You need half a dozen coaches and players who are on the same wavelength, and you need at least a couple of them who can challenge the head coach so that improvements on original ideas can be made.
The big difference with the professional era is that you now have either individual owners, or a group of owners, who have an overriding say in what direction clubs take, and who they appoint or sign. In the past, it was mainly the head coach who had the vision, and he selected a captain and a few senior coaches who had influence over the playing squad to put it into practice.
These days it is often owners who make decisions which can change things dramatically, which adds another layer of complexity to the structure – and in order to be successful in the way Exeter have been it means that they have to be in sync with the head coach, and with the other significant influencers in and around the squad.
That’s why there is no doubt that Tony Rowe, who is the Chiefs chairman and main mover-and-shaker off the pitch, is on the same page as Baxter – and that his main coaches, Ali Hepher and Rob Hunter, and players like joint captains Joe Simmonds and Jack Yeandle, have all signed-up.
It is not something that happens overnight, and many clubs do not have the same magic ingredient in terms of alignment between ownerhead coach-assistant coaches/ senior players-playing squad, as Exeter do.
It is not surprising, because even without the owner element, there are so many more moving parts you need to align in a pro club. For instance, you have many more specialist coaches now – whether defence, attack, scrum, lineout, kicking, skills, or conditioning – and all of them can be very influential, whether positive or negative.
Denne historien er fra January 03, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra January 03, 2021-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
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Scarratt excited by new pathway
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Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
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New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
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Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
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Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
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New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.