Warriors Head Coach - An interview
By Lindsay Clayton
June 30 2010
Recently, first thing one morning, the Payroll Controller of a local firm was picking up her voicemail, one of the calls started “hi Tracy this is Richard Hill” she thought to herself “who the heck is this? I don’t pay anyone called Richard Hill!” the message continued “Head Coach at Worcester Warriors” and the Treasurer of the Warriors Rugby Supporters Club laughed and thought doh!!!
He was ringing to invite the principal officers of the Supporters Club to come and have a chat with him about the club, the players and the support and how we can have an input to changes going on at the club this season.
So on Tuesday evening Darren , Tracy and Lindsay all met with Richard in his office to chat about how things are going to change at the club and how we as supporters can help and have a say.
My first impression is good to say the least, the invite was enough to initiate that. He carefully listened to our gripes about lack of player contact and how there seemed to be a growing separation between the support and the players. It was made clear that there are many calls on the players attention after a game, they need to be debriefed, start their physical recovery, see their families, fulfil corporate responsibilities, refuel (eating to you and I) and also make themselves available to the supporters. He is very keen on the players being made aware of their responsibilities on and off the field of play.
He is in the process of instituting a “High Performance Structure” within the club, which covers everything from coordinating nutrition and conditioning to every player knowing the name of the all of the non playing staff at Sixways. Homework has been set and there will be a test!! It’s all about earning and giving respect. One of the areas that has come into focus first is coordinating nutritional requirements and physical conditioning. For physical conditioning to be effective the right foods have to be consumed in appetising meals. 20 to 30 percent improvement can be achieved by supplying the body with the right nutrients. There is now reporting structure being put in place with a chef, the conditioning team, a nutritionist all getting feedback (excuse the pun) from the players (after all they are the ones who have to eat the food!!) Food has to be more than protein drinks and energy bars after all.
The conditioning team have impressed Richard and he is very happy with how that part of pre season is progressing. He is in the process of putting into place a progressive skills structure that will have conditioning that is matched to the specific skills of a player’s position. For example, he wants his scrumhalves to be able to dart in and around the breakdown area, able to get through tackles either by power or speed, so there will be specific conditioning to target 5 meter explosions, picking up an object (ball) at speed and breaking through tackles.
The Stourbridge connection is all about getting the most for the Academy players, there will be duel registrations and Reg will take 2 or 3 focussed sessions with Stourbridge. On the subject of players and who will be wearing which shirt next season, well it would seem that all the players start on the same step of the ladder as far as selection is concerned. Whether someone has 2 or 3 1st team appearances or over 100 it will make no difference, everyone will have to earn their place in the team.
What I got most is that he is going to instil a professional approach to everything, and the players will know un-equivocally what is expected of them on and off the pitch.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:07:19:21:38:27 by Powick Eastander.
as long as the players know who mrs drifter is thats ok. mind you they might have nightmares and loose sleep!!
Rugby has changed and when you are dealing with professional athletes the warm down and starting rehab straight after the final whistle is a vital step in ensuring that the player is able to play at the peak of their ability the following week.
I also have no problem with players meeting their families after a game, before seeing anyone else.
The club do need to ensure that players take their turns mixing with supporters, though. If it is right that they mix with corporate sponsors because of their support then the same principle applies to individual supporters.
It is up to the club to manage this process, giving compensatory time off, or being a little more flexible about certain parts of training or community work, if necessary.
As for the rest, some interesting changes, particularly the cultural ones.
Thanks Lindsay, good article! Will this be the first of more regular meetings?
Whatever you do, do it safely!
Are the Supporters Club intending to organise a 'Meet the Coaches' evening before the new season starts?
These evenings have always been very good in the past and it would be great for more of us to have an opportunity to meet Richard Hill and ask questions etc.
I have to say I agree that there seems a more open and refreshing attitude, as seen on the web-sites and local news articles.
I agree also with all the points BB makes above.
If it is true that all players are to start on a ‘level playing ground’ regardless of reputation and previous playing time, then I think that is a massive step forward. A player being picked on form seems such an obvious thing but under the previous regime that was certainly not always the case.
We will not know if all this optimism is justified until the season is underway but I for one can’t wait.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:07:01:11:33:43 by eagle10.
We are just waiting for the date to be confirmed but it looks like it will be sometime the beginning of September if all goes well.
This will give the supporters club time to get the tickets sorted and also be able to know roughly how many will attend as we think it will be a very popular event this season.
We will keep you posted on here when we have everything confirmed so hopefully tickets will be available at the open day.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:07:01:12:08:10 by silver warrior.
Players not involved in the matchday squad would not have such a demand on their time before or after the games. I remember the likes of Gavin Quinnell pulling pints before games when not playing.
Personally, i have no problem if certain players do not want to 'mingle', there is plenty of good company in both home and away supporters, along with those players who do enjoy coming into the bars.
Having said that players not involved may already have put in a full week training, or in rehab if injured, or doing some community work. That is where I feel it comes back to the club to manage it properly, though, and ensure that there are players, on a rota basis, who are available to mingle with the supporters.
I understand that players need time off and may not want to spend the weekend at the club if they have not been selected, when they have been there all week.
I don't expect the club to demand that players spend their spare time at the club just to please supporters, or even corporate sponsors.
There should be enough players not involved in the match day 23, however, to spare a handful for such duties every other week.
Whatever you do, do it safely!
We won't have a 23 man matchday squad in the Championship as the RFU didn't "enforce the "Eight man Rule" below the Premiership.
You don't get the extra prop so it's only a matchday 22.
Whatever you do, do it safely!
Good to see that it has been corrected now though.