I think this is a pretty decent article, and nails exactly the effect that this has on the players i.e. if you're looking at a change in style, and your two left feet, you might start to feel a little threatened! Let's ignore when the decision regarding the change of style was supposedly made, this I think is a more nuanced view of the situation.
In the end it's going to be far better in the long run if Gareth stays out of the media for a while even if his heart is in the right place. He clearly loves his position as a "sage" on all sorts of topics but as we've seen with the cat thing, and some of his tax stuff as well as the penguin thing his interests veer wildly from sound economic commentary, to wacky to downright hair brained.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/8209819/Let-Phoenix-coach-and-players-restore-order
agreed, interesting the Rob Morrison is now calling the doom post and taking them to task. More Terry style "I the victem approach". Paul Thompson is right, whether the change to a more skillful style began at the start of the season or midway is not the big issue, we as fans applaud the attempt - the issue starts withy Gareth acting like an excited child and announcing it to the world before the coach has had a chance to sit down and talk to the team. And then he starts showing up at trainings - which he is entitled to do, but was he there befopre the announcement? It's a timing thing that has made the poor form look worse. Pre december we were doing ok, looking like challenging for the finals, announcemnet comes and we suddenly look like a team which doesn't know what it's doing, the players are confused and lack confidence in the coach who in turn is probably wishing his owners stayed in the boardroom instead of the training ground.
Add to this Rob calling the doom post and now Gareth announcing (again a vitriolic blast) that all domestic cats should be eradicated.