Official John Lang

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Pressure? Lang cool in Souths hot seat

Pressure? Lang cool in Souths hot seatThe AustralianThe former Test and Queensland hooker lifted Penrith from wooden spooner to the NRL premiership in two seasons, and took Cronulla to the finals six times in ...and more »

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Pressure? Lang cool in Souths hot seat
Margie McDonald
September 18, 2009

HE is following in the footsteps of a popular figure who has just been sacked by a club suffering from a 38-year drought and part-owned by a hands-on Hollywood superstar who demands results.

Pressure? Not for new South Sydney coach John Lang.

"I'm a bit of a fatalist, especially at my stage in life," the 58-year-old said yesterday.

"I'm not planning too far ahead. So when I was offered the job, I immediately felt there was a challenge there I've still got the drive to do.

"Whether I've done the right or wrong thing, time will tell."

Lang takes over immediately from Jason Taylor, who was sacked yesterday but with whom Lang has worked for the past 15 months as football manager at the Rabbitohs.

The former Test and Queensland hooker lifted Penrith from wooden spooner to the NRL premiership in two seasons, and took Cronulla to the finals six times in his eight seasons there.

But coaching South Sydney is another thing altogether. The Rabbitohs have won 20 titles -- more than any other club -- but the fact the last was 38 years ago makes his new job one of the toughest gigs around.

Still, the unflappable Lang is up for the challenge.

He is adamant the pressure at Redfern will be nowhere near what he felt at Cronulla -- where the fans are still waiting for a premiership after 42 years.

"I was under more pressure when I was trying to educate my family when I first started at the Sharks," Lang told he Australian yesterday. "The club was in receivership and I couldn't survive on the wage I was on. I had to get bonuses to survive.

"So that was a fair bit ofpressure."

Lang will go into the 2010 with exactly the team he wants.

After all, he helped put it together with Taylor, recruitment manager Mark Hughes and chief executive Shane Richardson.

"I've been a part of that process over the past 15 months and we've got our roster in pretty good shape," Lang said.

"All clubs have good players. When I was at Penrith (2002-2006) we didn't have a mass change in players -- but what we did have was some good young players coming through the club, and we've got that at Souths too."

The Rabbitohs made the finals this year in the Toyota Cup (6th) and NSW Cup (4th).

Familiarity with the players gives Lang great confidence.

He also likes Russell Crowe's movies. Lang spoke of his respect for what Crowe and co-owner Peter Holmes a Court have done for Souths since coming on board in 2006.

But he said it was what he could do during his two-year deal (2010-2011) that mattered the most to him.

Lang has great empathy for Taylor. He was not offered new contracts at the Sharks or Penrith, which forced him to move on.

"In footy, it's a funny thing where you don't take over in good or happy circumstances. I certainly feel sorry for Jason and hisfamily."

Former Rabbitohs player Mark Ellison, who was an assistant to Taylor and a former coach of Souths' Jersey Flegg and Premier League teams, takes over as football manager from Lang.

Lang admitted it had not been a long-term goal of his to return to head coaching -- despite the advantages of being a backroom operator without the pressure of the top job.

"I enjoyed being closely associated (as football manager) without being the one under pressure," he said.

So when did he decide he wanted to coach again?

"When I got offered the job this morning."

 

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Brought to you by:

League HQBrought to you by:League HQLang's NRL coaching career, or at least its first incarnation, began at Cronulla but ended at Penrith, where he won a premiership in 2003 but was replaced ...and more »

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If the tracksuit fits: Lang as surprised as anyone by rapid ascent to head coach
Glenn Jackson
September 18, 2009

JASON TAYLOR said he never saw it coming, and nor, apparently, did his successor John Lang, who was forced to scour the merchandise store at the South Sydney Leagues Club for Rabbitohs attire to wear as the club announced his ascension back to head coaching.

Asked yesterday when he decided he wanted to be a first-grade coach again, Lang replied: ''When I got offered the job.'' Which was about 1pm yesterday.

And given he had chosen to wear a bland grey shirt to work yesterday, which found itself underneath the hastily organised - and slightly too small - South Sydney tracksuit, it is difficult not to believe him. ''I don't plan too far ahead,'' Lang said.

Lang's NRL coaching career, or at least its first incarnation, began at Cronulla but ended at Penrith, where he won a premiership in 2003 but was replaced by Matthew Elliott at the end of the 2006 season. Lang, 58, said he ''never decided I didn't want to be a first-grade coach again'', but enjoyed doing nothing for a time.

Not being an avid TV watcher, however, the long winter's nights when he did not have reserve grade training to turn to were even longer.

''When I finished at Penrith, for six months I just absolutely loved doing nothing, buzzing around up the Gold Coast,'' Lang said. ''The next six months I started to get a bit restless and then I was bored. I wasn't bored all the time, but there were times I thought I was too young to be doing nothing. But the thing that I know best is footy.

''If you feel you've got some skills it's nice to be able to use them. I saw a quote somebody said somewhere: 'A good mind in need of employment.' I'm not sure if it's a good mind but I had a mind in need of employment.''

Asked if he still had the magic, he said: ''I lost the Messiah complex about 20-odd years ago.

''I haven't got the same pressure on me that I had when I first started coaching the Sharks,'' Lang added.

''Probably the biggest pressure is the pressure you put on yourself. When we went to the Sharks, I still had two children at school, the Sharks were in receivership, and my first year at the Sharks I'd gone back $15,000 on my base wage and bonuses put me back square. That was a bit of pressure.''

Lang said he was unsure whether to contact Taylor.

''It's a tough situation for Jason,'' he said. ''You don't take over in good circumstances too often. I don't feel good taking over in these circumstances.''

 

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Off the Wall

Off the WallLeague UnlimitedHe was soon spotted by Sydney clubs for his coaching skills and took over the custodian role at the Cronulla Sharks in 1994. The club made the finals in ...

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Off the Wall
Written by: Jeff Wall
Sep 18, 2009 8:31am

It has taken the best part of two weeks, but at last some good has come out of the Rabbitohs coaching saga - the appointment of John Lang as the club's coach for 2010 and 2011.

John Lang has a significantly better coaching record than many of his contemporaries. Unlike Brian Smith, for example, he has at least won a first grade premiership.

But, with the support of the club's owner, he should restore some discipline to the club off the field as well as on it. And that may well be his greatest contribution.

I first met him in 1970 when he was selected in the QRL intensive training squad which was housed under the old Lang Park grandstand for 10 weeks as part of Ron McAuliffe's campaign to end the Blues absolute dominance of interstate matches in the pre-origin era. Another squad member was his new coaching neighbour, Wayne Bennett.

He went on to represent Queensland with distinction for seven or eight seasons, and played three tests and five world cup matches for Australia - at a time when Queensland struggled to gain more than a couple of place s in the test team.

He was a hooker - when scrums were real, and the hooker was probably rated only behind the half and five-eighth in terms of importance to the team. And he was a very good one at that.

After playing in three winning premiership teams for the Easts Tigers in Brisbane, he went on to coach the club to two premiership victories. He was soon spotted by Sydney clubs for his coaching skills and took over the custodian role at the Cronulla Sharks in 1994. The club made the finals in seven of the eight seasons he was coach...including the Super League grand final in 1997 and the minor premiership in the new NRL competition in 1999.

After failing to secure a premiership at the Sharks (no one has done so before or since) he was shown the door in 2001 .

But the Sharks may have done him a favour, as he was soon appointed coach of the wooden spooners, the Penrith Panthers. Within two years he took the club to an NRL premiership.

With that record, the board of the Rabbitohs could hardly have chosen a better custodian to try and turn the club's fortunes around, both on and off the field.

He has been football manager at the club for the last year or so. As a consequence he will know more than a little about the clubs issues, and challenges.

Sadly, the saga of the dismissal of Jason Taylor seems far from over. His manager is now taking about taking the club to court for wrongful dismissal.

But at least the Rabbitohs have a very experienced coach - who is also a high quality person.

Hopefully that "mix" will turn around the fortunes of a club which has had a troubled past but deserves a future in the game.

 

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Lang a better coach now

Lang a better coach nowCourier MailAt 58, and with 345 first-grade games to his name with Cronulla and Penrith, Lang - the third-oldest coach in the NRL behind Wayne Bennett and Tim Sheens ...and more »

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Lang a better coach now
By David Riccio
September 20, 2009 12:01am

NOT much fazes John Lang these days.

Take 24 hours after his awkward appointment as the man to replace dumped South Sydney coach Jason Taylor last Thursday.

"I'm just helping a mate move some furniture,'' Lang told The Sunday Telegraph.

No crisis meetings. No airing sessions with players. No forward planning with coaching staff.

Even when Taylor maintained his rage, declaring he had the support of "90 per cent'' of the Rabbitohs playing group, all Lang wanted to say was, "they're a good group of guys''.

"Obviously when the time comes I've got to get in there and start doing my job,'' he said.

"But I've never had any major dramas with players in the past ... so I don't foresee any dramas or problems with this squad.''

A rugby league survivor whose 30-year coaching career is steeped in success, Lang is everything Souths management have chosen to overlook since Ron Willey coached the Rabbitohs in 1985.

Experience.

At 58, and with 345 first-grade games to his name with Cronulla and Penrith, Lang - the third-oldest coach in the NRL behind Wayne Bennett and Tim Sheens - was still deemed a left-field choice by some.

Past his use-by date and too old school in his methods, they claimed.

And even Lang, who has enjoyed his arm's-length distance from the NRL furnace as Taylor's consultant at Redfern for the past 16 months, still isn't sure.

"Experience is good if you learn from it,'' he says. "It's no good if you don't learn from it."

"You probably find you're more conservative early in your career. Because you tend to do things the way you were coached as a player ... and the more confidence you get, the more you're prepared to experiment."

"I'll get my mind around it over the next week or so. I've been watching things closely enough, but it will probably take me a while to get back into the swing of it.''

But after three years out of the NRL spotlight, Lang is certain he will return a stronger coach.

"It can make you better,'' he said of his step back from full-time coaching.

"I coached for 13 years straight and I don't know if that was the ideal thing."

"But the break has certainly done me good.''

And despite the Rabbitohs' disappointing season as they missed the finals series under Taylor for the second year in a row, Lang suggested there would be no need for wholesale changes to the football structure or the club's playing group.

"I think we've bought a good solid squad over the last couple of years. We've got some really good young players, so we've got a pretty good blend,'' Lang said.

But like any master motivator, Lang couldn't resist his first public prod in almost three years when he claimed a premiership is the goal his players will be chasing next year.

"In the end, everybody wants to win a premiership,'' he says.

"That's what you're aiming to do. You've got to aim for that. You've got to finish as high as you can in the minor premiership and go again in the finals."

"It's not like you say, 'this year we want to run fourth'. The reality is if you don't make the eight your season is over.''

 

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Veteran Lang 'no messiah' for Rabbitohs faithfulRugby League LiveThe former Cronulla and Penrith mentor, who took the Panthers to a premiership in 2003, will take the reins at Souths for the next two seasons after coming ...and more »

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Veteran Lang 'no messiah' for Rabbitohs faithful
AAP
18/09/09

Premiership-winning mentor John Lang says he is won’t be the messiah for the Rabbitohs after replacing sacked South Sydney coach Jason Taylor.

As Taylor and the Rabbitohs appeared headed for the courts after the coach was sacked by the NRL club on Thursday, it was veteran Lang who was left to pick up the pieces.

“I lost the messiah complex about 20 odd years ago, but I do know the business,” Lang told a media conference on Thursday.

The former Cronulla and Penrith mentor, who took the Panthers to a premiership in 2003, will take the reins at Souths for the next two seasons after coming on board last year, first as a consultant then as football manager.

Lang last coached in 2006 after 13 straight years in the business.

The 58-year-old is also a long-time ally of Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson, the pair having worked together previously at both the Sharks and Panthers.

Lang said he decided he was interested in returning to the pressure-cooker of coaching when he was offered the job.

“I never decided I didn’t want to be a coach again,” he said.

“It’s a very small industry ... there’s not a lot of opportunities for anybody but I didn’t have any great passion or was desperate to get back into coaching.

“I enjoyed the role of being closely associated without actually being the one who is under pressure.

“I don’t plan too far ahead.”

Lang said he felt for Taylor, who was sacked with a year to run on his contract after an altercation with second-rower David Fa’alogo at a pub.

“I certainly feel sorry for Jason and his family,” Lang said.

“I don’t feel good taking over in these circumstances but it’s not too often you take over in happy circumstances.”

The Rabbitohs missed the finals in the last two of Taylor’s three years at the helm and Lang admitted he was in for a challenge.

“I’m under no illusions how difficult the job is and probably being close and watching other people do it, I probably didn’t realise how much pressure they are (under),” he said.

“It’s a tough job but I’ve done it for a long time and I’ve still got the enthusiasm, particularly for the game itself.”

In a related development, assistant coach Mark Ellison, who was recently cut from the club in a move rumoured to have upset players, has returned as football manager.

An emotional Richardson made it clear how tough it had been terminating Taylor’s deal, at one point almost appearing to reminisce about how he’d helped the young coach develop.

“This is not an easy decision, Jason and I have worked together for three years now,” Richardson said.

“It’s not a decision I’ve slept about for seven days and I’m sure Jason’s in the same case.

“Jason’s done a good job as a coach ... he’s been a young coach, he’s come through, we’ve had three years of development with him and working alongside him and trying to improve what’s going on and working through press conferences and up until this incident he had my support.”

JOHN LANG
Age: 58
Coaching record: 323 games, 184 wins, 134 losses, five draws
Winning percentage: 57 per cent
Penrith: 2002-06, NRL premiership 2003
Cronulla: 1994-2001, Super League grand final 1997

JASON TAYLOR
Age: 38
Coaching record: 98 games, 43 wins, 54 losses, 1 draw
Winning percentage: 44 per cent
Parramatta: 2006; finished 8th
South Sydney: 2007-2009; finished 7th, 14th, 10th

 

[Murphy]

SPEWING ABOUT LANG

 

[slide rule]

It's the first proper experienced coach that souths have had in quite some time.

 

[Bungy]

It's the first proper experienced coach that souths have had in quite some time.

It doesn't guarantee success though.
Look what happened to St.George this year.:trent:

 

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Rabbitohs coach John Lang

Rabbitohs coach John LangCourier MailThe former Cronulla and Panthers coach admitted he had no plans to return to full-time coaching until the approach came from close mate and Souths CEO Shane ...

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Rabbitohs coach John Lang
By Steve Gee
October 07, 2009 11:00p

EVEN new Souths coach John Lang admits he doesn't know about their prized Super League signing Sam Burgess.

But we know one bloke who does - Parramatta's Tongan torpedo Fuifui Moimoi. The prop who terrorised everyone through the finals had a run-in with Burgess when playing for the Kiwis in 2007.

And it was Moimoi who was put squarely on his backside.

Of all the comings and goings for 2010, it is the arrival of two giant youngsters at Souths that threatens to have the biggest impact on a club's fortunes.

With Burgess and former Brisbane Broncos man mountain Dave Taylor heading their recruits, Lang will return to coaching with the pressure of returning the Rabbitohs to the finals.

Lang, who won a premiership with Penrith in 2003, welcomes the expectation and is convinced the Bunnies will be back in the premiership mix next year even though he has barely seen one of his prized signings play.

"It was unanimous that we go after him and we went after him because we all believed he had the potential to do what he has shown at the second half of the season," Lang said of Taylor.

"It's probably fortunate for us that he wasn't playing that well in the first half of the season or we may not have been able to get him. We all believed in the potential he had."

After three years away from coaching, Lang returns to the NRL hot seat next season at the age of 58. Alongside incoming Roosters coach Brian Smith, he will face the most pressure.

"I think I will have the same pressure (as Jason Taylor), but that doesn't concern me because you're under pressure every year," Lang said.

"If you win the Grand Final, you don't want to be the side that wins it and doesn't do any good the following year, so nothing really changes."

Lang was handed the head coaching job two weeks ago in the wake of Jason Taylor's sacking over the infamous "Sad Sunday" end-of-year celebrations, when he was punched by departing forward David Fa'alogo.

The former Cronulla and Panthers coach admitted he had no plans to return to full-time coaching until the approach came from close mate and Souths CEO Shane Richardson.

"Probably the main reason I accepted the job was I thought if I didn't I may well regret it ...I might regret it now," he said with a laugh.

Before Taylor's sacking, Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe said nothing short of a finals spot was acceptable in 2010. But Lang said he had no fear of failure.

"There are no guarantees in life, but once I'm committed I'm never going to regret that," the Rabbitohs coach said.

"If it works out, fantastic.

"If it doesn't, you dust yourself off and move on.

"Russell said that we were out to win the comp every year but that's what you aim for. Nobody sets themselves to run seventh,

"That's what you're building towards. Every team is the same. Everybody has their own opinion on what's realistic.

"What's realistic for say West Tigers. I reckon you would be kidding yourself if Wests Tigers weren't saying we're out to win the competition.

"I think we have a strong enough side to say we're in the mix with everyone else."

Lang has yet to address players. He will do that when they return for training next month.

 

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After 1157 days away, Lang goes back to job he lovesCourier MailThe recruitment of England import Sam Burgess, Broncos powerhouse Dave Taylor and former Cronulla prop Ben Ross to join captain Roy Asotasi, Luke Stuart, ...

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After 1157 days away, Lang goes back to job he loves
By David Riccio
October 31, 2009 11:01pm

FOR six months, an emotionally-drained John Lang had to walk away from the game he loved.

"When I finished at Penrith in 2006 I really enjoyed just vegging out,'' Lang said. "I felt like a rope that had got all tangled and knotted. And so for six months, I just really enjoyed just doing nothing."

"The danger in any job is that you start to see yourself as the job. And so I really just enjoyed being John Lang.''

Tomorrow, Lang returns to the NRL coaching furnace for the first time in 1157 days when South Sydney begin their pre-season training.

And the 58-year-old says the passion is back. "I feel motivated to do well,'' Lang said.

"I enjoy a challenge, and football is what I have been best at.''

Seven other NRL clubs - Canberra Raiders, Newcastle Knights, Penrith, the Roosters, Warriors and Wests Tigers - will also begin their arduous summer campaigns next week.

But only the Roosters - under new coach Brian Smith - will be facing similar scrutiny to what Lang can expect at the Rabbitohs following Jason Taylor's controversial sacking last month.

The Bunnies can't afford another poor season, with high-profile owner Russell Crowe stating as much.

So Lang - Souths' most experienced coaching appointment since Ron Willey in 1985 - has the job of lifting a side boasting the most talented forward pack in the competition.

After three years out of coaching, Lang admits the pressure is something he will again have to get used to. "I probably will be a bit rusty to start with,'' he laughed. "I've got no big expectations on myself, hopefully I'll feel a bit more comfortable as the off-season progresses."

"But I think I can handle it. In the end, the pressure I feel, particularly at this stage of my life, is I want to do a good job.''

The recruitment of England import Sam Burgess, Broncos powerhouse Dave Taylor and former Cronulla prop Ben Ross to join captain Roy Asotasi, Luke Stuart, Eddy Pettybourne and Scott Geddes is typical of the Lang blueprint.

Big, mobile forwards and plenty of them.

Lang admitted it's hard to ignore the hype about Burgess. "I remember when we were first interested in him, I looked up his website ... 195cm and 110kg. He's a big lad,'' Lang said.

"Everybody you speak to from England has got a huge wrap on him. He looks to be a huge talent. He's signed for four years and I've got no doubt he's going to be an extremely good buy."

"But I haven't got huge expectations of him being a star right from the start. He doesn't arrive until December ... we'll put in some work as a group well before then.''

That work, for Lang, starts at 9am tomorrow.

 

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Burgess 'needs time to settle' at SouthsLeague HQHowever, Lang, who spent eight years leading Cronulla before guiding the Panthers to the 2003 premiership, admitted he did think twice about taking over ...

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Sandow excited by working with new coach
November 13, 2009 - 4:46PM

It took South Sydney halfback Chris Sandow just five minutes to realise the appointment of John Lang as the NRL club's new coach can only be a good thing for the Rabbitohs.

Sandow admits he was shocked by the sacking of Jason Taylor in September following a drunken bust-up with former Rabbitoh David Fa'alogo at the club's end-of-season celebrations.

However, the 20-year-old has been impressed with what he has seen of Lang since the veteran coach took over the reins following a brief stint as the club's football consultant.

"What happened to JT was very sad and no offence to him, but I am looking forward to playing under Langy," Sandow told AAP.

"He has won a premiership, played heaps of Origin and has lots of coaching experience."

Aside from Lang's credentials, which include an eight-year spell at Cronulla followed by a successful five successful years at Penrith, where he guided the Panthers to the 2003 premiership, Sandow has been blown away by the 58-year-old's man-management skills.

"Langy was around the squad a fair bit last year which I think is an advantage to him as he knows a bit about the players," he said.

"But what has really impressed me is that all the boys have had one-on-one interviews with him and they have all come out feeling really positive.

"In mine he told me in the first five minutes how he planned to play but also asked me for my input and what I felt was good and bad about my game. That was a really good thing to do.

"He has assured me that he is not going to bring in anything too fancy and just wants me to play my natural game, which has got me to NRL level and that is excellent because I hate structured footy."

Sandow admits he had a patchy first full season in 2009 following a red-hot introduction to the NRL midway through 2008 and is now fully aware of what is required to play at the highest level.

"There is a lot more to come from me, I had a couple of injuries last year which affected my confidence and form, but I felt towards the end I was getting back to my best form and can hit the ground running in 2010."

 

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South Sydney preach patience with English import Sam Burgess

South Sydney preach patience with English import Sam BurgessFox SportsSouth Sydney coach John Lang admits he's unsure how England prop Sam Burgess will fare in his first season in the NRL and urged fans not ...and more »

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South Sydney preach patience with English import Sam Burgess
By Ian McCullough
November 13, 2009

South Sydney coach John Lang admits he's unsure how England prop Sam Burgess will fare in his first season in the NRL and urged fans not to expect instant success.

There is plenty of hype surrounding the 20-year-old's arrival and, although Lang is confident Burgess can handle the pressure, he acknowledged the need to give him time to adjust.

“I am not expecting him to show storming form right from the start,'' Lang said.

“He might hit the ground running, I don't know. But we see him as a long-term investment for the club.''

Burgess, who has signed a four-year deal, will link up with his new teammates on December 14, which is also his 21st birthday, and Lang has no doubt he will fit in comfortably.

“There will be hype ... I have only spoken to him once but he is a very down to earth young man,'' he said.

“I don't think it will worry him. He played Test football at 18 and coped.''

Lang, a two-time Dally M coach of the year, is refreshed and ready for his return to the NRL after a three-year break following his departure from Penrith in 2006.

However, he admitted he did think twice about taking over from the sacked Jason Taylor in September.

“I was offered the opportunity and I had to go away and really think about it. But I realised if I knocked it back I would regret it,'' he said.

And the 58-year-old, who was working at Souths as a football consultant, thought the chance to coach at the highest level again had passed him by.

“I am not a big planner, particularly at this stage of my life and career,'' he said.

“But I definitely needed a break from the game which is something you don't realise when you are doing it. I coached for 13 years straight which is not ideal to be perfectly honest.

“I feel refreshed but I think I do need to come up to speed a little bit.''

And with Souths owner Russell Crowe growing more impatient with the lack of success at the club he bought into in 2006, Lang is under no illusions about the pressure he faces.

“I think every NRL coach is under pressure but there is certainly more expectation at this club than in the past,'' he said.

“But if you go to war with a good army there may be more expectations, but there is also more chance of survival. We've got good soldiers so let's see where they can take us.''

 

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Rumours breed like rabbits - Lang

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Rumours breed like rabbits - Lang
By Christian Nicolussi
May 30, 2010 12:01AM

JOHN Lang has heard the rumours about Test coach Tim Sheens coming to South Sydney in 2012.

We didn't have to mention talk of Ricky Stuart being linked to the Rabbitohs as well.

As he gets ready to take the coach's box for the 334th time this afternoon - when Souths take on one of his former clubs Penrith at ANZ Stadium - Lang has no idea what will happen when his current deal expires at the end of 2011.

"I'm only thinking as far as this week, to be honest," Lang said.

"You have to laugh. Someone said Souths are talking to Tim Sheens about 2012 but I joked and said, 'I could be dead by then'.

"All I know is I want to do a good job. I think the time will come when you say to yourself you don't want to do this any longer.

"The last time I did nothing for six months I enjoyed it, but then I got bored and thought, 'I'm too young to retire'.

' 'I'm not worried about finishing on a good note. I also know if I haven't got the drive and enthusiasm, I'll walk.

"One thing I know is I wouldn't want to be an applicant for the Warriors job. I couldn't see myself flying back and forth every fortnight - you need a young man for that.

"In some ways, I'm not under the same pressure as a young coach who is trying to establish themselves at this level. But in the end the guys who coach at this level are highly motivated and put plenty of pressure on themselves."

Lang's philosophy is a good one given the coaching merry-go-round is already in motion.

With Stuart on the hunt for a new job and Nathan Brown on his way home, The Sunday Telegraph put together a half-yearly report card for every club and coach - see attached PDF.

Incredibly, nine NRL coaches are off contract at the end of next season.
But history shows contracts are not always worth the paper they're written on and clubs and coaches can part company at any time - Brian Smith at Newcastle last year being one case in point.

Not that rumours ever bother the game's longest-serving coaches.

It's why Lang hasn't discussed his future with Souths owner Russell Crowe. They haven't spoken in six weeks because the Oscar winner has been on the promotional trail for his new movie Robin Hood.

Lang spent eight seasons at Cronulla and a further five at Penrith, winning a premiership with the Panthers in 2003.

The Sharks remain close to his heart because they gave him his start and Lang remembers many of the current Panthers players because they were coming through the grades during his time in charge. But of all three clubs, Lang said the Rabbitohs' supporters were clearly the most passionate.

"The analogy I use is Sharks fans consider the Sharks a nice part of their lives. But for Souths fans, the club is a part of who they are," he said.

"I've had young blokes come up and say, 'I don't remember Souths ever being good'. They made the finals in 2007 and even though they were minor premiers in 1989, young people can't remember that.

"They're very staunch but ride the roller-coaster.

"Some are frustrated with false starts and you won't satisfy them until you get up there, but that's what it's about."

Lang won't say this could be the year of the Rabbit. He's been around too long to get his hopes up in May.

 

[Google News]

Lang says club-free Fittler is NSW's man - Sydney Morning Herald

Source:http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=...f.html&usg=AFQjCNHAutp4-FRzM6tbXVrl6C5FR1vOlg

Lang says club-free Fittler is NSW's man
JOSH RAKIC
May 30, 2010

COACHING NRL and State of Origin is too much for one man.

That's the sentiment of South Sydney coach John Lang, who says former Roosters coach and Blues legend Brad Fittler is the man to lead NSW out of their darkest period in Origin history.

With the Maroons on the cusp of a fifth straight series win under full-time coach Mal Meninga - a man Fittler shares the same credentials with, being an Origin great and a coach with NRL experience - Lang said it was time NSW swallowed their pride and copied the Maroons. They've already done the same with the Former Origin Greats [FOGs].

''I don't think I could do it, coach a club and Origin football,'' Lang said. ''The pressure you put on yourself at club level, and there is a lot of pressure, is intense enough.

''That's without the pressure everyone else puts on you.

''I actually had the opportunity to coach Queensland. Well, they asked if I was interested probably four-and-a-half years ago, and it was something I would have loved to have done but I just didn't feel I could have done justice to both jobs. It would be unbelievably demanding trying to do it and I actually think that Queensland, bringing in a permanent coach was a master stroke. Well, it's proved a master stroke.''

Lang said off-contract Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart, who has been linked to a number of clubs next year including Souths, was not suited for the Blues job given his aspirations to be a career coach. And he said Geoff Carr and co. should look to Origin hero and media personality Brad Fittler.

''Obviously you've got to find someone who is not coaching at the time - Phil Gould did it successfully with NSW in the early 2000s and I think there's a bit to be said for it,'' Lang said. ''Ricky Stuart is a name that's been mentioned but I think Ricky sees himself as a career coach, so I don't think three games a year would satisfy him. Mal's not a career coach, I asked him if he'd ever go back and he said no.

''I think a guy like Brad Fittler is perfect - he would be great for NSW. He's had coaching experience now. It's not as demanding as the day-to-day grind of club football, because if you've got an unhappy player you don't pick him. They're always happy to play Origin - you always have 17 happy players in State of Origin and there'd be another 17 very happy to jump in and take their spots if they're not happy. Not wishing to put the death knell on Craig Bellamy, I think a guy like Brad Fittler would be an ideal solution … he knows what Origin is all about and like Mal, has the players' respect.''

Neil Henry's resignation from the Maroons coaching staff after playing an integral role as tactician in the past four series is a sign that even being an assistant is draining for an NRL coach, let alone having the responsibility of steering the whole ship.

''Mal's had blokes who have been very recently hands-on in the NRL working with him like Trevor Gillmeister, Michael Hagan, Allan Langer and Neil Henry before that,'' Lang said. ''That's important. He's made sure he's had the right people around him but he's managed the whole regime - emerging squads and players' bonding sessions throughout the year. He has the time.''

Lang said NSW only had to look at Meninga's early days as proof the Blues are capable of turning the tables - or at least getting closer.

''When he took over, no one knew how good the team would be and he looked like he was taking over in a tough time when Queensland were rebuilding - NSW had won three straight,'' Lang said. ''And he deserves the credit. He's the one responsible for the whole set-up and he's got people in to help him …

''With Mal's stature in the game, let's face it, he's been the common denominator during all their success. And like Fittler does, Mal has plenty of other business interests to keep him busy when he's not thinking Origin.''

 

[Google News]

Lang proves it's not complicated

Source:http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...-not-complicated/story-e6frext9-1225903193144

Lang proves it's not complicated
By Gorden Tallis
August 10, 2010 12:00AM

THERE are four coaches in the NRL at the moment that would certainly fall into the veteran category.

Three of them -Wayne Bennett, Brian Smith and Tim Sheens - are regarded as master tacticians, but for some reason Rabbitohs coach John Lang doesn't seem to get thrown the same accolades.

Having had the chance to work, in some capacity, with all four I can tell you while Lang has a different approach to the other three he is every bit their equal.

Watching Langy prepare Souths for Saturday night's game against Sheens' Tigers was a perfect example of his abilities.

Lang's greatest asset is that he doesn't over-coach his sides - something the other three are definitely guilty of.

Bennett has openly admitted as much in the past, and at the Broncos he often asked his senior players to alert him if he started to become too over the top, particularly as the finals approached.

There were signs on Sunday of Smith over-coaching the Roosters.

While he has done a super job to get them to this point, he looked to have them over-thinking things against the Dragons.

They were so heavily drilled on crabbing across field to stop the looping around the back play of Darius Boyd, they left themselves open to straight hole running from Ben Creagh and Dean Young.

Lang rarely makes that mistake. While that doesn't mean he doesn't do the work on preparing game plans, analysing the opposition and the like, he understands that some things in rugby league never change regardless of new technology and trends.

In the end if you turn up with 17 guys who are willing to rip in and have a go, to run hard and tackle harder, you give yourself a major chance of winning a game no matter what fancy set plays the other team throws at you.

Saturday night was a case in point. Souths had 10 players missing, a couple of those going down on the eve of the game. But Langy didn't panic, change game plans and confuse the men he had. All he did was gather the fit troops and inspired them to have a dig like their lives depended on it.

It proved enough to overcome the Tigers, who look great when things are rolling their way, but can be guilty of fading in and out of games.

It extended Lang's record against Sheens to 18 wins and one loss in 19 games, Sheens' last win coming in 1994 when he had a fairly handy Canberra side to call upon.

Lang plays down the record, but you can't help but think the former Cronulla coach, who took Penrith to an unlikely premiership in 2003, must be doing something right.

His overall winning percentage of around 57 per cent also stacks up well against Smith (52 per cent), Sheens (51 per cent) and Bennett (64 per cent), particularly given he's never had the benefit of a superstar side like the Broncos or Canberra.

Lang's style is probably the one most players can relate to.

While some are inspired by the tactical nous of Sheens and Smith - and don't get me wrong both are very good at what they do - Lang doesn't over complicate things.

 

[Google News]

NRL: Welcome back to Penrith, fellas

[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...ort/story/nrl-welcome-back-to-penrith-fellas/

Welcome back to Penrith, fellas
17 Aug 10 @ 02:30pm
by CHRIS GEORGAKOPOULOS

THE Panthers welcome back their premiership-winning coach John Lang and player Rhys Wesser for the first time in Friday’s game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at CUA Stadium.

Lang and Wesser remain in Panthers folklore for their roles in winning the 2003 NRL title.

The duo has not returned to the foot of the mountains since leaving the club.

After leading the Cronulla Sharks for seven years, Lang joined the Panthers in search of grand final glory in 2002.

One year on Lang reached the milestone, leading Penrith to their first premiership trophy since 1991 by beating the Sydney Roosters 18-6.

Lang continued his impressive work with the Panthers in 2004 but they were knocked out of the finals by eventual premiers the Bulldogs.

Two years later Lang was replaced by Matthew Elliott and this year has led South Sydney for the first time.

Joining the Rabbitohs allowed Lang to reunite with former Penrith fullback Rhys Wesser.

The Rockhampton junior signed with the Panthers in 1998 but took three years to get into the NRL team.

Making his debut three years later, his prolific tryscoring kept him in the team until 2008.

Wesser’s 25 tries in Penrith’s 2003 premiership-winning season remains a record haul for any fullback in the NRL, and his total of 113 tries is the most scored by any Penrith player.

The former Queensland State of Origin representative has returned to top form for the Rabbitohs this season, and will be out to prove his worth against his former club on Friday.

South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson is another former Panthers employee. He helped Lang assemble the premiership-winning team and was snared by Souths a year later.

Another two Rabbitohs will return to Penrith with different thoughts in their minds.

Craig Stapleton played for the Panthers in 2006 and will aim for an impressive performance against his former side.

Ben Ross was another premiership winner with the Panthers but continues to recuperate from a serious neck injury and will not face his old club.

 

[Google News]

Johnny be gone

Souths coach John Lang indicates he'll quit at end of next season
By Christian Nicolussi
November 11, 2010 11:00PM

JOHN Lang has revealed that next season could be his first and last working with Greg Inglis at Redfern.

The veteran South Sydney coach will be off contract at the end of next year and is likely to "move off into the sunset" to make way for another mentor to oversee arguably the NRL's most enviable roster.

The 60-year-old premiership-winning coach has labelled Inglis as the best centre in the world but he would not rule out playing the former Melbourne star at five-eighth.

"I'm contracted until the end of next year, that was the deal," Lang said. "I was never led along the path I'd be the long-term coach, so most likely I'll be moving off into the sunset.

"I'm very relaxed with that. Richo [chief executive Shane Richardson] keeps me up to date with what they do.

"I want to enjoy this year and I'm not looking a day past that. If something changes, I'll cross that path when I come to it. Let's face it, I'm 60 and not many guys last that long.

"I've had 15 years at this level but I'm fortunate in the fact I still enjoy it.

"I've never had a season where I haven't at one stage thought, 'why am I doing this?'"

Lang is excited by the expected arrival of Inglis and agrees there will be greater pressure on the club to step up and deliver some silverware.

"You can't put a guy like Greg Inglis into a team and expect we're just the same side as before," Lang said. "But what we also have to realise is Greg Inglis has to do his thing, and everyone else has to do their thing. I don't think that will be a problem.

"He'll bring confidence to other players. That has probably been one thing Souths have struggled with, but recruiting someone like him will be a good step from that point of view.

"It would be a great thing for the club if Greg came here. He's a centre, the world's best centre, but he can play other positions as well.

"I know he has expressed to Richo he can play five-eighth.

"No matter what, the guys will get a buzz playing with him. Even if Greg is out injured, the beauty for us is we still wouldn't have to play against him."

Dylan Farrell loomed as the likely starter at left centre in the absence of Cronulla-bound Colin Best, but Lang pointed out that the young star scored a hat-trick on debut on the right side.

Lang also expects Junior Vaivai to challenge for a jumper.

The likable Lang said that hot competition for spots is only a positive.

Plenty of candidates have been thrust forward to succeed Lang, including Tim Sheens and Craig Bellamy, who has been Inglis' only NRL coach.

But Lang looked full of life as he oversaw a light session with a small group of players on a warm morning at Redfern Oval yesterday.

He said he had worked much harder during the post-season than he had this time last year.

Source:http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...d-of-next-season/story-e6frep5x-1225952385806

 

[sharkiesboomboomboom]

Come Back John

I love and miss John Lang....

 

[Sharky Pete]

I love and miss John Lang....

I agree, it was the worst decision the old board ever made punting Lang for that dope Chris Anderson.

We haven't been the same since he left the club.

 

[josh11223344]

he wouldn't be any good to us now though