Link puts hand up for Reds job
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday September 12, 2009
EWEN McKENZIE will weigh up his coaching options in Australia before deciding on his future, but he is definitely interested in taking over from sacked Queensland Reds head coach Phil Mooney.After himself being let go as head coach of French Top 14 side Stade Francais on Tuesday, McKenzie yesterday firmed as a the likely successor to Mooney, who was told by the Queensland Rugby Union yesterday despite being only two years into a three-year contract at the Reds.However, McKenzie €“ who has also been touted as a strong candidate to coach the new Melbourne side, should it be approved as the fifth Australian team by SANZAR in an expanded Super 15 competition to start in 2011 €“ last night said he will not rush into any decision.If McKenzie does become Mooney's successor, he will team up with his long-time friend and 1991 World Cup Wallabies winning teammate Rod McCall, who is the incoming QRU chairman.McKenzie said he spoke with McCall by telephone on Wednesday, but their conversation focused on his situation at the Parisian Stade Francais club and he said he was not briefed on Mooney's imminent axing or even canvassed about his interest in coaching the Reds."At the time, Phil Mooney was the coach," said McKenzie. "There was no indication that that was going to change. He rang me about that [losing his Stade Francais job]. He asked me what I was doing. I said I am coming back to Australia and looking at whatever opportunities are there. That's about it. He rang me about my situation more than anything else. He just said he was getting on with business and getting the lay of the land."Obviously things have developed since then on his front. I will look into it with more detail. I am obviously interested in getting back on the horse."There is a lot of talk about the Melbourne team. That is still in the pipeline. That [position] is of interest and obviously there is now another potential position open. But I am sure there are other people queueing up. But yeah ... I'll have a look, for sure."McKenzie, who will return to Australia on Sunday week, last night played down his friendship with McCall, but it would no doubt help knowing that he could rely on support from the top of the QRU.McKenzie lacked the support of the NSW Rugby Union at the Waratahs, even though he led the side to two finals in his five years as head coach.After leaving NSW at the end of the 2008 season, he then took up a three year deal with Stade Francais. But after the Parisian side made last year's Top 14 semi-finals, they began this season with a disappointing run of three losses, one draw and one win from their first five games. That led to club owner Max Guazzini taking the drastic measure of letting McKenzie go this week. The two came to a mutual agreement on Monday and the parting of ways was announced on Tuesday."Friendship is one thing, but this is a business. What you are talking about is having good communication lines. So knowing Rod well and how he operates is a plus, but in the end these things can't be sentimental decisions. His brief is to get the best result for Queensland," McKenzie said."Whether it is me or someone else, he will decide that 100 per cent objectively. Whether we held hands playing the World Cup in 1991 isn't going to count to much. It is about the skills sets and whether people can work together."Just like Melbourne will be the same deal. Just because I grew up in Melbourne is nice and warm and fuzzy. But that doesn't mean the decision will be made on that basis. I will have to look at it the same way, take the sentimental side out of it."Mooney was ashen-faced yesterday after being told of his sacking. Mooney's record of six wins in 26 matches was ultimately his undoing, but the loss of the popular coach €“ who is a local product with deep links in Brisbane rugby €“ will undoubtedly cause a backlash for the Reds and the new-look administration, who are now chasing their seventh coach in a decade.The death knell for Mooney was the recommendation of a consulting group made up of Reds greats Tim Horan and Dan Crowley, former Brumbies skipper Brett Robinson and McCall.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
