KEY POINTS:
I did not think the NZRL saga could get any worse until the very public confirmation of the players' lack of confidence in Gary Kemble.
A radio interview with the captain Roy Asotasi exposed the consensus of the team that "Gary is not experienced at international level". How can the captain make such an admission and expect anyone to have confidence in the team's ability to turn their fortunes around for this morning's third test, let alone improve relations between the team and coach in time for the World Cup in 12 months? It makes you wonder who is controlling anything within the team set-up and on tour. No one, including the chairman, has been seen to pull this together and become the voice of the team.
The chairman has been spouting off since his arrival in Britain. The captain is expressing sentiments on behalf of the players and, unfortunately, the coach is copping the backlash. The views expressed conflict with the Andrew Chalmers' statement that the board has the full confidence in the coach and he will see out his contract.
Kemble is doing the best he can to pull this together and it is no wonder he has uttered the word "resigning".
The whole tour has become a public relations disaster. Is it too late to change the perception?
It is going to take more than a win today against a confident British team, to instil confidence in the public, where everyone is making judgment by what is emerging in the media.
In this case the media cannot be blamed. I have heard full interviews with the expressions declared openly. At the end of this tour there should not only be a review of the coach and his alleged shortcomings, but on everything from players and their attitudes, the chairman and his rash behaviour, and the board who have allowed this to happen.
There does not seem to be a leader here to handle the situation directly. That person would seek the board's views via telephone conference and decide on action. Then it would be up to the chairman to pull the coaching staff together and tell them to talk only of football related matters.
The players are to be given the same instruction. Then it is for the chairman to state that any issues will be discussed at the appropriate time after the tour. Leadership is required, but is it too late?
