Penney dropped...for good

[johng]

Not 'til after Workd Cup next year, unfortunately.

[munster#1]

Very interesting times ahead for munster. I am a big fan of penney, and i think given a another season or 2 he would have been capable of turning things around.

Word is that it is for family reasons, and if true you could hardly blame him.

Going forward i would like foley to be given the job, with the budget getting blown to sign a top backs coach.

[Inquitus]

It looks increasingly like we are heading for the Northern Hemisphere rugby abyss, so that coupled with family issues, and a very uncertain future for Irish provincial rugby, and you can't really blame him for jumping ship for a presumably equal or better offer elsewhere. Much as I love watching us play ye, 6 times a year with no sponsorship or TV money of note is not only going to get long in the tooth for the supporter, but bankrupt us or diminish us to the point of rugby irrelevance in short order. Lets all pray common sense reigns in the end, because otherwise NH rugby is doomed.

[paddyor]

Very interesting times ahead for munster. I am a big fan of penney, and i think given a another season or 2 he would have been capable of turning things around.

Word is that it is for family reasons, and if true you could hardly blame him.

Going forward i would like foley to be given the job, with the budget getting blown to sign a top backs coach.

Has he not already turned things around? Top of the Rabo and a home QF and barring a complete collapse or injury crisis a home SF in both competitions. From there on it's really down to the players on the pitch. What is your criteria for turning things around?

Seeing as you're already over budget I think it more likely that Howlett will simply be promoted. You might get a cut price EOS though.

[deco]

A victory for folk who think that a return to the traditional Munster 10 man, up the jumper style will bring home d Heineken. Terrible news for those few Munster fans who could see where he was heading. He was slowly changing the mindset down there and managing to coax the players to Leinsters style of play. He'd a long way to go, but he always said it'd be a three year plan (a tad ambitious, but there you go).

Can't really blame the guy for wanting out of Limerick, in fairness to him.

He could've been a legend.

[Ruckedtobits]

So, you are the Senior Manager, your Company's going very well, you're No 1 in your domestic market and among the top four in your international market, but you're unlikely to get a Board Appointment, because it's a family owned firm.

You've been offered an extension of your service Contract, but not stock options. Along comes another Company, in the same business, but in a smaller market, but with a bigger Contract for a longer period.

What sane senior Executive would hesitate to make this decision?

If it is a Japanese Club, it's probable that he has been offered a 3-year deal, with specific travel allowances and accommodation and a suitable tax treatment, for somewhere north of €400K. Japan is also much closer to home and with a very much shorter season.

Penney is a smart man. Probably not in the running to be a future All Blacks Coach (Schmidt, Gatland, Rennie, Cotter). He has a current CV which looks better than the reality. He's could lose a few more of his key players - DO'C, Botha, Coughlan, Laulau and limited availability of PO'C - in the next Season and he has a shot at ERC and Pro12 titles from where he sits at the moment.

Good luck to him. He has been of benefit to Munster Rugby in bringing through some new faces and improving the basic ball-skills of many of the current Squad, specifically the younger guys. He's sailing away with the wind at his back and on the top of a wave - a great career move

[fourthirtythree]

Has he not already turned things around? Top of the Rabo and a home QF and barring a complete collapse or injury crisis a home SF in both competitions. From there on it's really down to the players on the pitch. What is your criteria for turning things around?
.

And with a young squad reliant on an entirely different generation than that which brought the success (and the long road of near success). Change of backs coach and a centre and Munster are in a much, much better place than when he started, or when Kidney left even. Both of those would have been needed were Penney staying or leaving.

Don't know anything about why he left but the uncertainty surrounding what the saboteurs across the water are up to, how badly they will end up damaging the game in the NH before they're finished (because they have already damaged it and they haven't near finished yet), and whether there is a future would certainly focus the mind. Humps up North certainly seems to be "persuasive" but that's not really replicable.

[rookie]

A victory for folk who think that a return to the traditional Munster 10 man, up the jumper style will bring home d Heineken. Terrible news for those few Munster fans who could see where he was heading. He was slowly changing the mindset down there and managing to coax the players to Leinsters style of play. He'd a long way to go, but he always said it'd be a three year plan (a tad ambitious, but there you go).

Can't really blame the guy for wanting out of Limerick, in fairness to him.

He could've been a legend.

Jesus! What a load of self righteous cr@p. It's common knowledge that he wanted to mix in some of the Canterbury style. That's where his experience is. Do you seriously think he arrived on this island and said to his new team "wow! I want my team to play with a Leinster style", FFS. Also, he is living Cork. He's kids are going to school in Cork, not Limerick. Or maybe, you're just having a laugh?

[StrangeButBlue]

Posted on the AIL League Thread last week (not that anyone reads the AIL thread)

Lansdowne denied bottom side Garryowen their first win of the league campaign, as a penalty try late in the first half helped them to record 13-9 victory on the Aviva Stadium's back pitch.

There was considerable interest in this game due to the fact that former Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan was present on the sideline for the visitors.

O'Sullivan has joined the Garryowen management set-up in an advisory role, as the Rory Brosnan-led outfit bid to avoid relegation to Division 1B.

http://www.irishrugby.ie/ulsterbankleague/30558.php

[Oldschool]

A victory for folk who think that a return to the traditional Munster 10 man, up the jumper style will bring home d Heineken. Terrible news for those few Munster fans who could see where he was heading. He was slowly changing the mindset down there and managing to coax the players to Leinsters style of play. He'd a long way to go, but he always said it'd be a three year plan (a tad ambitious, but there you go).

Can't really blame the guy for wanting out of Limerick, in fairness to him.

He could've been a legend.

Jesus! What a load of self righteous cr@p. It's common knowledge that he wanted to mix in some of the Canterbury style. That's where his experience is. Do you seriously think he arrived on this island and said to his new team "wow! I want my team to play with a Leinster style", FFS. Also, he is living Cork. He's kids are going to school in Cork, not Limerick. Or maybe, you're just having a laugh?

Well he certainly didn't want you playing the same cr@p you had been that's for sure.

[rookie]

A victory for folk who think that a return to the traditional Munster 10 man, up the jumper style will bring home d Heineken. Terrible news for those few Munster fans who could see where he was heading. He was slowly changing the mindset down there and managing to coax the players to Leinsters style of play. He'd a long way to go, but he always said it'd be a three year plan (a tad ambitious, but there you go).

Can't really blame the guy for wanting out of Limerick, in fairness to him.

He could've been a legend.

Jesus! What a load of self righteous cr@p. It's common knowledge that he wanted to mix in some of the Canterbury style. That's where his experience is. Do you seriously think he arrived on this island and said to his new team "wow! I want my team to play with a Leinster style", FFS. Also, he is living Cork. He's kids are going to school in Cork, not Limerick. Or maybe, you're just having a laugh?

Well he certainly didn't want you playing the same cr@p you had been that's for sure.

Totally agree.

[[Jackass]]

top four in your international market

[simonokeeffe]

A resulting problem, and one they had when Penney took over from McGahan, is the incoming coach/coaching ticket (potentially) won't have any input into signings and they have serious issues in midfield which need to be addressed in that regard

[Morf]

A resulting problem, and one they had when Penney took over from McGahan, is the incoming coach/coaching ticket (potentially) won't have any input into signings and they have serious issues in midfield which need to be addressed in that regard

Sign James Downey!

[simonokeeffe]

A resulting problem, and one they had when Penney took over from McGahan, is the incoming coach/coaching ticket (potentially) won't have any input into signings and they have serious issues in midfield which need to be addressed in that regard

Sign James Downey!

on closer inspection these are loafers

[ronk]

Chris Boyd?

[Morf]

Ian Rush said if I drank my milk I could be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley.

[hugonaut]

top four in your international market

Munster are one of the four teams hosting a home quarter final in the HEC – on the basis of this year's competition [which is Penney's 'international market' compared to the 'domestic market' of the Pro12] they are in the top four.

[Oldschool]

top four in your international market

Munster are one of the four teams hosting a home quarter final in the HEC – on the basis of this year's competition [which is Penney's 'international market' compared to the 'domestic market' of the Pro12] they are in the top four.

They are in the top eight. They are seeded fourth.
They only become one of the top four if they win their home Q/F and therefore justify their seeding.

[deco]

A victory for folk who think that a return to the traditional Munster 10 man, up the jumper style will bring home d Heineken. Terrible news for those few Munster fans who could see where he was heading. He was slowly changing the mindset down there and managing to coax the players to Leinsters style of play. He'd a long way to go, but he always said it'd be a three year plan (a tad ambitious, but there you go).

Can't really blame the guy for wanting out of Limerick, in fairness to him.

He could've been a legend.

Jesus! What a load of self righteous cr@p. It's common knowledge that he wanted to mix in some of the Canterbury style. That's where his experience is. Do you seriously think he arrived on this island and said to his new team "wow! I want my team to play with a Leinster style", FFS. Also, he is living Cork. He's kids are going to school in Cork, not Limerick. Or maybe, you're just having a laugh?

I was. Sorry if you were whooshed.

The first part is very true though, look at the first comment from this Times article:

"Thank you Messrs McGahan/Kiss/Mannix/Penney for - nothing! CEO Fitzgerald bring the passion back!
Use the talent developed over 12+ years of Heineken
success to blend a Munster born/bred Coaching Team! Axel + well your spoilt for choice! No more journeymen from abroad experimenting and beefing up CVs!"

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/o ... -1.1682479