THE HERALD REPORTS
McKie: Meggetland would have made ideal home for Gunners

KEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer March 15 2006

The SRU's top official yesterday indicated that the organisation's political problems last year had cost them a vital opportunity to relocate Edinburgh Gunners, the country's leading professional team.
Gordon McKie, chief executive at Murrayfield, was speaking at a press briefing called to reassure supporters that there will be no exodus of leading players this season.
He explained that ground-sharing with either Hibs or Hearts has been ruled out for the Gunners because Tynecastle was deemed too narrow and Hibs feared wrecking their Easter Road surface.
He then revealed that a better alternative had been available. "Meggetland represents an opportunity that has been missed," McKie said of Boroughmuir's recently refurbished home ground.
"The stadium seats only 500, there is no under-soil heating and the pitch is seriously over-used at the moment because there are no back-up training facilities nearby, so it is unfit for professional rugby. Had these issues perhaps been addressed a year ago, then Boroughmuir, given its community involvement and association with the council, would have represented great joined-up thinking between all stake-holders and the union."
McKie expects a decision on where Gunners' will be playing within a month and a revamped Meggetland remains a possibility along with Myreside, Inverleith and Goldenacre.
Of more immediate concern is the player situation at Border Reivers', with London Irish understood to be front-runners for the signature of Scotland regular Bruce Douglas and two English clubs chasing Ross Ford.
Rather bizarrely, McKie tried to suggest there was something wrong in "inexperienced agents" negotiating lucrative moves to Welsh clubs for Reivers' Scott MacLeod and Nikki Walker during the RBS 6 Six Nations. However, he also conceded that, in spite of his extensive trouble-shooting experience, he, too, has had to learn rapidly about the unique nature of professional sport as a business.
While McKie insists that the Murrayfield-based Gunners, who have made a string of big- name re-signings, have been shown no preferential treatment, he could not promise that no more "Category A" players – namely key national squad members – would leave, noting that the SRU's £23m debt provides little room for manoeuvre.
McKie also acknowledged the seriousness of Glasgow Warriors' situation, with persistent rumours circulating that Hugh Campbell will not be head coach next season unless there is a dramatic turnaround in fortunes,
"I think the set-up this year hasn't helped, moving between Anniesland, Hughenden and Partick, and I accept a share of that responsibility, but we are where we are," said the chief executive.
"We as a board are disappointed with how Glasgow has gone this year and are looking for improvement. We all need to work together to understand what's gone wrong and to put in place necessary corrective action to make sure it improves because it's on a downward slide.
"We are looking at playing, management, coaching, support, training, rehab, timing of games. We will be discussing that in terms of what we need to do to improve and also support Hugh in making that team do better."

This article was posted on 15-Mar-2006, 08:12 by Hugh Barrow.