Everyone wants to feel valued at work. They want to know that they are important and vital. If they don't feel that way, they might leave and seek out a move somewhere where they will geel that way.
That seems to be the case with Leinster's Jacques Nienaber.
Jacques Nienaber has cast doubt on his Leinster future after claiming he doesn't feel valued by the media and fans in Ireland. The South African joined the Irish province as a senior coach at the end of 2023 after helping his country win back-to-back World Cups.
While Nienaber - working alongside head, coach Leo Cullen - helped Leinster reclaim the United Rugby Championship (URC) title last year using the blitz defence from his time with the Springboks; a fifth Champions Cup has continued to elude the club during his spell.
Speaking before Leinster's URC semi-final against the Stormers on Saturday (17:30 BST), the 53-year-old - who is under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season - was asked if he will still be in his position next season.
"Let me put it to you this way: who fires you? Do you know who fires you? The public, the media. They fire you. Not the CEO, not Shane [Nolan]," he said via RTE.
"He doesn't fire me but you guys fire us. Fire all coaches because the pressure builds up and builds up and the fan then builds the pressure on them, and then they just ask this and say, 'listen lads, I think we must part ways'.
"Your question is, am I going to be here? I hope so. Currently, I'm not sure, to be honest because people don't value me here. They don't."
Asked if Cullen values his contributions, Nienaber added: "It's not for Leo [to value me]. People don't value...the moment you lose the team or the fan, you've got to go. The moment you lose the changing room or the club, the fanbase, you've got to go. You could just hang there and take your cheque, but no. They don't want you there."
Nienaber was speaking to reporters for the first time since Leinster were blown away in the Champions Cup final on 23 May as Bordeaux-Begles scored five first-half tries to win 41-19 in Bilbao and successfully defended their crown.
Following that loss - their fourth in the past five finals - Cullen said Leinster will undertake an in-depth operational review this summer. Asked if he would be willing to abandon a blitz defence system, Nienaber said: "I will always serve the club."
"The moment you are not serving the club, your ego is done."
He added: "I mean, before I went to Munster I coached the drift defence at the Stormers and we were pretty good at it, have a look. We didn't concede too many tries in Super Rugby.
"It's not the case that I don't understand the other system, I understand it, but both systems…there's not one that's better than the other."
It is not the first terse exchange Nienaber has had with reporters this season. In December, he was moved to clarify comments he made about his time at Leinster in an interview with South African outlet, SuperSport.
Cullen has also bristled during his dealings with the media in recent times. Last month, he said the media "love throwing the boot in" at the Irish province while last weekend he snapped back at online "trolls" following his side's comprehensive URC quarter-final win over the Lions.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen says he hopes Jacques Nienaber will remain at the Irish club next season.
Nienaber’s future became a major talking point this week after the former Springbok coach admitted he doesn't feel valued in Ireland and stopped short of guaranteeing he would remain at Leinster beyond this season.
"I don’t think people value me here. They don’t,” Nienaber said ahead of Leinster’s Vodacom URC semi-final against the Stormers in Dublin on Saturday.
The two-time World Cup-winning coach also suggested that criticism from sections of the Irish media and supporters could ultimately influence a coach’s future, referencing claims that Leinster’s decision to appoint him was "a deal with the devil."
"If people believe that, then maybe they don’t want me here," said Nienaber, who is contracted until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Nienaber has frequently found himself under fire since arriving in Dublin after the 2023 World Cup, with some critics arguing that Leinster have lost some of their attacking edge during his tenure.
The criticism intensified following Leinster’s heavy defeat to Bordeaux Bègles in last month’s Investec Champions Cup final.
However, Cullen has thrown his full support behind his senior coach. "I’m very hopeful anyway, yeah," Cullen said when asked if Nienaber would still be part of the coaching team next season.
"Listen, Jacques is brilliant. I have to say I’ve really enjoyed working with Jacques and I think we’ve got a great group of coaches here. We’re very lucky to have him in terms of the experience that he has at the top end of the game."
"It speaks for itself as a double World Cup winner and all the different things that I would research in terms of bringing Jacques here in the first place." Everything checks out, he’s a brilliant person, a brilliant individual to work with, and yes, that is very much the plan, for sure [for him to stay."
The media and fans can be harsh. Even if things are going well, they'll both find reasons to "attack" the person in charge. They both have to understand that each coach has their own style of play. If it works, they shouldn't complain. If it's not working, then you can complain.
If there's one thing I've noticed, its that it can be difficult win over the media and fans once they've turned their back on you.