Geoff Parling Appointed Leicester Tigers Head Coach

Geoff Parling’s appointment as the new Leicester Tigers Head Coach, has made me feel very old. He’s five months younger than me. I remember him playing for my beloved Leicester and thinking how cool it was to have someone of my generation playing there.

To make matters worse, he’ll be coaching Ollie Chessum, who went to my old school. Chessum was a one-year-old baby when I completed my A-Levels. Alas, they both serve as reminders that time and tide wait for no man.

Geoff Parling, as a no-nonsense lock himself, should be able to get the very best out of Chessum, Martin, and the other second-rowers. Since retiring from the professional game, in 2018, he has variously been the forwards coach for Australia, and the lineout coach for Melbourne Rebels.

Ironically, in his capacity as Australia forwards coach he will come up against Tiger’s solitary 2025 British and Irish Lion: Ollie Chessum.

Geoff Parling’s First Interview As LEICESTER Tigers Head Coach

Parling himself won three Lions caps, whilst playing for Leicester. He also picked up 29 England caps, during his time in the East Midlands.

He knows the club well, and there will be lots of talk about him “getting the culture,” “knowing the D.N.A. of the club,” and so on. There were also 8 separate mentions of this being an appointment for the “long-term,” with Tigers keen to stress that the chaos of the past few years is (finally) at an end. He represents our 9th Head Coach in as many years. Let’s hope that he’s given the time to build something, if the first season doesn’t go as brilliantly as we’d all like.

After all, it isn’t just Michael Cheika leaving the club. We’re also losing some titans on the playing staff too. Most notably Handre Pollard, the double World-Cup-winning Springbok. But also our inspirational club captain Julián Montoya (also the captain of Argentina). Anthony Watson had to retire early, during the season. And club legend Ben Youngs will join him, once the season is up. Dan Kelly is off to Munster and a few more. We lost Jasper Wiese last season too.

This is big change. Massive players. And given that Parling isn’t joining until the end of the Lions tour, he will have his work cut out. So for all the talk of longevity from the board, I hope the board can stay the course and give him time needed with such a massive overhaul of the squad.

That isn’t to say he won’t come in and hit the ground running. It seems as if he is a very big people person. His coaching style, according to him, is to basically give his players and coaches agency. To essentially take responsibility and give them room to grow. It all sounds very millennial. And this isn’t a bad thing. But then, as mentioned, I’m a millennial too, so I would say that.

Ultimately, this seems like an excellent appointment. A sensible appointment. Something solid.

And solid is what we need now.

So the very best of luck to Geoff, who has made me feel old today.

But also filled, just a little bit, with generational pride.