Leinster greatest coach??

[JB1973]

Who is generally regarded as leinster greatest coach?

The current incumbent leo Cullen has a great track record and has build massive squad depth with his ability to help fast track academy boys into top class players . The rugby professor Schmidt with his trophy laden reign including pretty much every honour in the game . Or the Bullish Michael Cheika who turned you into winners and helped get rid of the "d4 softy" tag that was aimed at you for a few years

I was wondering who you guys would pick as the best?

I take it the likes of kidney and O'Connor won't be getting any votes!

[leinsterforever]

Tough question!

Cheika's probably got the best record over his whole career including away from Leinster - Heineken Cup, Super Rugby title, took Australia to a World Cup final, won the Rugby Championship.

Schmidt brought unrivalled detail. Probably the guy you'd want as coach going into a monumental game where the detail in Leinster's play would be the difference.

Then Lancaster's absolutely fantastic at involving the entire playing group so they develop quickly and slot in seamlessly. Maybe the greater looseness in play under him means the team wouldn't quite reach the rarefied performance levels of the very best Schmidt-coached efforts. But I'd say his coaching also makes repeat efforts back-to-back - like a Pro14 Final soon after a Champions Cup Final - more possible.

[Dave Cahill]

Ruddock: Fleetwood, Brunning, Green
Williams: Fleetwood, McVie, Green, Spenser, Kirwan
Ella: Fleetwood, McVie, Kirwan, Welch, Perfect
Kidney: Fleetwood, McVie, Walker, Welch, Weston, McVie
Cheika: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Welch
Schmidt: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Buckingham, Nicks
O'Connor: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Bramlett, Mason
Cullen: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Nicks, Campbell, Finn

[JB1973]

I forgot about Ruddock, class act

Joe would have been the guy I would opt for, his eye for detail is insane, seems to be a lot of revisionist history about him now but barely 18 months ago he was considered the best coach in the world

I reckon hell be back in the game soon enough and prove how good he is

[wixfjord]

Ah yeah it's 100% Joe.

Have huge respect for how Leo & Lancaster are managing things at the minute though. Two really smart low ego guys at the top of their game. Leo must be one of the best 'managers' in the world. A future Mick Dawson replacement?

[riocard911]

Ah yeah it's 100% Joe.

Have huge respect for how Leo & Lancaster are managing things at the minute though. Two really smart low ego guys at the top of their game. Leo must be one of the best 'managers' in the world. A future Mick Dawson replacement?

+ 1. My thinking entirely!!!

[ronk]

Schmidt has a great record but Cullen is closing the gap. He also had to rebuild more than Schmidt did, I hope Cullen does enough to settle the debate.

[Flash Gordon]

Joe as an individual, one of the world's greatest ever coaches in my opinion. That being said, I'm not sure there would have been a Joe with Checks. We always had an abundance of talent but mentally we were all wrong. Checks changed the culture of the club, created a winning mentality and won stuff.

However, Leo has been our greatest coach in terms of building a team around him and a collective. That's what you want and that is a big legacy. The issue with Checks and Joe is that they were so dominant that when they left we had to start again from ground zero, with Leo you have a feeling that he's creating the "Leinster way" so that whenever he walks away the transition will be more seemless - kind of like the Liverpool bootroom.

[Blueberry]

For me it's Leo..........he is Mr.Leinster as a player and a coach. Always makes the right decision for the province and not an ounce of ego. Knows his limits and brings in expertise.

We never had a braver player who always put everything on the line - his performance in the Leinster semi v Clermont (still my favourite ever Leinster Match) shows what a great he was.

His coaching is exactly the same - no ego, get the experts in and find a way to win.

This guy since he came back from Leicester has been the most important figure in Leinster rugby.

While Checks no doubt helped to change the mindset Leo played a massive part in that too.

Joe brilliant of course but for me Leo shades it when you look at his body of work.

[wixfjord]

Leo is a brilliant manager and has structured the team around him incredibly well. I could see him moving into a Mick Dawson role.

But not sure what makes him a better 'coach' than Joe?

Also when you look at their respective 'bodies of work', I think Joe is clearly ahead for now.

2 Heinos, an Amlin and a Pro14 v 1 Heino and 2 Pro14 isn't it?

[Blueberry]

Yes Schmidt has more titles now but suspect Leo has a way to go yet, could surpass it this year !!

I have no way of understanding ultimately who is a better coach (technical coach) and yes Schmidt could be better than Leo for example in technical backs coaching etc etc but I suspect no one is gonna claim that Schmidt is a better forwards coach than Leo on a technical side.

Ultimately call him what you want but he is the 'Head Coach' as was Schmidt.

Marginal call but for me if you have to name one - it's Leo.

[wixfjord]

I think from what we know and what has come out Schmidt is clearly an excellent technical coach.

Leo's role is quite different from Joe's role and a lot of the on-field coaching is done by Lancaster.

So I would say that Leo is a better manager, but Schmidt is a better coach.

[Blueberry]

Ultimately it's how interpret the question.

From reading the thread it seemed to have turned into a debate about who is Leinster's greatest head coach (Cheika, Leo, Schmidt, O'Connor )

Modern head coaching crosses all sorts of areas and you need to be good in multiple areas.

If it's 'coaching' in general it's a very diff question.

Head Coach for me Leo Shades it.
Coach (technical) - yes it's probably Schmidt but it could be Lancaster but I'm not really in a position to answer that. That is one for the players !!

[mildlyinterested]

Cheika, Schmidt, Leo.

Leo needs another HC to bypass Schmidt for me.

[Up Wexford]

+1 with your opinion on Leo Blueberry.

We've only had a limited few seasons with Stu so far but every interview he gives portrays an impressive, forward thinking, rounded coach and his work on the ground speaks for itself. If he stays Iong term I think he could pass Schmidt in our all time list.

[bronxbull]

Ruddock: Fleetwood, Brunning, Green
Williams: Fleetwood, McVie, Green, Spenser, Kirwan
Ella: Fleetwood, McVie, Kirwan, Welch, Perfect
Kidney: Fleetwood, McVie, Walker, Welch, Weston, McVie
Cheika: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Welch
Schmidt: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Buckingham, Nicks
O'Connor: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Bramlett, Mason
Cullen: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Nicks, Campbell, Finn

Mick Doyle:John Mayall's Bluesbreakers

[Up Wexford]

Ruddock: Fleetwood, Brunning, Green
Williams: Fleetwood, McVie, Green, Spenser, Kirwan
Ella: Fleetwood, McVie, Kirwan, Welch, Perfect
Kidney: Fleetwood, McVie, Walker, Welch, Weston, McVie
Cheika: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Welch
Schmidt: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Buckingham, Nicks
O'Connor: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Bramlett, Mason
Cullen: Fleetwood, McVie, McVie, Nicks, Campbell, Finn

Kidney: The Taste, Cork City/Belfast
Cheika: Taste, Isle of Wight '70
Schmidt: Rory Gallagher, Gerry McEvoy, Will Cambell
O'Connor: Gallagher, Lou Martin, Rod D'Ath
Cullen/Lancaster: Gallagher, McEvoy, McKenna

[Peg Leg]

Richie Murphy

[Ruckedtobits]

Joe Schmidt: Best Team Coach
Leo Cullen: Best Head Coach
Stuart Lancaster: Best Player Development Coach
Michael Cheika: Best Squad Development Coach
Greg Feek: Best Scrum Coach
Richie Murphy: Best kicking Coach

Too early to rank Cullen / Lancaster /McBride against Schmidt / Gibbs / Feek. That day will come but hopefully by then we'll have a few more trophies on the sideboard.

[alanair]

Has to be Leo-caster ( the double act) .... but huge kudos to checks for putting all the foundations in place