Matty Johns has revealed how the plan to coach Samoa with his brother Andrew and rugby league great Sonny Bill Williams came about.
Johns confirmed on Wednesday that Samoan rugby league will stick with head coach Matt Parish over the proposed tandem trio, but admitted he wasn’t the one who came up with the plan.
While Matty was the most vocal in the media about their hopes to coach the island nation, he revealed on SEN 1170 Morning Glory that it was his brother Andrew who first thought of the idea.
“Over this Samoa stuff, Joey by the way, who brought it all up, is in a lather,” Matty said.
“He was almost manic with it yesterday, and this is the amazing thing about Joey, he does this all the time.
“He brings it up and he rings me and says, ‘Mate this is what’s going on, I think we should help them (Samoa) out’, and I said, ‘That’s a really good idea’.
“Then he says, ‘We should do it for nothing’, and I said, ‘I absolutely agree’.
“Then all of a sudden about two days later they ask him about it and he says, ‘It’s just Matthew flapping his gums’.
“Yes, he knew (there might have been a knockback coming).
“So yesterday I text Joey and I said, ‘They will ask you on the broadcast, so don’t you dare not be strong’, in other words, be strong, don’t you dare back away.
“It’s an important thing and all of the sudden don’t get frivolous about it.
“It’s always the way with the older brother stuff, but I do think it’s an important cause, it’s just not going to go ahead at the moment.”
Johns said that they put their hand up due to the potential in Samoa’s line-up and the belief that they should be doing better in International Tests.
“It’s not for us to say whether it’s right or wrong or pointing fingers, but you just see the potential in Samoa and they’ve won only one game in the past nine,” Matty added.
“We put our hands up and we were available, but they said, ‘We’re on a path and we’re going to stick with it’.
“That’s their prerogative and I respect that.”