Just how long will this go on?

It's getting farking stupid isn't it.  Dick heads out there not going to support the All Blacks because they don't like the coach.  For farks sake, you are supporting a TEAM, not the bloody coach.  Sure be unhappy and bitch and moan, but they are YOUR TEAM.  You don't have to like the coach, or every playing member in the side, or their tactics or whatever, but once you paint yourself black, their ain't no going back!

Then you throw in Dick heads with jobs that give them brilliant soap boxes to unleash their bile.  The likes of Chris Ratue and Wynn Gray of the Herald, and Willie Loser off Radio Sport.  It is interesting to note though that their are more personal vendettas in two of those three cases than anything else.  Loser unhappy about how he was dropped back in 19something when he was playing for Auckland, and Ratpoo no doubt for the serve he got from Henry for that ratshit piece he wrote about the Welsh on the Grand Slam Tour last season.  Old Wynn, who knows why he is so bitter and twisted, perhaps the early stages of senility setting in?

I am sure TP McLean would be spinning in his grave reading some of the tripe these 'journalists' are dishing out.  But the bottom line I think in the hate that these blokes have for Henry is the fact that once the RWC quarter final was lost, they just put the boot in so fast, and burned their bridges with the current All Black management, never thinking that they would be having to deal with them again come 2008.  Tough luck boys, hope you have learned some lessons here...

The worst thing is, the non rugby folks out there, the ones with the passing interest in the sport, they read these 'articles' and take them as gospel, and then their opinions are given to them.  Not getting the whole story, not getting all the facts, they are not given the chance to actually form their own opinions on the matter.  It sucks!

You've got to laugh don't you, about how short memories are too.

Think back to after the 2003 Rugby World Cup, when the All Blacks lost yet another game I have no recollection of.  Who were the coaches that day?  Yes, I remember, ROBBIE DEANS and John  Mitchell.

So, why should we want Deans to coach the All Blacks.  He has already failed to win a Rugby World Cup.  Henry is not wanted as a coach as he has lost a RWC, so follow that logic through, why should we want Deans at the helm again, as he has done just the same.  Simple, we can't remember the 2003 loss as clearly as we can the 2007 loss.  I remember back to 2003, and I was in the 'keep them on' side of the fence, but they were dumped.  This time around I was again in the keep them on camp.  I guess I just like continuity.

Although in saying that I am happy with Henry retaining his job, I would also have been just as happy if he had been shifted on, and Deans given the poisoned chalice of All Black coach.  Probably even more so now, as all this childish bloody tantrum throwing would not be happening, and we could get on with watching the game, and talking about who should be selected, instead of who should be doing the selecting!

Another point in those saying we have lost the worlds best coach etc etc etc.  I think Henry and Deans have clashed once at Super 14 level, Deans as head coach, Henry as defence coach of the Blues (I think it was).  What was the result then?  The Blues winning the Super 14 final, beating the Crusaders...

Regardless of who the coach is, the All Blacks have my whole hearted support this season, even more so when they play the Aussies.  As no doubt how good a coach Deans is, I hope he doesn't beat the All Blacks, MY TEAM.  I hope they smash to pieces every other international team they come up against, but when they play the men in black, I hope they play like blind men.

In answer to my original question though, all this tripe will go on until Henry is gone.  How long will that take, I'm picking two years, and then a new coach will roll in, not picking up the pieces, but with a well drilled unit ready to be polished for yet another chance at glory, and another chance at playing a game that no real All Black supporter will ever remember, in the 2011 RWC.