Scott Johnson Will Bring Scotland Excitement, One Way or Another
Some rugby games sport huge headlines and constantly popping PR. Whenever Wales are at home there is an insatiable hunger for new stories to match the side's unpredictable play. Where England are concerned it is no matter if it is bad or good form in the forefront of fans mind: they will be furnished with up-to-the-minute updates of how the lads after match soiree went or how players are overcoming bans.
With Scotland, though, there is usually a case of same old, same old.
Their PR and press teams do a stellar job of controlling every piece of information about their team and the herd their players admirably, but when this is twinned with a lack of excitement on the pitch it is hard to avoid printing the same sickening headlines about avoiding the try line.
This does not mean courting controversy, like arranging a first Manchester date between Cipriani and Powell. No, this means actively trying to shake things up. The previous few competitions were underway with attack plans in place and they failed horribly. Something needs to be added.
If there are words needed saying out loud and radical ideas needed you can be sure that you will interest Scott Johnson.
The Australian coach first shot to prominence when Graham Henry called him into Wales' backroom team in 2002. He was lauded by players for his approach to skills and dressing room sway. He even had a caretaker role with the team the season after Mike Ruddock fled the scene, but he led the side to three defeats. He had been there to help in a Grand Slam win, and come out the other end.
So he went to Australia's set-up, under John Connolly, but again the side he coached failed and he left the post. He off course said a thing or two whilst he was there, but that was his style, win or lose.
After a flirtation with the USA Eagles, an association that was doomed from the beginning, Johnson returned to Wales to take up the Ospreys post. He had title winning success, but after some time coaching there since 2008 he left. He had the team marching to his beat with somewhat of a swagger at first, but it all fell apart this season.
It may have been a factor that he was taking up a role with Scotland this summer, but it is not unlike him to jump ship after a while: he is an impulsive man.
Known for audacious attacks in press conferences he has accused opposition coaches of paranoia, he has called out referees and those who use social networking sites, he has hit out at law makers and he has been repeatedly available for quote on any issue.
He is, in short, flamboyant and outspoken. He is also much derided by some fans. Despite this, though, the fact that he thinks differently, acts against convention and will be brutally honest may help Scotland's attack in the short term.
No one expects him to work miracles over six years because he honestly will not hang around that long. What he can do is poke and prod until he incites enough short-term belief and fire from his charges to allow them to develop a new attacking style.
Kept over three different Welsh regimes; brought in by the Wallabies; a Magners League winner; Scotland's new guru. He may be maligned but too many exceptional players and respected coaches have asked to work with Johnson for it to be said he is not good at what he does.
The issue for Scotland is that they have to capture that spark in a bottle before it fizzles out. He will challenge and cajole, but leave it too long and it may grate and anger rather than augment creativity. He is capable of helping a unit develop skills and understandings. You can get too much of a good thing.
It should be exciting to see this team grow into itself. Johnson can help with that and either way he should keep the PR team on its toes.
