Why not appoint a local coach?
The National, Thursday 04th April, 2013
WHILE I support the initiative taken by the PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) to run a fulltime training programme for the Kumuls, I am against the appointment of Mal Meninga as coaching director.
It is a setback for the development of rugby league in PNG.
Meninga owes the Papua New Guineans an explanation as to why he abandoned the schoolboys’ programme initiated by the PNG National Rugby League.
His appointment is a hindrance to the promotion and development of local coaches and removes any opportunity or incentive for them.
I would prefer to see Adrian Lam as the di-
rector and Michael Marum as the head coach
and assisted by a coach from the intercity competition.
Meninga’s appointment shows the PNGRFL has no confidence in our own coaches.
One fact we must not forget is that we will not beat Australia using their style and Meninga will only teach us what the Australians are good at.
We should learn from New Zealand and introduce our own home-grown style of football to beat the Australians.
We need to catch them flat-footed and keep them guessing.
That would easily come from local coaches such as Marum, who is long overdue for the job.
His record of coaching the NGI Gurias to a grand final win and a 100% Gurias’ tour victory in Australia is proof of his ability.
I think our local coaches who work tirelessly
and under trying conditions should be given a chance.
We should not be undermining our own people while funding other people’s lucrative lifestyle.
It will be interesting to see if Big Mal will be living with us all year
round to run the programme or by remote
control from the land down under.
Jacob Ivaroa
Via email