By saying it was a distraction. I presumed that is what you meant by a distraction. How else can he be distracted? Unless you mean missing 5 mins of I'm a celebrity...you tell me.

to be fair, it isn't his job to manage the media. Sure he could have performed better in his first press conference and the subsequent BBC interviews - but it could have all been avoided with a swift press release and statement re: Hock / Graham / Hardaker from the PR team, and McNamara wouldn't have needed to answer any questions.

I wonder how many questions Tim Sheens has had to deal with re: Billy Slater? Probably not that many, because they put a quick statement out straight away and provided more information. If an England player had been in that situation, I can bet that the RFL would still be refusing to comment or talk about it.

The coach shouldn't have to be answering questions right before the match about discipline (as he did for Hardaker). There should be a media person on hand to deal with those questions.

Today will be exactly the same. He will get 4 or 5 questions about why Rangi isn't in the team, he wont give a proper answer so they will keep on asking till he walks out. There should have been an unequivocal statement put out last night stating the reasons why he isn't in the team.

A proper PR manager would have sorted out all the issues at the outset, it isn't McNamara's job.

But McNamara has been in the game long enough to know what to expect from Media interviews and comes across as someone who has had media training so I don't buy into the fact he can't answer questions.

If we are lead to believe he has introduced great things in how England plan and prep for fixtures then surely there would be contingency plans in how to deal with the media when things don't go exactly as planned. If it is the "here's our statement, we will say nothing more on the matter" approach as seen at the beginning of the tournament then that is clearly flawed and remedial action should have been taken. If Chase did act up then he needs to be honest and it will put McNamara in a very good light whilst shaming Chase for his unprofessionalism.

He really can't win mind cos if it really was a tactical decision who will believe him after the subterfuge used at the beginning of the tournament, McNamara lost the trust of the media and the fans due to his inability to be honest.

The problem with the statement re: Hock at the beginning of the tournament was that it didn't say anything about what had happened, which other players were involved etc....which created a vacuum of rumour and speculation, and inevitably invited questions from the media, and subsequently put him in the impossible situation of having to lie about why he hadn't selected one of his best players (when everyone knew that he was lieing).

If the statement said "Hock been sent home for XYZ, and Graham, McIllorum and Hardaker have all been deselected for XYZ" then there would have been no need for the media to push it in that first press conference. In fact, a proper media person would have done their job and done whatever was needed to stop the media asking the questions in the first place.

He will be asked why Chase isn't in the team for tomorrow - I just hope he is prepared with a proper reason, not just saying "we have selected the best team" repeatedly before walking out (ideally he will have a PR person alongside him to deal with it.)

Agreed EHW, the biggest problem is it may actually be tactical but the damage has been done by his previous media displays. It will then get extremely frustrating for McNamara if he can't get the press to believe him if he is genuine about the changes, but whose fault will that be?

He will have only himself to blame.

OMG OMG OMG OMG

Come on guys, the games tomorrow. Who gives a crap about a 5minute interview, really?

Nick Clegg's sent a video of support

rlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v

I bet nick clegg has never watched a game of rugby league in his life

That's a beauty . I bet he hasn't even seen a RLWC game yet

Anyone else watching this 'World Cup Winner: Ten Years On' programme?

A re-run of the final with the squad twittering their 'witty' comments in subtitles. Nauseating.

It says something that during England RU's finest hour, you can still read the comments and miss none of the 'action'.

Won't be watching it all.