The proposal that Swimming New Zealand should appoint a Targeted Athlete and Coach Manager is of huge importance. For years, in spite of evidence to the contrary and our advice, Swimming New Zealand persisted with a dozen Head Coaches who came, saw and failed. The saga that unfolded was right up there with the best of British comedy. If it wasn’t Mrs. Brown’s Boys it was certainly Swimming New Zealand’s Boys. There was a pom who after a year in the job was replaced by someone whose job seemed to be the same as the redundant guy. That was a novel use of redundancy. There was an Australian who spent his stay in a good Auckland hotel. There was New Zealand’s best swimmer who in a desperate effort at self-preservation fled to Australia. Then a Spanish import who took control for six months. I could find no evidence of him ever having any poolside coaching experience. An American age-group club coach was hired to save the nation. He lasted a year before using the call of “family reasons” to get out of here. He left just as the program and him personally were about to go under for the third time. Finally an “intern” was chosen to guide us to the Promised Land. And through it all, like some dementia patient in need of help, Swimming New Zealand fumbled around, telling us, “I think we have the right coaching in place.” Yea bloody right.

But at last Swimming New Zealand made a good call. The idea of a Targeted Athlete and Coach Manager is what is needed. The trick, of course, is going to be finding the right person. I’m pretty sure Swimming New Zealand has someone in mind. They have said they plan to make an announcement in January. In a normal recruitment process that means things are well down the track. Not even Swimming New Zealand would be planning on making an announcement in four weeks if they were only beginning the recruitment process. Or would they?

My guess is Swimming New Zealand has identified a person. They have discussed the position. They have agreed terms. And right now the possible recruit is weighing up the risks of joining Swimming New Zealand. If it were me, I’d have Auckland’s best employment lawyer going through the offer very carefully. If past experience is any guide the contract is in for a testing time. Personally he or she must be in a state of mental confusion. The volatility of Swimming New Zealand’s employment history, the desperate need for the Targeted Athlete and Coach Manager function, the catastrophic pool results and the recent poor policy direction of the organisation, must all be weighing heavily on the mind of the potential recruit.

I wonder who Swimming New Zealand has offered the job. My guess is they won’t have gone overseas. They better not have gone overseas. Their history of international recruitment is almost entirely negative. This position is going to demand an intimate knowledge of things New Zealand. The person appointed is going to have to deal with, work in and understand things Kiwi. Swimming New Zealand doesn’t have time for a cultural training course. And so the person selected is a New Zealander or a person who has lived here a long time.

My guess is the selected person is a male. With the exception of Jan Cameron, who selected herself, the Head Coach selected by Swimming New Zealand has always been male. Swimming New Zealand doesn’t mind picking women for the second tier jobs, Donna Bouzaid and Amanda White for example, but the bosses are always blokes. And so the person selected is male.

The person must also have been employed in a senior position in swimming. Not even Swimming New Zealand would employ a novice for a job like this one. Mind you they were happy leaving an intern as Head Coach. But I think in this case it will be someone who has been involved in swimming for some time.

And here is where I have a problem. I am certain that being as the offer will have been made to a New Zealand based male who has been involved in New Zealand swimming for some time, Swimming New Zealand will have selected a nice guy, someone who won’t rock the boat, someone who looks on getting along as important, someone that Swimming New Zealand thinks they can manipulate and control. If that is right we could be in for a rocky passage. You see, without question, this job is going to require a Schubert, a Sweetenham, a Talbot type character; a person who without fear or favour sets about moulding the future to their will. Those three men changed America, the UK and Australia because they were tough and took no prisoners – ever. I don’t think that’s what Swimming New Zealand wants. I don’t think Swimming New Zealand has good enough managers to pick someone like that. And that could be a real problem.

And so I believe the Swimming New Zealand’s pick will be a male, New Zealand resident, who has been or is in a senior position in swimming in New Zealand and is a nice guy.

So who could that be? Well Gary Hurring fits the specification. I’ve not spoken to Gary but I don’t think he would accept the position. Once bitten, twice shy. Besides, I think, Gary’s elite status in New Zealand sport and knowledge of swimming makes the people in Antares Place uncomfortable. And although Gary is the ultimate nice guy he can also stand his ground. He is after all his father’s son.

I have two others on the list of possible recruits. One lives in Auckland and the other does not. However, whoever accepts the job is taking on a position offering the best prospect for delivering much needed CPR to elite New Zealand swimming. The appointment is a good one. It is in the right direction. It will require more courage than the appointee has ever had to show in the past. If one of my two picks gets the job I will report back. Whoever it is, I wish him the very best of luck. I fear he is going to need it.