Woody not so barmy

Clive Woodward’s suggestion that he may become a soccer coach has been greeted with derision in the game that won him a knighthood but is it really such a crazy notion?

In fact, the man who promised England the World Cup, and delivered in Australia last year, may well may be the only clear thinker in an episode that has now seen him walk away from Twickenham.

If nothing else Woodward has gone some way to stripping away the unnecessary mystique that is attached to the concept of “coaching.”

Aided and abetted by a (largely) inexperienced and inexpert media, successful coaches have been elevated into deities possessed of insights and skills not bestowed on mere mortals.

Their every word is faithfully transcribed and those who, like Woodward, are successful are seen to possess magical powers to guide and inspire sportsmen.

What Woodward, or “Sir Bald” as those impertinent Aussies have taken to calling him, has done is state his belief that while there may be exceptional qualities attached to being a successful coach the job is basically one of sound management.

Just as Jake White “got the basics right” with the Springboks, Woodward, I believe, is saying that if certain fundamentals are adhered to success can be achieved with any team – no matter the sport.

In delving into the success of White with the Boks it became apparent that he had put in place good structures, that he had surrounded himself with committed staff (including the players), that he had instilled an atmosphere of honesty and openness, that he had paid attention to getting the elemental things right and that he had set achievable goals and maintained a positive, optimistic mood.

These are the things that work in all winning endeavours and they are pretty much what Woodward did to turn England into the world champions.

He knew where he wanted to go, he understood what he had to do to get there and he was able to manage the many and varied facets towards a successful outcome.

It is a formula that Woodward knows works and therefore it is not quite so batty as it might appear for him to hint that he might one day “coach” the England soccer side.

Woodward has demonstrated that specialist expertise can be brought in and he clearly sees “coaching” in another code as merely transferring his management and people skills to another arena.

It is not Woodward’s fault that English rugby administrators (or the RFU as they grandly refer to themselves) have so quickly forgotten what it took to win the World Cup by putting all kinds of obstacles in his way, but I believe we may well see him in soccer in the not too distant future and it would not surprise me at all if he were to be successful.

I have no doubt that he will turn the British and Irish Lions into a compelling force when they tour New Zealand next year.

In the end it is not about teaching people to play a sport, for that is done by others, but enabling them to play a sport.