By Ben Coles
Eddie Jones has revealed he is part of an international group of coaches, including Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who regularly share information and advice on how to solve coaching problems, likening the group to Alcoholics Anonymous.
The group also includes Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, NBA hall-of-famer George Karl and basketball coach Mike Dunlap. Jones revealed they regularly discuss coaching issues facing their sides.
“We have this fantastic group. [Arteta] came into the camp last autumn and we had a really good chat. He’s a super bright young coach,” the Australian, who is the head coach of England’s rugby team, said.
“Then, because of COVID, you have these Zoom conferences now. So, I’ve got an Australian coaching conference Zoom, a world-coaching Zoom and this [coaching] group. It’s like Alcoholics Anonymous. We all go in and share our problems and everyone tells you what they think. It’s fantastic.
“We’ve got all these guys in the same room. It’ll be fantastic when we all get together over a beer. It’ll be so much fun. Then it will be Alcoholics Anonymous. We just share stories and each other’s problems and try to come up with ideas of how we can take coaching forward. [Arteta] is a brilliant young guy.”
Asked what he had learnt from Arteta, the Australian credited Premier League leaders Arsenal’s quick start to matches as crucial to their success. It’s a quality which England are seeking to emulate this autumn.
Eddie Jones admires Mikel Arteta (inset). Credit:Getty, AP
“A fast start [is key], mate. How fast they [Arsenal] get out of the blocks. Every game, they’re at it,” Jones said. “They play with energy, they know how they want to play, they put the opposition on the back foot … In rugby – and we’ve been good at it at times and not so good at other times – 75 per cent of Test matches are won by the team who score the first try. I don’t know what the percentage would be in the Premier League for teams who score first but I’d imagine it would be high.”
Jones has named a 36-player squad for England’s autumn training camp in Jersey next week. He also addressed the financial struggles of Wasps and Worcester Warriors. Describing the situation as “a cycle” which other competitions and sports have been through in the past, Jones suggested in the long run the Premiership could end up in a stronger financial position.
“I think you go through these cycles,” he said. “Every sporting competition I’ve seen starts small, is successful, everyone wants a team, a part of this. They get bigger, expand, and unless it’s a mass entertainment sport then the expansion has to come back, and you get back to a good size where it becomes economically viable to be a good competition.
“That’s what all I see happening in English rugby. These cycles happen all the time in sport, so I wouldn’t get too depressed or upset about it, it’s part of the sport.”
Telegraph, London
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