The End of the Road for John Dumbtree?

Public and Fan Sentiment on John Plumtree's Coaching at the Sharks

Mixed Reactions and High Expectations

The general sentiment among fans and observers regarding John Plumtree's coaching at the Sharks is mixed, with a notable undercurrent of frustration due to the team's inconsistent performances, especially given the high-profile talent in the squad.

1. Many fans have expressed disappointment, with some labeling the Sharks under Plumtree as "the worst-coached URC team," arguing that a squad filled with Springbok talent should be performing at a much higher level in both the United Rugby Championship (URC) and European competitions1.
2. The team has been criticized for a lack of cohesion, inconsistency, and underachievement, particularly in matches where they have been expected to dominate but have instead struggled or narrowly scraped wins2368.

Coaching Assessment and Achievements

Despite the criticism, Plumtree's tenure has not been without positives:

1. Under his leadership, the Sharks have won two trophies: the Currie Cup and the European Challenge Cup, marking significant milestones for the franchise56.
2. Plumtree has been credited with improving team culture, focusing on building stronger connections and camaraderie among players, which he identified as lacking when he took over5.
3. The coach himself has acknowledged the team's inconsistency and the need for improvement in areas such as game management and emotional intensity, often expressing both frustration and cautious optimism after matches238.

Player and Team Dynamics

1. The influx of Springbok players has added both pressure and opportunity. While their presence raises expectations, frequent changes in the lineup due to international duties have disrupted team chemistry, a challenge Plumtree has openly discussed6.
2. Plumtree has emphasised the importance of experienced players mentoring younger squad members, seeing long-term benefits in player development and squad depth6.

Pressure and Perspective

1. Plumtree is aware of the scrutiny and pressure that comes with coaching a "Galacticos"-like squad, but he maintains a balanced perspective, highlighting the progress made in retaining and attracting talent and not allowing short-term results to define the broader project at the Sharks6.
2. He is regarded as a respected coach with a history at the Sharks, and while there is frustration over recent league standings and performances, there is also recognition of the trophies won and the foundational work being done567.

Summary Table: Sentiment Overview

Conclusion

While John Plumtree has brought some success and positive cultural change to the Sharks, fan and public satisfaction remains tempered by the team's underwhelming league performances and inconsistency, especially given the star-studded roster. The consensus is that expectations are higher than what has been delivered so far, and continued improvement will be necessary to win over the broader supporter base123568.

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Plumtree was involved with a New Zealand Super Rugby side and the All Blacks for very short periods. He had good results in the past for the Sharks, but in his current stint as coach, any decent performances may be down to the players, rather than the game plan.

The players do not seem to understand the game plan, or it is just poor

I have a feeling that Sharks have too many big personalities for Plumb to handle.

They look like a team that leans too heavily on the individual status of players - We're amazing and we'll get it done.

Rooi is a Vissies fan, if I'm not mistaken, and even he was saying how painful it was to watch them on the weekend.

With their talent pool they should be crushing teams. Instead, they're super inefficient about almost everything they do, can hardly go a few phases without running out of ideas and have probably served up the worst games of the big 3 SA sides this year.

...the opposite of the Bulls.

Say what you want about Jake but he's timed the performance wave perfectly for the playoffs. The Bulls look a scary side right now. They've been a pleasure to watch in the second half of the season. The worst thing you can say about them is that they start suffering from an adrenaline dump when they're 40 points in the lead...lol

I say, get Ackerman to the Sharks and give Dobbo one more season at the Stompies. I feel like the Stormers have a crazy amount of built in flair and you need to compliment that with conservative type coach. That way, if they meet in the middle there'll be far less Galant syndrome doing the rounds on the field.

And start putting much more respect on Jake's name. MUCH MORE!

‘While head coach Ian Foster has retained his job, forwards coach John Plumtree and attack coach Brad Mooar have been fired at the conclusion of “robust and in-depth conversations” about ways to improve performance, NZR said in a statement.’

…………….

Why we went back to this man who was dumped by NZ has always been a mystery. The Sharks are way under performing their potential….even the Bomb squad front row isn’t functioning at their dominant best in Sharks’ jersies.

He is super shit - has a wealth of talent who play an awful brand of rugby - kick and hope for the best

One never sees any attacking play from the backs especially from structured play

Sack him - his selections are also very suspect

Plumtree is a fucken idiot - HOPELESSNESS..............