In the aftermath of Ireland's disappointing Rugby World Cup campaign, former head coach Joe Schmidt discussed the impact that negative media attention had had on his players. 

Despite the general perception that professional sportspeople strive to navigate their attention away from coverage of their own performances, Joe Schmidt admitted that the Irish media's interest in the Irish rugby team had some ill-effects on those who participated in a difficult 2019.

"I know people feel that [players are] different because they're at the top of their game," he noted in conversation with Off the Ball, "but players are still very human.

"Some of our players would get upset with a sense of injustice if someone has focused on one aspect of a performance when they felt they've done a lot of other things well."

In a detailed breakdown of his team's relationship with the media, Schmidt maintained that it is too great an ask for certain players to simply ignore what is being said publicly; irrespective of the people who are saying it.

"You see people outside of the environment who have never played the game at a high level," an exasperated Schmidt noted of certain commentators. "[The media] influence the players because they have a platform.

"Because they have that platform and because it is so visible, other people absorb it ... and things drift in.

"Someone will say, 'Oh, there's doubt about this' or 'People are questioning that,' and, you know when players are just trying to get their confidence, it can be quite tough."

A notable feature of Joe Schmidt's tenure in charge of the Irish rugby team, the New Zealander also addressed the issue of his squad selections being leaked, and how one cannot realistically hope to halt this from occurring.

"Once you name the team, you know it is probably going to get out," he admitted. "Just imagine, you are picked for the first time, Ger Gilroy ... I'm not sure which position.

"You're going to tell your Mum and Dad, your siblings and even your best mate, and it tends to leak out from that, but things drift in like that as well."

You can watch the interview with Joe Schmidt in its entirety here. 

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