‘You can worry about that’ – Warren Gatland’s blunt response to doubts over his future as Wales coach
Wales head coach Warren Gatland, and his team ahead of their Test against Fiji in Cardiff.
Warren Gatland has urged Wales’ supporters to be patient with the team after their 24-19 loss to Fiji and said he is unconcerned about his future as the team’s head coach.
Sunday’s defeat means Wales are still winless in 2024 and they have lost their last 10 Test matches with their last victory registered during the pool phase at last year’s Rugby World Cup in France when they beat Georgia.
Wales last lost 10 matches in a row during the 2002/2003 season and they face a daunting task against Australia, who will have a spring in their step after claiming a shock 42-37 victory over England at Twickenham on Saturday.
Despite Wales’ poor form Gatland believes he is on the right path and blamed the media for putting pressure on him.
“You can worry about that,” Gatland told reporters after the loss to Fiji when asked about his future. “The pressure comes from the media as it’s a narrative you create.
‘We’ve invested in the youngsters and we’ve seen development’
“That’s okay. I believe that since the World Cup, with the players we’ve lost, we’ve invested in the youngsters and we’ve seen development.
“We need patience and time. I understand Test match rugby is about winning. You control the narrative and write what you want.”
Gatland is in his second spell as Wales’ head coach but after reaching great heights during his previous tenure from 2007 to 2019, he is battling in his second stint.
He won four Six Nations titles during his initial coaching spell – including three Grand Slams and World Cup semi-final appearances in 2011 and 2019 – and returned to the role at the end of 2022 when he replaced fellow New Zealander Wayne Pivac.
“Hopefully next week,” Gatland said of when the next win would come.
“It was supposed to be today. I’ve been around long enough to know Test match rugby is all about winning.
“But it’s taking the pressure off the players so they can go out there and play. There’s probably one or two moments there where players will think if they were more accurate, they could have created opportunities.
“But in fairness to the boys, the first thing they do is look at themselves.”
‘There was lots of good stuff’
Gatland added: “We are disappointed but I still thought there was lots of good stuff about today.
“We talked about what we’re doing in terms of some younger players and they will take a little bit of time.
“It’s our first game in the autumn and you fix a number of those things up and you get a different result the following week.
“You’ve got to take it on the chin. At the moment the criticism directed at me is probably a little bit easier, it’s not so much on the players, I’m reasonably comfortable with that.
“I’ve got broad enough shoulders to take that, but we will continue to work hard, keep our head down and we’ve got to come back and prove that for next week,” he told TNT Sports.
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