even savvy rugby committees see what they want to see when it comes to selecting coaches.
There are voices on the QRU board who are not convinced Stiles is the best choice for 2018.
Chief executive Richard Barker repeatedly offering no comment on Stiles’ status for 2018 is not a good sign.
Stiles has earned positive reviews from players as has Thorn in his roles this season as contact coach, gym tyrant and standards- setter.
Former All Black Thorn is an excep- tional asset for the Reds with his nononsense pursuit of excellence.
He still has his trainer wheels on as a head coach because his Queensland Under- 20s and Queensland Country roles are in pathway competitions to learn the art.
Thorn will be a superb head coach in 2020 but rushing him comes with major pitfalls.
I can’t cop a head coach project being propped up by excellent assistant coaches if there is substance to the rumoured Thorn- Tony McGahan- Phil Mooney partnership.
“We won’t be commenting on speculation … our coaching structure is what appears on the Reds website,” a QRU spokesman said.
Currently, that lists Stiles as head coach, Tony McGahan as his new senior assistant, Shane Arnold as attack coach, Jason Gilmore as elite development coach and Thorn as contact coach.
A future with Stiles and Thorn both involved is still the best option.