RugbyRebels

Eddie Jones has commented that Marcus Smith will be a great player as long as the media don't "pour poison into his head". What a sad little man. That kind of comment is insulting to Smith, who at 22 has already shown himself to be a serious, level headed, mature and multi-skilled international rugby player. I would say his game is probably more rounded and developed than those of Wilkinson and Farrell were at the same age, and he seems to have his feet firmly planted on the ground. There is no reason at all to think that Smith is some kind of flake who will let adulation go to his head. Why doesn't Jones just shut up and give the lad some well-deserved and unqualified praise for his performances so far. I don't hear him making similar statements about other players.

I tend to tune out whenever Jones speaks now.

If he is singling out Smith in this way, it does seem very unfair. Smith is highly professional and dedicated as far as I can ascertain. I think he'll handle any adulation just fine.

What he did yesterday before making the winning kick was very mature. Just stepped away from the kerfuffle that was going on, steadied himself and focused on making sure he kicked the goal.

fivepointer wrote:I tend to tune out whenever Jones speaks now.

If he is singling out Smith in this way, it does seem very unfair. Smith is highly professional and dedicated as far as I can ascertain. I think he'll handle any adulation just fine.

What he did yesterday before making the winning kick was very mature. Just stepped away from the kerfuffle that was going on, steadied himself and focused on making sure he kicked the goal.

That kick and his first one from the touchline spoke volumes about his attitude. Eddie needs to have a word with himself. Smith showed how to be a proper iceman yest imo.

“I’ve never seen confidence walk through the door, so I don’t know what confidence is,” he said. “Players might think differently, they might work a bit harder, they might work a little bit less. I don’t think there is any such thing as confidence, you either think rightly or you think wrongly and the wrong time you start to listen to the poison that’s written in the media, that rat poison gets into players’ heads.

“We try to keep it out of their head. We try to spray all that rat poison that you try to put in and get it out of their head, so we are always working hard to keep it out of their heads. It keeps me busy, mate.”

This was in March 2021
So it isn't like Eddie is singling out Marcus Smith with this.

Reality is he was prob asked a question about Smith and Eddie said the quip aimed solely at the media.
“Look, he’s going to be good, mate. As long as you blokes don’t pour too much poison in his head. He’s a work in progress and each game he’s going to get a little bit better. I thought he did a great job but I know he’s going to be better in the Six Nations.”

Honestly that question was most likely something mundane like how good do you think Marcus Smith could be

IDK maybe people should try and find context

It's a bit like the perfect marriage where the husband lets the wife say what she likes as long as he can do what he likes. If the players aren't affected by Jones spouting it is irrelevant. As long as he picks Smith and lets him run the game, that's fine. I'd guess that in the privacy of their rooms, the players just laugh about Jones's press remarks. Smith probably says, "Pick me and you can say what you like."

If/when there is any evidence of Jones's press comments affecting the players it would be a different matter. I don't like Jones or his way of doing things but results are everything if he's there. All the peripheral stuff that comes with him just has to be tolerated or, preferably, ignored.

I personally think he's doing a pretty good job of managing Smith. It would be very, very easy for a young player to believe his own hype after the 12 months that he has had and it's part of Jones's job to keep his feet on the ground and his head in the game. Hard to tell from outside the camp, but his man management appears to be spot on here (sexist comments about Raducanu aside).

Puja

Puja wrote:I personally think he's doing a pretty good job of managing Smith. It would be very, very easy for a young player to believe his own hype after the 12 months that he has had and it's part of Jones's job to keep his feet on the ground and his head in the game. Hard to tell from outside the camp, but his man management appears to be spot on here (sexist comments about Raducanu aside).

Puja

His management may be great, but that is a stupid comment, on a specifically named player. I don't hear him say the same thing about Steward, Quirke, Radwan etc. And I have not heard him comment on the "poison" that the media have poured into Farrell's head over the past 10 years, telling him repeatedly that he is the world's best player, a test match animal, the iceman, England's talisman etc...

Spiffy wrote:

Puja wrote:I personally think he's doing a pretty good job of managing Smith. It would be very, very easy for a young player to believe his own hype after the 12 months that he has had and it's part of Jones's job to keep his feet on the ground and his head in the game. Hard to tell from outside the camp, but his man management appears to be spot on here (sexist comments about Raducanu aside).

Puja

His management may be great, but that is a stupid comment, on a specifically named player. I don't hear him say the same thing about Steward, Quirke, Radwan etc. And I have not heard him comment on the "poison" that the media have poured into Farrell's head over the past 10 years, telling him repeatedly that he is the world's best player, a test match animal, the iceman, England's talisman etc...

He's not getting asked that question about Steward, Quirke, or Radwan. None of those three have masterminded their club to a title, then played for England, then played on the Lions tour, then became one of the faces of England rugby, either. Smith is on a level that none of them have been in terms of media adoration - last person like this to debut under Jones was Itoje, who he treated in a very similar fashion.

Bringing up Farrell's a false equivalence - he debuted under Burt and it was his job to manage the young player taking his first steps in international rugby. Eddie received him as a fully fledged and experienced international.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Spiffy wrote:

Puja wrote:I personally think he's doing a pretty good job of managing Smith. It would be very, very easy for a young player to believe his own hype after the 12 months that he has had and it's part of Jones's job to keep his feet on the ground and his head in the game. Hard to tell from outside the camp, but his man management appears to be spot on here (sexist comments about Raducanu aside).

Puja

His management may be great, but that is a stupid comment, on a specifically named player. I don't hear him say the same thing about Steward, Quirke, Radwan etc. And I have not heard him comment on the "poison" that the media have poured into Farrell's head over the past 10 years, telling him repeatedly that he is the world's best player, a test match animal, the iceman, England's talisman etc...

He's not getting asked that question about Steward, Quirke, or Radwan. None of those three have masterminded their club to a title, then played for England, then played on the Lions tour, then became one of the faces of England rugby, either. Smith is on a level that none of them have been in terms of media adoration - last person like this to debut under Jones was Itoje, who he treated in a very similar fashion.

Bringing up Farrell's a false equivalence - he debuted under Burt and it was his job to manage the young player taking his first steps in international rugby. Eddie received him as a fully fledged and experienced international.

Puja

Aye. I think he does a decent job of keeping players grounded- maybe not the most diplomatic. Players are very loyal to him in general though- I know....why wouldn't they be publicly.....but I do hear he is respected by them. He is definitely a tad odd though

Banquo wrote:

Puja wrote:

Spiffy wrote:His management may be great, but that is a stupid comment, on a specifically named player. I don't hear him say the same thing about Steward, Quirke, Radwan etc. And I have not heard him comment on the "poison" that the media have poured into Farrell's head over the past 10 years, telling him repeatedly that he is the world's best player, a test match animal, the iceman, England's talisman etc...

He's not getting asked that question about Steward, Quirke, or Radwan. None of those three have masterminded their club to a title, then played for England, then played on the Lions tour, then became one of the faces of England rugby, either. Smith is on a level that none of them have been in terms of media adoration - last person like this to debut under Jones was Itoje, who he treated in a very similar fashion.

Bringing up Farrell's a false equivalence - he debuted under Burt and it was his job to manage the young player taking his first steps in international rugby. Eddie received him as a fully fledged and experienced international.

Puja

Aye. I think he does a decent job of keeping players grounded- maybe not the most diplomatic. Players are very loyal to him in general though- I know....why wouldn't they be publicly.....but I do hear he is respected by them. He is definitely a tad odd though

I suspect that part of that player loyalty is the realization that they can be jettisoned at a moment's notice on a whim of Eddie's if they don't belt up and toe the party line, and bang goes their international future (and their big fat match fees). Of course, I suppose many coaches may be like that, given human nature. I'm sure Napoleon was just as bad

Spiffy wrote:

Banquo wrote:

Puja wrote:
He's not getting asked that question about Steward, Quirke, or Radwan. None of those three have masterminded their club to a title, then played for England, then played on the Lions tour, then became one of the faces of England rugby, either. Smith is on a level that none of them have been in terms of media adoration - last person like this to debut under Jones was Itoje, who he treated in a very similar fashion.

Bringing up Farrell's a false equivalence - he debuted under Burt and it was his job to manage the young player taking his first steps in international rugby. Eddie received him as a fully fledged and experienced international.

Puja

Aye. I think he does a decent job of keeping players grounded- maybe not the most diplomatic. Players are very loyal to him in general though- I know....why wouldn't they be publicly.....but I do hear he is respected by them. He is definitely a tad odd though

I suspect that part of that player loyalty is the realization that they can be jettisoned at a moment's notice on a whim of Eddie's if they don't belt up and toe the party line, and bang goes their international future (and their big fat match fees). Of course, I suppose many coaches may be like that, given human nature. I'm sure Napoleon was just as bad

That's why I caveated it, but I have heard that the players genuinely have a lot of time for him from someone on the periphery of the squad.

One's also think that some of the people who were jettisoned would have said something. Nothing much for them to lose.

I can’t find it within myself to actually care about this sort of stuff. It’s just for the birds.

Hate him, love him, scared or intimidated by him our perception of what goes on behind closed doors won’t even scratch the surface. All he can be judged on is what happens on the pitch.

Mr Mwenda wrote:One's also think that some of the people who were jettisoned would have said something. Nothing much for them to lose.

Plenty of whom have since retired, so don't even have to worry about future callups, but the overall impression/message seems to be harsh, but fair. And at this level I find that praiseworthy.