Listened to Haskell's book over the past week or so (For free, thanks to the Libby App subscription that comes with Library membership). I know he's a marmite character, but I like him.
I don't agree with everything he says, but by and large, I think he's on the money with a lot of stuff - especially things that as fans, we don't always like to admit or discuss like the lack of loyalty from clubs to players (when we expect it back from players to clubs), the negative impact of the media and their necessity for sensationalisation, opinions on squads that are delivered as facts (fingers pointed at Brian Moore and Sir Clive Woodward particularly) how and why it's difficult it is to change tactics mid-way through a match compared to how easy most fans seem to think it is.
It's a light-hearted listen/read, but for me, a lot of the content seemed quite sombre with a lot of negativity he's had to deal with in his life that he's largely expected to just put up with:
-- The whole Wasps saga; being continually offered less-and-less with each contract and ultimately leaving to go to Stade because he was given a take-it-or-leave-it offer by Steve Hayes, not having image rights paid for 18+ months, being stripped of the Captaincy because of false allegations after the end of season Boat Trip and effectively just being dropped a few years ago with very little sentiment for his Wasps career - His boyhood club.
-- Personally paying for physio, psychology and rehab sessions because clubs either wouldn't have the budget, or take some things like mental health seriously. He specifically cites the French Clubs as taken better care of medically that if a player wasn't fit they wouldn't get played and if a player was suspected to have an injury they'd get sent for a scan even if precautionary compared to UK clubs who supposedly have an MRI scan budget, which when it's gone it's gone, except for extreme circumstances
-- Being bullied for having other business interests beyond Rugby to give him an income after Rugby
-- A particular England coach going OTT in 'banter' about an ex-girlfriend who very publically cheated on him
-- His England debut soured during the build-up by the press spending most of their time writing about the video-tape incident at School (which gets explained and cleared up in the Book and is nothing like the press made out at the time even if it was a naive and dumb thing to have done)
-- The stream of online and offline abuse from 'rugby fans'
Obviously, this is very much his uninterrupted side of the story, but he speaks about his weaknesses/shortcomings. Where he's learnt and things he'd have done differently.
Ultimately, he came across as someone who has worked bloody hard for their whole career, tried not to take themselves too seriously, has had to manage the flood of negativity that's come his way and has thought diligently about life after rugby - both in terms of things he'd enjoy doing and things that would give him an income. In the process he's racked up Club Captaincy, nearly 80 Caps for England played in the Premiership, Top 14, Japan, and the Super 15 (or 14 as it might have been then). Been on a Lions Tours (but doesn't consider himself a Lion as he didn't play in a Test), won the Grand Slam, Premiership and the Heineken Cup.
Right at the end he is talking about online abuse from people and two incidents in particular. One, it transpires, is from a group of school kids and after they don't give up with the abuse he contacts the Headmaster, explains the situation and asks to come into the school to speak to them.
The Headmaster agrees and Haskell goes with Chloe. Rather than berating the kids or seeking to intimidate them, he talks to them about the impacts of abuse on people and the longevity of social media - that what happens in 5-10 years when they're applying for University places, or Jobs and people check back through Social Media. That these things live the public domain for years typically.
The other he admits that if it wasn't for Paul Doran-Jone's wife, probably wouldn't have ended so well - both for the abuser, or Haskells career. Everyone has their limits, I guess.
As a Wasps fan, it's definitely worth a listen or a read.
ps There's also the story about a house-party in NZ that goes wrong with our very own Lima Sopoaga ending up KO'd
Topic: What a Flanker! (Read 2098 times)
Always a Wasp