If John Plumtree does not come back with at least 2, preferably 3 victories on the road and end in the top 8 of the Super 14 log, he must get the boot.

That ladies and gentlemen is the bottom line in professional sport.

Forget sentiment, forget emotions, history, tradition or whatever we as supporters love to bring up to defend our teams. The reality is rugby is a professional sport and is measured through results achieved.

We can (and do) analyse teams to the smallest detail, raising (very valid) points on possible reasons why teams, or our teams, are not performing to their potential, or the way I look at it, performing to expectations.

You see ‘expecting’ specific results is what it is all about – potential is just a gob-wolly term that more describes our emotion or emotional attachment to a team than realistic expectation.

And expecting something is measured against specifics, or constants in business (of which rugby is one).

For example, if an organisation has X, Y and Z you expect a return on result or investment of A, B and C. Organisations however, as with rugby, differs, so even in the same industry (rugby) some unions might only have X and Z, so if they achieve A, B and C it is a massive bonus and they performed ‘above’ expectation.

But there is, or should be a definite break-even point, which will then serve as an indication whether the organisation, or union are delivering as expected, delivering above expectations, or delivering below expectations.

A practical example would be to compare the organisations or unions, Sharks and Cheetahs.

Compare the budgets, compare the resources, compare the markets, etc., etc. Pretty much what is done in business, and then judge results based on this.

A union like the Sharks for instance, with a budget to buy the best to not only manage (coaches and administrators) the organisation, but also deliver a product (players), is realistically expected to deliver the best.

Of course we need to judge and analyse industries in accordance to the environments they operate in, and in this case, the industry is sport.

Now sport is unpredictable to some extent, but not completely. In any organisation, including rugby there is a clear indication or measurable standard or scale which reads – if you buy the best, you expect the best.

Players and coaches can be measured on their ability, it is therefore not unrealistic to expect the best in their trade, to operate better than the average Joe’s out there from which they distanced themselves thanks to how they performed in their trades historically and their achievements.

So quite simply, if Plumtree is not able, for WHATEVER reason, to have the best in the business operate to the best of their ability – he does not belong there.

With the budget the Sharks have, it is not unrealistic for the board and investors of the union to expect specific results. How else can Plumtree, or Straeuli realistically expect to walk into the board meeting at the end of the Super 14 campaign to table budget projections to the board and investors for the coming season and expect to get it?

In professional sport you either deliver on expectation, or you get shown the door.

123 Responses to Why Plum deserves the boot

  • 61

    60 – thim = this

  • 62

    Strools’ assistant was none other than Kobus van der Merwe aka, Fester…

  • 63

    I really had a hard time with my super bru with the stormers/highlanders cheetahs/hurricanes games. So i eventually gave them each a win, only because they both lost last week and are both playing at home and i think they really are going to go all out this weekend.

  • 64

    Tight Head, thanks.

    Who would the Sharks supporters want to replace Plumtree with?
    Jake has married into millions so he doesn’t need a job.
    I always liked Allan Solomons as a coach.

  • 65

    62@ Morne – Fester….. hehehehe oooooooooooo flok, daai man is mos sommer heel 1ste gevang in die Baberkompetisie!

  • 66

    Loosehead.
    Robbie Deans!!!!

  • 67

    Morne – i dont remember him for some reason, but have heard the name Fester mentioned in not very flattering terms of late.

  • 68

    67@ Boomninny – Fester was the WP and Stormers coach before Disco Rassie…

  • 69

    66- no seriously.

    The coaching cupboard is rather bare at the moment. What is H Meyer doing?

  • 70

    42 – Morne, that would be terrible. I think Straueli has too much control at the Sharks. Look he done well when he did coach the Sharks, but would not want him back to coach them.

  • 71

    Dont want Solomons, my father loathes the man, reckons he ruined the Stormers, can definetly live with Robbie Deans, but that would be wishful thinking.

  • 72

    GBS, Stormers look a much better team under AC, Rassie is not a coaches arse.

  • 73

    69@ Loskoppie – Hey, los vir Heyneke, he is Director of Rugby at the Bulls, since October / November 2009…. and check where we are… top of the pops!

  • 74

    GBS oh cooooooooooook noooooooo, dont want him. NO REJECTS NEED APPLY.

  • 75

    Solomons is an exceptional coach.
    Chester Williams is availible.

  • 76

    64 – Loosehead, NO not Solomans. Hope not.

    Agree with Tight head. Robbie Deans would have been awesome to have only he is coaching Australia now.

  • 77

    75@ Loskoppie – Agree, Alan Solomons is a very good coach… he was the oke who coached the Southern Kings for the outing against the B & I Lions, was’nt he?…. Or was that the Emerging Bokke against the B & I Lions?

    Solly Patrollie just has the habit of not always getting proper support personnel…

  • 78

    lOOSEHEAD YOU KILLING US HERE

  • 79

    Puma, Robbie Deans is pie in the sky. If Plum must go, who do you want to replace him?

    Why not Solomons?

  • 80

    Loosehead.
    Yes, I agree the cupboard looks bare.

  • 81

    Tree, who would you have then?
    I am only making suggestions………..John Mitchell might be fired from the Force, now there is another good coach.

  • 82

    79 – Loosehead, Eddie Jones or H. Meyer.

  • 83

    Fark, make Gert Smal an offer he can’t refuse…. or Nick Mallett…. hehehehe

  • 84

    Where is Pote Human? He did well as the Bulls forwards coach. Or was it Bulls CC coach?

  • 85

    Ok here is a really serious question,why are the Stormer cheer leaders so fugly? All the teams have these really pretty girls and you always hear guys from the Cape saying they have the prettiest girls, but thos girls ??????

  • 86

    81 – Loosehead, don’t want a loser. Mitchell has done nothing with the Force.

    Eddie done well with the Brumbies. Know he was not good with the Reds but he never had great players to work with.

    Rather him than the others.

    Or really then just get Jake White but don’t think he will ever work with Straueli, they don’t get on too well.

  • 87

    Steady Eddie van der Jones might not be such a bad choice…. after all he is an honourary Saffa, due to his involvement in Rugby World Cup 2007

  • 88

    82 Puma, they both have current jobs.
    Harry Viljoen?

  • 89

    83 – GBS, Please not Mallett either. Loser he dropped our Captain for a injured Skinstadt for wc 1999 and that probably cost us the cup.

    Now you talking. Gert Smal forgot about him. Yes I would have Gert to coach the Sharks.

  • 90

    84@ Loskoppie – Pote Human is more dense than a 2 x 4 plank man….

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