A Collection of Coaching Feuds

A Collection of Coaching Feuds

Dylan Leach

Who’d be a coach?

99% are going to get sacked eventually

There are constant stress and scrutiny and you end up going grey or losing your hair.

However, when it comes to our amusement – coaches getting fired up is great fun.

And with the Wayne Bennett v Anthony Seibold soap opera coming to a climax with the Bunnies taking on the Broncos this Thursday night, we figured we’d bring you a collection of warring coaches from over the years. 

Wayne Bennett v  Anthony Seibold 

In what is a scandal akin to Dr.Karl cheating on Susan in Neighbours or Jess cheating on Mick with Dan on Married At First Sight, Rugby League’s off-season drama between the coaching swap of Wayne Bennett and Anthony Seibold 

From people not showing up to BBQs, the Bunnies and Broncos hiring the respective coaches for the 2020 season but really wanting it to happen this year, Wayne holding out to get sacked by the Broncos, reports that Seibold is paranoid about everything Bennett says having an impact on the Broncos somewhat poor start to season 2019, Seibold being suspicious that Bennett was talking to his Bunnies players when he was still at Brisbane, Allegations of Bennett changing pre-season training when he wasn’t actually the coach…(take a deep breath), it’s quite the drama in what is the most infamous coaching swap in Rugby League history.

This Thursday nights game between Wayne’s Bunnies and Seibiolds Broncos is going to be on for young and old. 

Wayne Bennett v Ricky Stuart

It’s fair to say anyone who has a heartbeat has been in a feud with Ricky Stuart and Wayne Bennett at one stage or another. 

In fact, I’m pretty sure my cat, the homeless guy near our office and yours truly has found themselves in a tiff with these blokes. 

Earlier in the year, Wayne Bennett referred to Ricky Stewart as a “drama queen”  after Stuart said he was less proud to be involved in the NRL regarding actions on off-field incidents over the summer.

In a press conference, Bennett said

“I can’t believe some of the silly statements they’ve all made,”

“They’ve been a part of it for so long, they’ve seen so many things, we’ve been through a tough period, we’ve had them before, we’ve managed them and moved on.

“I think there have been a few drama queens out there, to be honest with you.”

When asked about it at a Raiders press conference Stuart replied “Wayne Bennett’s irrelevant to me, so are comments he makes,”

It’s going to be just as spicy when the Raiders face the Broncos in a couple of weeks time. 

Kevin Sheedy v Robert Walls 

Stemming back from Sheedy and Walls respective playing days at Richmond and Carlton, the two eventually had it out on an episode of Channel 7’s Talking Footy back in 2001. 

Many liken it to Grandpa Simpson and Chester J Lampwick arguing over painting a chicken coup.

Wallsy seemed angry that Sheeds didn’t have it tough like he did when coaching the likes of Fitzroy and the Brisbane Bears in the Gold Coast Days and that he didn’t have as good a perspective being a “one club coach”

Others thought it was jealousy.

It did make for excellent television though. 

While the Sheeds and Wallsy fight on Talking Footy was memorable, it doesn’t compare to the tension between Alan Jeans and Tommy Haffey who were coaching Hawthorn and Geelong back in 1985.

The two had come on as guests on Channel 7’s World Of Sport and had very different perspectives on the infamous Leigh Matthews and Neville Bruns incident, which resulted in Matthews being charged with assault in an actual court.

Look out for when they get the prizes at the end of the interview. 

 

 

Mick Malthouse v Nathan Buckley 

John Farnham once sang “It Seemed Like a Good Idea (At the Time)“

And for Eddie McGuire back in 2009, it did seem like a good idea.

Eddie’s grand five-year plan for a coaching transition between Mick Malthouse and Collingwood’s favourite son Nathan Buckley was considered at the time, a masterstroke.

Mick was to coach the Pies until the end of 2011, with Bucks taking over as the coach and Mick moving on to a “director of coaching” position. 

What he didn’t factor in was that Collingwood was on the verge of a premiership, and they won one in 2010! 

Then they made the 2011 Grand Final.

Malthouse had a change of heart and did not want to leave his post as Magpies coach, but it happened none the less.

Bucks took over as coach of the Pies at the start of the 2012 season, Malthouse left the club, not taking the “Director of Coaching” position, became a commentator bagging out Collingwood at every opportunity and when a coaching vacancy became available at Carlton, like anyone on the rebound after being dumped, Mick took the job at the Blues.

However, there is a  conspiracy that this was all an elaborate plan from Collingwood to bring down Carlton. It does have some merit. 

For those of you who like stats, the current Collingwood Coaching Premiership Tally is Bucks 0 – Mick 1. 

Percy Jones v Tony Jewell 

Ahh, these were the days.

During the 1980 Qualifying Final between Richmond and Carlton at the old VFL Park in Waverley, the respective coaches Tony Jewell (Richmond) and Peter “Percy” Jones (Carlton) decided to have a push and a shove and a few choice words over a club official who had transferred from one club to another.

It wasn’t much of a fight. 

More a couple of wayward swipes, missing their respective targets with club officials dragging the two away from each other.

Imagine if this happened in 2019?!? 

Arsene Wenger v Jose Mourinho 

Throughout their respective careers as managers in the English Premier League, there was no coaching rivalry quite like Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger.

The rivalry stretches back to when Mourinho arrived in the EPL and the two simply did not like each other.

Moments such as Wenger labelling Mourinho a “voyeur”, a style of football war which many regards as Football’s “Cold War”, Mourinho labelling Wenger a “Specialist in failure” when addressing Arsenal’s trophy drought and the two having a push and a shove during an Arsenal-Chelsea game in 2014.

When Wenger left Arsenal, Jose Mourinho thinks he could be friends with Wenger. I can’t see that happening somehow. 

Kevin Keegan v Sir Alex Ferguson

It’s one of the most iconic moments in the Premier League.

Mostly because it’s hilarious.

Back in 1996, the title race between Manchester United and Newcastle was on for young and old and going down to the wire.

Sir Alex made the claim that teams made more of an effort to beat United than they did Newcastle, resulting in Kevin Keegan’s iconic rant on television “I will love it if we beat them” 

It was simply outstanding. 

Bill Belichick v Eric Mangini

When Mangini was an assistant with the Patriots, he was so close to Belichick he named one of his sons after him. Then after leaving the team to take the head coaching job with their division rivals, the New York Jets, against the wishes of his mentor, the relationship deteriorated.

Mangini and Belichick engaged in possibly the frostiest postgame handshakes ever, seriously, you’d get a warmer greeting from a White Walker.

The feud escalated throughout the 2006 season with the sides trading petty reports over the other’s practices which eventually escalated into the Spygate saga at the start of the 2007 season. After being fired by the Jets in 2008,

Mangini did get the last laugh head to head beating Belichick with the dysfunctional Browns in 2010.

Of course with Belichick still coaching and Mangini working in TV, you could say he won in the end.

Mike Ditka v Buddy Ryan

Together these two formed lead one of the best single-season teams in NFL history, the 1985 Chicago Beats. Although both probably felt they deserved more credit for it than the other.

Ditka, the charismatic head coach and Ryan, the hard-nosed defensive coordinator were always destined for a blow-up, even when they were on the way to the Super Bowl.

During a loss to Miami, Ryan refused the instruction of Ditka, the head coach, so Ditka suggested they “take it out the back”.

In 1986, Ryan left to take up the head coaching job in Philadelphia and there was no point in the two of them carrying on any façade of being a happy family.

Ryan took potshots in the media at every opportunity however Ditka’s Bears won on the scoreboard, all four times they faced off on opposite sidelines.

For no reason, this is the best clip on YouTube we could find.

-With James Caughlin

Kevin Muscat v Graham Arnold/Ernie Merrick/John Kosmina

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat seems to like a bit of a brew-ha-ha with anyone.

Known for his shall we say “passion” he’s gotten into a blue with Graham Arnold.

https://youtu.be/XGOwTHhIK1U

There’s also a bit of tension with his old Victory coach Ernie Merrick.

And although he was a player at the time, his brew-ha-ha with then Adelaide United coach John Kosmina is all-time.