Bluey did an interview today with ex-herald League writer Pete Jessup for the NZBLOKES.CO.NZ website.
Thought it might be interesting to forum users. Pete is also doing a side by side comparison of Bluey and Ivan Cleary's coaching style later in the week
thats it
I didn't want to get people to my site just thought it was on topic for the forum. here's the interview:
Peter Jessup talks to new Warriors coach Brian McClennan
Posted on 09 August 2011 by Peter Jessup
When Brian McClennan was playing rugby league for Mt Albert in junior grades he was asked, as all kids are, what he wanted to be when he grew up. His reply was that he wanted to be the guy who read out the cancellations on Radio 1ZB, because then the league would never be cancelled.
The Warriors’ coach-in-waiting from a family steeped in the game, his Dad
Mike a success with St Helens in the 1980s. As a stand-off for Mt Albert,
Hibiscus Coast and Auckland he steered teams around, he had to have vision.
Coaching was not at the forefront of his mind, he told NZ Blokes, when he filled the player/coach role at Hibiscus. But he immediately enjoyed it and decided “that I wanted to coach to the best level I could.”
He got a chance at the Warriors under John Monie and alongside John Auckland. And after a couple of years there he started to aspire to higher honours,
“I did want to get to the Kiwis but I knew I had to do a long apprenticeship, especially since I didn’t have a playing background in the NRL or Super League. I knew it was going to be a long road and I’d need a bit of luck.”
He was ecstatic when in 2003 then-Kiwis coach Daniel Anderson roped him in as his assistant.
“I learnt a lot from Daniel, watching how analytical he is, he’s very fundamentals-driven. We’re friends. I learnt more from him probably when I was coaching against him (St Helens v Leeds). I have a real healthy respect for him, If there is any part of your game where you’re weak or you’re worried about it won’t be long before he’s trying to exploit it. That’s where you find out who the good coaches are, when you have a worry and they’re firing at it.”
The pair had success, beating Australia 30-16 at North Harbour Stadium.
“That helped me, we worked with a great group there. The only way you can
get a gig at an NRL club is to go through their system, you’re fortunate if
you get through from the outside as I have,” McClennan says.
He loves coaching and can’t wait to get into it at the Warriors.
“I enjoy working with a group, facing the challenge together and working out a way together to become the best team.”
It’s been alleged he has all the motivational tools needed but is short on
the analytical for week-in, week-out football.
“There’s not a lot of thought been put into those comments,”
he told NZ Blokes, pointing at his record in England.
“How can your team (Leeds) get to a Grand Final and win it without analysis and plotting? You have to win a lot of games along the way, then you have to have more plotting for the finals series. You have to have some pretty decent habits by the time you get there if you are to go on and win the grand final and it’s not going to happen by emotion.”
“That’s a throwaway line that’s been said, it’s not going to bother me.”
He once thought he could do both the club job at Leeds and the Kiwi coaching job but now concedes he’s changed his mind.
“I need to concentrate on the Warriors. Now that I’ve coached a team (Leeds) I know that I’m not the guy to do both jobs.”
But he doesn’t say others including current Parramatta/Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney can’t.
“Some people can, Daniel could. I don’t want to think about anything else except the Warriors, 100%.”
He won’t discuss the club while still on the outside, while Ivan Cleary still has games to lead them through. But he will say he’s very excited about the prospects for the club and New Zealand rugby league.
“I just think Kiwi boys are made for the game, they’re big, powerful, skilful and talented and they have great athleticism. I think the pathway we have for young boys now is as good as it’s ever been, the under 20s and the Vulcans giving people opportunities and the young guys can see it happening. There’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”
He knows the Warriors will win the Grand Final sooner or later and does not back away from his televised statement, when asked what his goal was in year one in charge in 2012,that he’ll be aiming to win it.
“It might happen this year, It might happen next year. I can’t say when but I’m aiming for the top and I’ll do that every year.”
I was working at the Herald as rugby league reporter when McClennan had his stint under Anderson and then took over the Kiwis coaching job, culminating in the 24-0 whipping of the Kangaroos.
I can assure NZ Blokes readers that “Bluey” is as analytical a coach as I’ve ever seen at work. Ask the players – they’ll testify to his non-stop mental application to the task at hand and the many hours of video preparation work he puts in.
My bet is that Bluey’s mark on the team will become apparent very quickly and that given a chance to select his own squad over the next two-three years, the Warriors will finally march to the Holy Grail.
here's the link
https://nzblokes.co.nz/peter-jessup-talks-to-new-warriors-coach-brian-mcclennan/
Thought it might be interesting to forum users. Pete is also doing a side by side comparison of Bluey and Ivan Cleary's coaching style later in the week
thats it
I didn't want to get people to my site just thought it was on topic for the forum. here's the interview:
Peter Jessup talks to new Warriors coach Brian McClennan
Posted on 09 August 2011 by Peter Jessup
When Brian McClennan was playing rugby league for Mt Albert in junior grades he was asked, as all kids are, what he wanted to be when he grew up. His reply was that he wanted to be the guy who read out the cancellations on Radio 1ZB, because then the league would never be cancelled.
The Warriors’ coach-in-waiting from a family steeped in the game, his Dad
Mike a success with St Helens in the 1980s. As a stand-off for Mt Albert,
Hibiscus Coast and Auckland he steered teams around, he had to have vision.
Coaching was not at the forefront of his mind, he told NZ Blokes, when he filled the player/coach role at Hibiscus. But he immediately enjoyed it and decided “that I wanted to coach to the best level I could.”
He got a chance at the Warriors under John Monie and alongside John Auckland. And after a couple of years there he started to aspire to higher honours,
“I did want to get to the Kiwis but I knew I had to do a long apprenticeship, especially since I didn’t have a playing background in the NRL or Super League. I knew it was going to be a long road and I’d need a bit of luck.”
He was ecstatic when in 2003 then-Kiwis coach Daniel Anderson roped him in as his assistant.
“I learnt a lot from Daniel, watching how analytical he is, he’s very fundamentals-driven. We’re friends. I learnt more from him probably when I was coaching against him (St Helens v Leeds). I have a real healthy respect for him, If there is any part of your game where you’re weak or you’re worried about it won’t be long before he’s trying to exploit it. That’s where you find out who the good coaches are, when you have a worry and they’re firing at it.”
The pair had success, beating Australia 30-16 at North Harbour Stadium.
“That helped me, we worked with a great group there. The only way you can
get a gig at an NRL club is to go through their system, you’re fortunate if
you get through from the outside as I have,” McClennan says.
He loves coaching and can’t wait to get into it at the Warriors.
“I enjoy working with a group, facing the challenge together and working out a way together to become the best team.”
It’s been alleged he has all the motivational tools needed but is short on
the analytical for week-in, week-out football.
“There’s not a lot of thought been put into those comments,”
he told NZ Blokes, pointing at his record in England.
“How can your team (Leeds) get to a Grand Final and win it without analysis and plotting? You have to win a lot of games along the way, then you have to have more plotting for the finals series. You have to have some pretty decent habits by the time you get there if you are to go on and win the grand final and it’s not going to happen by emotion.”
“That’s a throwaway line that’s been said, it’s not going to bother me.”
He once thought he could do both the club job at Leeds and the Kiwi coaching job but now concedes he’s changed his mind.
“I need to concentrate on the Warriors. Now that I’ve coached a team (Leeds) I know that I’m not the guy to do both jobs.”
But he doesn’t say others including current Parramatta/Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney can’t.
“Some people can, Daniel could. I don’t want to think about anything else except the Warriors, 100%.”
He won’t discuss the club while still on the outside, while Ivan Cleary still has games to lead them through. But he will say he’s very excited about the prospects for the club and New Zealand rugby league.
“I just think Kiwi boys are made for the game, they’re big, powerful, skilful and talented and they have great athleticism. I think the pathway we have for young boys now is as good as it’s ever been, the under 20s and the Vulcans giving people opportunities and the young guys can see it happening. There’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”
He knows the Warriors will win the Grand Final sooner or later and does not back away from his televised statement, when asked what his goal was in year one in charge in 2012,that he’ll be aiming to win it.
“It might happen this year, It might happen next year. I can’t say when but I’m aiming for the top and I’ll do that every year.”
I was working at the Herald as rugby league reporter when McClennan had his stint under Anderson and then took over the Kiwis coaching job, culminating in the 24-0 whipping of the Kangaroos.
I can assure NZ Blokes readers that “Bluey” is as analytical a coach as I’ve ever seen at work. Ask the players – they’ll testify to his non-stop mental application to the task at hand and the many hours of video preparation work he puts in.
My bet is that Bluey’s mark on the team will become apparent very quickly and that given a chance to select his own squad over the next two-three years, the Warriors will finally march to the Holy Grail.
here's the link
https://nzblokes.co.nz/peter-jessup-talks-to-new-warriors-coach-brian-mcclennan/
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