John Smit not so popular

This is si typical of us Saffers. We call for somebody's head and the moment our wishes come true we make a U-turn.

I have seen many calls, from Sharks supporters even, for Plum to be fired. Not only this season. It happened last year as well when the Sharks were going through a bad patch. Now that it has happened everybody is feeling sorry for him and claims that he did not deserve to be sacked.

I remember many many moons ago with the Frans Vontsteen murder case. He got the death sentence for murdering Cois Swanepoel. While the case was ongoing, the general public were all for him getting the death sentence. The moment that he got sentenced the petitions started for his sentence to be reduced. They pitched tents on Church Square and had people signing endless petitions. Unbelieveable.

www.youtube.com/watch

 I used to like John Smit. I thought he was a humble and intelligent man even with rugby aside. Now I just think he is a fat cunt!

He is not qualified for the position he holds and is now starting to cross a lot of seasoned Sharks men! The same men that made him what he is today. He seems to be promoting his buddies. Brad Mcleod Henderson was a half baked player and will probably be an even worse coach.

I just wish the coaches could see this happening a long time ago so that fat prick would have been benched for Bismaark long ago. He amassed all these starting caps whilst the best hooker in the world sat on the bench. Ridiculous!

Mike, the way I see it, John's hand was forced by the way that Mallett opened his big mouth in the press. Be glad that this is not football. There managers get fired easier and quicker than this was done. The problem is that we are so good at jumping. Jumping to conclusions that is.

Take your post for instance. You are already contemplating the posibility of Daniel getting fired and Frans Steyn neing reinstated as captain. Was it not the very sameJohn Plumtree, and not John Smit who appointed Steyn as the capatin in th efirst place? Were you not one of Plum's fiercest critics about his idiotic selections this year?

What would have been the best for the Sharks? Keep on struggling the way they are for the rest of the season, or bite the bullet and make the harsh decisions? At least, they can now more or less write off this season and start working for the CC and next season. The rest are still concentrating on this season. They could have a head start. They just need to ensure that they do not end last in the SA Conf, to make sure they are not involved in the play-offs, and I don't think that there is any danger of that in any case.

"I used to like John Smit. I thought he was a humble and intelligent man even with rugby aside. Now I just think he is a fat cunt!"

Maybe you can go punch his lights out for us, SmallCock?

clevermike

Status: Rugby Legend
Posts: 5686 RE: John Smit not so popular
July 01, 2013, 12:26:35

Ceradyne

I am not so sure that the fault is entirely Mallet's fault - but indeed it could be argued that is the case - and that would put Smit in a more favourable light. Insofar as he captaincy issue is concerned - I am not saying it will happen - only if it does happen then I would be careful about the Steyn issue. Otherwise it could cause serious problems in the camp.

I did not say that it was Mallett's fault. I said the fact that Mallett opened his big mouth forced John's hand.

Thing is that this is now turning into an emotional thing. This is the time to be clinical about it. How many times are we hearing this player and that player should be dropped and forgotten about as soon as possible. This player is a doos and that one is pathetic and then next one is average, etc etc etc. Why not the same with John Plumtree? How many times has he brought his side onto the last staright and then styumbled over the last hurdle?

 Smit got the job probably largely due to his his esteem in the public eye.

The past CEO got shown the door probably in part due to the negative dealings of security.

John Smit was brought in to improve the perception of Sharks rugby.

In his first action he has tarnished his own image, and that of Sharks rugby. 

It could be a defining first act of his tenure.

Appointing this mcloud henderson, who either boxes above his weight or is hopelessly too inexperienced to be a SuperXV coach could be the next.

If Sharks rugby declines it will all be on John Smit. 

I feel for Plumtree, I think Smith is a Cloun, his decision will backfire, he fires the guy with great experince and credentials in his dispossal. 

Spot on Mike, this issue was handled very poor to say the least.  That's what happens when an inexperienced CEO takes over, and start calling shorts.

Sharks had a shitload of injuries. Plumtree is a coach not a miracle worker 

John blundered badly. When the decision was made not to renew Plums contract, he should have spoken to Plum before speaking to other candidates. He is to blame and although his intentions might have been noble it did not help his cause when he then tried to explain himself in the media, dropping yet more names - blunder no. 2. Let's hope he learned some.

Plums replacement. Macleod Henderson?

Sharks are boned 

Seems like everything that went wrong here, has. It is amazing though how Smit's character is being assaulted when as a player it is the one thing he was most known for and generally regarded by everyone as a true gentleman. He obviously made some mistakes here as a rookie in management  but that doesn't change the type of person he is. He has expressed regret for the way it went down. The biggest mistake was putting out third party feelers to people about the coaching position. He should have approached Mallett personally and then requested confidentiality. That would have been honoured. His other mistake was going to the media to explain his side of things. Should have just moved on.

I have no problem with him getting rid of Plumtree with the caveat that Plumtree has been made whole contractually. As the man at the top, he is ultimately responsible for the success of the franchise and must have been extremely impressed with Venter to get rid of Plumtree who has had success. It is the exception in other professional sports for a new GM to keep the incumbent coach and staff intact. Part of being a good leader is knowing the direction you want the club to take and then getting the personnel around you to facilitate.

I do have a problem with Mallett running his mouth about the head coach position - he knew the Sharks head coach job hunt wasn't public information and yet released info about it anyway. That is nothing but self-serving.

The end result of this mess is that Smit's tenure is probably going to be linked to the success of Venter. That would seem to be a given.

 Well said again Matey....I agree with ever word

You advertise a job to invite candidates you don't know. When you know all the possible candidates you don't advertise the job, unless you are trying to demonstrate that all candidates are welcome....as was the case with the Boks. It's a political act when you do that. Not in the Natal Provincial handbook Iknow, but standard practice.

Surprise surprise, another insightful rugby post from the insignificant 50+ loser Rooinek. Good effort big guy. With some perserverance, you will get there one day. Just keep at it.

Moz, Plumtree was hit hard with injuries. A lot of his selections were forced. He has done well to keep the Sharks "in it" so to speak. I believe the only reason we lost to the Chiefs is because we went away from what was working in the 1st half. Once our forwards clicked, we came back at the Chiefs in a big way. Our forwards should never have let the ball go further than them. Lambie should have played for position every play. Try force a lineout steal or turn over deep in Chiefs half and keep rumbling it up. Chiefs had no answer to the rolling maul and we went away from that and tried to play too much rugby. We were never going to win like that. It would always have had to have been a grind and an "ugly" win.

Plum was alright. He didn't deserve how this all ended. He should have been spoken with and given the opportunity to resign if thats what the Sharks wanted, not just told on the side of the field like a school kid.

Boklogic

If you’re counting, it turns out that the cumulative change in time zones in Super Rugby is 38 time-zones for South African teams (with 4 to 5 consecutive weeks spent away from home), compared to 20 time-zones and 2 to 3 consecutive weeks away for New Zealand and Australian teams.

The greater time away from home is may be a factor – evidence exists that teams fare worse at the end of a long “road-trip” than at the beginning, but the issue of adapting to a new time-zone may be equally crucial for performance in the first week in particular.

The Sharks travelled  to Brisbane then back to SA and then back to NZ within a space of two weeks. I can assure you to win in that game you got be almost Super Human.

There is a reason why the Bulls have the best record in Super Rugby concerning titles and having a home fortress and there is a reason why the only ones to win the SR and the SUper 10 from SA is two high altitude teams.

We are being disadvantaged and NZ knew this I can imagine Australia as well and that is why they do not wanted to add another SA team in SR cause it would have meant another extra week away and traveling to altitude and then to sea level next week. If the Lions were added the playing field would have been leveled much more than what it basically is currently.

We are getting fucked over at SANZAR with everything and yet we are the ones bringing in the most of the cash. They need us we do not need them and I do not know why we dance to their tunes? AR have done only one thing and that is strengthen Kiwi rugby in expense of our CC and in expense of our players getting injured and fatiqued

When we were shit in SR our national team did well. We don;t need it. For any of the SA coastal sides to win this tournament its going to take a miracle as overseas teams have only to adapt to the time zone changes. Thats it. Bulls, Lions and Cheetahs teams have to fly over the timezones and then have to adapt to the altitude within the space of a week its almost imposibble to do. If Bulls change their matches to 15h00 in the afternoon they should have no problem beating any kiwi or Aussie team at Loftus.  

Spoony, sorry cuz, I should have been more clear. I meant the Sharks vs Chiefs this year. Last years final we were never going to fire a shot. It would have taken a miracle to win that game.

I was referring to the 2013 pool game where the Sharks came back from 24-0 down after the first 20mins to go to the break 24-19. We should not have moved away from our forwards that game. The 2012 final we had no chance. Chiefs were too good and Sharks were a fatigued, battered team by that point.

That post was in debate with Mozart's reference to the Chiefs vs Sharks this year.

Booked off from work with the flu!  That construction site is very cold and damp.

For people who have worked in the corporate world it will be easy to understand.  John is not the sole decision maker and as Moz sai much of the doings and screwings was alread in progress.  Sometimes these are so manipulated as to make the new guy look bad.  Lt us all take a cillpill and give Johnny a fair chance to either prove his worth or to sink himself.

I think he is OK and will fix the union so it can be strong again.

Was John P a bad coach?  No, not for a minute can anyone say that else he would not have achieved what he did, but a change is as good as a holiday.

Bok understood. But we still going to loose out every year and Sharks and Stormers supporters are going to be dissapointed time and again.

The 2010 Final the Bulls were clever in moving the final to even a higher altitude cause they knew they were rested and adapted to the conditions. 

Training for high altitude matches, WP should get a training field on Table mountain, then we are already 2 thirds there!