THE HERALD REPORTS

Hadden leaves post but doubts over cost
KEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer April 03 2009

FRANK HADDEN: End of the line
Frank Hadden is no longer Scotland's head coach but the financial implications for Scottish Rugby were uncertain last night amid doubt over the manner in which he and his assistants had left their posts.
Hadden was unavailable for comment while Murrayfield officials would not elaborate upon a statement that did not indicate whether he had been sacked, had resigned, or had left by mutual consent.

"Following a meeting today of the Scottish Rugby Board, Scottish Rugby announced that it has been agreed that Frank Hadden will be stepping down from the position of head coach with immediate effect," it read.

But it appears Hadden remains on the Murrayfield staff, a postscript to the statement saying "discussions are ongoing with Frank Hadden in relation to his future with Scottish Rugby".

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If Hadden has resigned, as he has said in the past he might, the cost to the governing body, whose shareholders are clubs and their members, would have been minimised. If he has been sacked, he will be due a pay-off. Staying on in a different role or negotiating a settlement will add to the Murrayfield pay burden which many already think is too great.

Furthermore, not only was he on a rolling yearly contract, he was also allowed in the past year to overhaul his main coaching team. Since it is likely that a new head coach would want to appoint his own management, that will have implications if any of them are on fixed-term contracts.

Dominic McKay, the SRU's head of communications, was unprepared last night to confirm whether Mike Brewer, the former All Black who is the team's forwards coach, or Graham Steadman, the former Great Britain rugby league player who is their defence coach, have such deals.

The statement quoted Gordon McKie, the chief executive, whose own role in providing the national team management with the necessary tools to do their job must also be part of the post-championship review.

"Following a presentation at today's Scottish Rugby board, covering a review of the Scotland performance in the RBS Six Nations Championship, it was agreed with Frank Hadden that a change in head coach is required to allow us to plan fully for the 2011 Rugby World Cup," he said.

"On behalf of the board I have thanked Frank for his hard work and commitment during his term."

This article was posted on 3-Apr-2009, 07:13 by Hugh Barrow.