Martin Johnson calls for press conference in Auckland, 2300 BST

Martin Johnson is calling a press conference at 11pm British time, sources speculate that he is going to announce his resignation. I got this from the Rueters newsline.

Breaking news. Title says it all.

i dont tink him leaving is the correct choice IMO,

but who would english fans like to see replace him?

Probably to reveal he's giving up the role to settle in NZ with his wife and kids.......to learn how to coach properly?

Mods why is this on the club rugby board ? Surely this should go on the international board ? Or is it something that I have done ? Anywho can you put this post in its right place please ?

I already moved it

Ta

After all the nonsense his players (and the media) have subjected him too over the past few weeks i dont blame him

booo YI you beat me too it!

I have to say I think Johnson going and England having a rethink over their long-term rugby strategy would be a very good thing for them.

England have continued to live under the shadow of their 2003 team that first led the way for NH teams in the WC in the professional era. And this has more or less stunted English development of a more "modern" dynamic backline game. They had great success in the beginning when they had a pack that were light years ahead of the curve. But the worst thing that happened to them was their somehow beating all the odds and making the last WC final without any real improvement or development.

This is all coming from an outsider... and is not meant to be insulting. I think England have the ability and latent potential to develop a much more dynamic modern game that makes more of their backline. But these days, in every big tight game, England return to form and try to swallow the ball up front. Then if they fall behind they tend to look pannicked as they're forced to try and pull out some big scores and it all looks a bit naive and headless.

None of this was ever going to change with the selection of managers in the style of Martin Johnson.

I can't see how he could stay in the job,i have never really rated his coaching but i always thought he had his team under his thumb but he has clearly lost control and respect of his team.

Johnson taking over at Leicester Tigers then?

I think he is being slightly hard done by. I may be wrong but didnt the RFU get rid of half his coaching team and impose others on him?? I dont know. he has taken England to the closest sniff of a Grand Slam since 2003 but i think his players have let him down if anything.

Is this real?

Any links?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport news update tape at the top, 2nd one along

It's a rolling headline on the BBC sport website MrsP, but no link as of yet.

Thanks guys!

I was looking on the rugby page!



Seems far to soon to be making any announcements. What is there to lose in letting the dust and emotions settle?

Actually before the World Cup I thought Johnston was going somewhere with this team. He has possibly the best back three in the NH. Liked the look of some of his attacking backs but then for whatever reason he moved Tindall to 12 and brought back Wilkinson as his No.1 Outhalf. That seemed to be backward thinking IMO.

Rava wrote:Actually before the World Cup I thought Johnston was going somewhere with this team. He has possibly the best back three in the NH. Liked the look of some of his attacking backs but then for whatever reason he moved Tindall to 12 and brought back Wilkinson as his No.1 Outhalf. That seemed to be backward thinking IMO.

Well in that case I say, yes, Johnston must go! He has clearly interfered where he doesn't belong, protect the innocents at all costs.

I hope MJ stays. No coach has won a RWC in four years, especially their first four years as a coach/manager.

If he does walk what are the options?

Personally, I'd like to see Jake White or if not a bit left field, but Dean Richards. Controversial, but I though he was superb at Quins (bloodgate aside).

Bazzer79 wrote:I hope MJ stays. No coach has won a RWC in four years, especially their first four years as a coach/manager.

If he does walk what are the options?

Personally, I'd like to see Jake White or if not a bit left field, but Dean Richards. Controversial, but I though he was superb at Quins (bloodgate aside).

Abolutely no to a foreign manager if MJ goes, the RFU have already said that only in exceptional circumstances would a foreign-based player get picked for England after the end of this season, I think they should follow that up with not selecting any player that hasn't played all of their professional rugby in the Premiership, and make sure that the England manager is English.

I'd say a 1/4 final exit and a poor performing 'potentially talented' team with RWC 2015 at home, would constitute an exceptional circumstance??

If not then Deano!

I think Johnson will go. He gave it a shot but to be honest his tactical naivety in picking Flood at 12 shows he is not ready for the job, yet.
I always believed his appointment was premature, had he had a few years at a club i think he would have been better prepared but even with his extraordinary force of personality he was always going to be found out.
I don't think it is beyond possibility that he could give it a go in a few years but I think that he also abhors certain aspects of the role such as dealing with the press and RFU BS (Andrew can take his robust review and file it up his overpaid behind),
MJ is an intensely private man, was an exceptional servant of English rugby and whatever he decides he deserves our respect for winning a World cup.

Do the current crop of players give you the feeling they are underdone? That the tactics are wrong? That variations in selection would have anything but a marginal impact? That this is an unhappy squad? No probably not. Does Johnson give the impression that he is the captain in a suit rather than a manager, yes and I don't think he can change that in situ.

I dont think he should go to be honest, i also think the England RFU and the England public was expecting to mutch from him too soon.

England may well be 6ns champions, but this is a rugby world cup, totaly different set of teams, i think a quarter final exit was a good performance for this team.

I personaly think that England should let the dust settle first and not make any knee jerk reactions, that they may regret later.

This story seems to have vanished from the BBC site - what happened?

aye I can't find it either Davie, just an article about the RFU are going to be reviewing MJ's position.

The BBC has an artice up saying Johnson's position wil be reviewed.

Edit, Dreamer beat me to it.

ah but I didn't actually put a link up to the article Kiwi

Jake White for me, if MJ goes.

but imo he should stay until after the six nations so he has a chance to put it right, picking some inform players from the Prem would help.

Don´t think MJ going is the call to make now. Is he being shoved or does he feel a quarter final exit makes his position untenable. Either way I think he should stay. His other coaching staff should get the boot perhaps but not him.

they should all go bar him I think. I'd give him a chance with a forwards coach who isn't utter rubbish for a start.

With the depth in players and coaches in England, I believe England should have an England coach. I feel the same way for all of the major Rugby playing nations. England for England, NZ for NZ, Australia for australia (oops), Ireland for Ireland, Wales for Wales (oops again) Scotland for Scotland (er, oops thrice). Seriously this is the ultimate continuity, and iis consistent with residency for players, should be the same for coaches.

majesticimperialman wrote:I dont think he should go to be honest, i also think the England RFU and the England public was expecting to mutch from him too soon.

England may well be 6ns champions, but this is a rugby world cup, totaly different set of teams, i think a quarter final exit was a good performance for this team.

I personaly think that England should let the dust settle first and not make any knee jerk reactions, that they may regret later.

I wasn't expecting much from this WC, we exited where I thought we would. The issue has been the nature of our play and the glaring tactical & selection disasters that all but those in charge could see.

What has to be insisted upon is a change in the coaching set up. I suspect that Johnson may try to be overly loyal here, in which case he must go.

If he accepts I'd probably give Johnson a rolling year contract and demand signs of an evolution of thinking over the course of the 6N, summer tour & AIs.

Wells, Ford and Alred have to go, Johnson can pick new guys and then hopefully things will look up.

He must sack the other coaches though.

Controlled aggression by the team captain works on the field but having a aggressive manager/coach who seems to have a very short fuse in my opinion would have the opposite effect.

Suggesting that the other coaches must go but keep the manager in his job may not be the answer if the coaches are working to the managers instructions.
A new set of coaches will also be expected to do the same thing that means you are back to square one,

Given his player selections, can he be allowed complete free reign in choosing his coaches?

He can't be lumbered with coaches he doesn't want, but I'm not sure I trust him enough to make the right choices without a guiding hand.

People were calling out for Wells & Ford to go when Johnson took over and he was given the option of a clear out (Ashton had wanted to get rid of them but wasn't allowed), but he stuck by them. The coach he brought in, Brian Smith, hasn't exactly been a triumph.

make the change from the top. lets not blame it on coaches that are under MJ.

its his responsibilty