Jess Thirlby’s shock exit as England netball head coach has come at a strange time, says Sky Sports expert Tamsin Greenway.
It was announced on Tuesday that Thirlby is stepping down from her role with immediate effect after nearly seven years in charge. Her departure comes just four months out from the Commonwealth Games.
Thirlby referenced a desire to focus on supporting her family as a primary reason for her decision, as Anna Stembridge steps up from assistant coach to oversee England’s upcoming campaign in Glasgow.
Last month England fell to a 2-1 series defeat against South Africa, in what turned out to be Thirlby’s final act as head coach.
“There have been rumblings coming off the back of playing South Africa bearing in mind we have to play them in the pool round of the Commonwealth Games, and Australia, which are two massive games,” former England international Greenway told Sky Sports.
“As an England fan looking at it in the background, it’s been a rollercoaster ride. There have been some incredible moments in her six-and-a-half years, the Netball World Cup final, that was ground-breaking.
“You only have to go back 12 months previous and we didn’t medal at the last Commonwealth Games, so it’s been very up and down.
“It does seem to strange to do it now, there have been bigger and different opportunities where it probably could have happened to give the new coaching team a longer lead up to a big competition.
“But coming off the back of that South Africa series they probably didn’t feel like it could continue.”
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Take a look back at the journey of England Netball so far with some famous names from the game
England failed to medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 having entered as defending champions in the wake of their 2018 glory.
Greenway recalled being part of the 2015 squad that competed at the World Cup in the wake of a coaching change, Stembridge also stepping into the role on that occasion. So while there comes the prospect of disruption, there also is the possibility of fresh impetus.
“It was what we needed, it freshened it up, it was probably what the group needed, the group was good enough but it just needed a different outlook,” she said.
“I think it’s similar now. This is a group of athletes that could very well go and win the gold medal.
“If it is just a cultural piece, about miscommunication between players and staff, they’ve lost a bit of trust, then actually it could be the freshen-up they need.
“But it is a risk. You’ve kept a group of coaches in there that have been in this regime so they have to get to the bottom of this, understand what the players need and work out very quickly what this campaign will look like.”
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Highlights of the Vitality Roses’ second match of their three-game international series against South Africa
Stembridge previously served as England head coach from 2011 to 2015 and led the side to gold at the World Netball Series in Liverpool in her first year. Her staff introduces former Roses captain Olivia Murphy as an assistant coach on a secondment from Loughborough Sport, with Sharni Layton and Jo Harten as specialist coaches.
“She was there, she has been in the mix, she’s done it before,” said Greenway of Stembridge. “You can’t really go overseas with a new group. It is a risk when you do this. I think it’s getting to the bottom of why it’s happened.
“We’ve had incredible games overseas against Australia and New Zealand and then lost the South Africa series 2-1. If you want to compete at the world stage that consistency matters.
“If you are going to move the coach at this point or if she is going to step away you have to have some level of consistency going into this competition.
“They’ll be some big names in there. Liv Murphy, who has played at the top level and masterminded Loughborough Lightning’s success for many years. Of course Sharni Layton and Jo Harten, two key internationals who the players will respect a lot.”
Thirlby’s departure comes just four months before the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
While Stembridge represents a proven option, Greenway believes Thirlby’s decision to step aside offers England an opportunity to consider a fresh direction for a win-ready group of players in the long term.
“They’ve got a year to build-up to the World Cup and they need to decide what they actually want here and what is the building ground,” said Greenway.
“To her credit Jess Thirlby has brought through the likes of Liv Tchine, Funmi Fadoju, the leadership of Fran Williams. These have become world class players on the world stage, but I think now is the opportunity to rip the band-aid off on the back of the Commonwealth Games and go ‘what is it we’re looking for now?’.
“Now we’ve got a professional Super League, how can we integrate that programme better? And who are the coaches out there?
“In Anna Stembridge’s defence, she has been there and done it, but she hasn’t actually been a head coach for a very long time and it will be interesting because when it gets round to the Commonwealth Games they will be in goal-for-goal matches and high-pressure situations, that bench will have to make some cutthroat decisions.
“I think they have to wait for the Commonwealth Games, but I think they would be naïve to think this is the only group that can take that team forward.”
