'You do get some autocratic bullies as coaches. It's my way or the highway and they surround themselves with yes men'
Former Premiership and PRO14 prop John Andress has hit out at autocratic bullies and their ‘do as I say, not as I do – my way or the highway’ style of coaching. The 37-year-old Ireland A forward, who now runs Edge Rugby Management Limited in Belfast, had a respected professional career that featured stints at seven clubs in three different countries.
Ulster, Exeter, Harlequins, Worcester, Edinburgh, Munster and Connacht were all pitstops on the tighthead’s circuitous journey through Ireland, England and Scotland which eventually ended in February 2017 and he has now explained why the game’s most successful coaches are those who are respectful of everybody and treat people well.
“I would have had a bit of a reputation when I was younger,” said Andress in an interview with The XV. “I was boisterous, liked to drink, got into a couple of scraps, things like that but nothing major. From the later middle stage of my career, it was completely fine, no problems, but sometimes you can get a reputation when you’re younger that doesn’t help.”
This happened at Ulster, his home province, where acrimony eventually sent Andress on his travels around England and Scotland before he came back to Ireland in the twilight of his career. “I had Allen Clarke as an academy coach and we had a falling-out,” continued the prop.
"The most sustainable, successful clubs or the best coaches are guys who look after the person first."
Player-turned-agent, @JANDRESS84 tells @heagneyl that after the pain of the pandemic, rugby can look ahead with optimismhttps://t.co/tEsuuvv8aB
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) January 21, 2021
“He left the academy, I got brought back in and when I got contracted at Ulster, he was the forwards coach. A three-legged dog would have got picked ahead of me. I was just desperate to play rugby and looked at an opportunity to get away.
“I certainly wouldn’t advise a player to handle it the way I did but part of me was like, ‘Nah, I’m my own man so I don’t care’. I can live with myself knowing I gave it my all but at the same time, from a professional point of view, I wouldn’t want my players to have to take a path like I did.
“It’s a hard path, a hard slog, and sometimes you are better minding your Ps and Qs. If I was purely to go back for me to get the most out of my career as a player, I would have handled it differently. But because of where I am now (as an agent), I wouldn’t change my path because I saw the different environments.
“You saw how really poor environments were run, how really good environments were run. I had some great coaches and some pretty poor coaches. What I saw was the best places treat human beings well. The most sustainable, successful clubs or the best coaches are guys who look after the person first.
“Unfortunately, you do get some autocratic bullies. It’s do as I say not as I do, my way or the highway. They surround themselves with yes men and can’t be challenged, leadership groups full of yes men who are sucking up to favourites and it’s just not enjoyable, but they are starting to grow out of the game and a new breed of coach is coming through with more of an understanding of what sustainable success takes.
“I was very lucky. I had Rob Baxter, Rassie Erasmus, Pat Lam, Alan Solomons early in my career… the way they treated people was on a wavelength to get the best out of them. They were respectful of everybody, whether a player or the lady serving the food. They were just respectful, hard-working and a great example. It was an eye-opener.”
Paolo Odogwu has just been named in the England squad for the first time, so here's the brilliant @JLyall93 interview with him from last weekend.?https://t.co/SRDTKLI1fD
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) January 22, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments