THE HERALD REPORTS

Glasgow still out of sight and out of mind for Murrayfield officials
KEVIN FERRIE July 30 2009
Had you called the Glasgow Warriors office yesterday, you would have been diverted to Murrayfield. If you had emailed the man who has supposedly been put in charge of the club on an "interim" basis, you would have received an "out ofoffice" reply, saying he will not beback on duty until August 11.

The Warriors play their first pre-season matches next week but it looks as if the Scottish Rugby Union has the same old attitude to the professional team that does not play its matches at their headquarters.

Following Ian Riddoch's decision to quit as Warriors' chief executive after being told the SRU was restructuring its commercial operation - they are returning to centralised control, defying all evidence from successful provincial teams around the globe - not a single member of staff is working exclusively for the Warriors.

Apparently appointed "interim" chief executive is Colin Thomson, aformer PE teacher who has become something of a controversial figure by apparently seeking to take charge of the community side of Scottish rugby.

Yet those trying to contact the native Borderer who is known to have become close to Gordon McKie, the SRU's chief executive, while working within Murrayfield's corridors of power, have met with those messages saying he will still be on his hols when the Warriors return to action.

It is hard not to form the impression that someone with somespare time on his hands has nominally been put in charge of the team that is out of sight and thus, generally, out of mind.

It is hard to work out just what Thomson's credentials are in terms of growing attendances at Firhill and building the team's identity within the greater Glasgow area, thetasks with which we have been told the next full-time chief executive will be charged.

It is hard to imagine he will bring a great deal to the table in that regard as he has no obvious connection with the city's rugby community other than through the diktats that have been passed down to all Scottish clubs from the community division.

As things stand, the Warriors cannot even raise revenue by selling merchandise because they have no kit supplier after the sportswear firm Canterbury Europe went into administration. Nor is there an obvious place for Warriors supporters to get season tickets, other than on the internet.

Meanwhile, just across the Murrayfield concourse from the SRU ticket office, Nic Cartwright, Edinburgh's chief executive, and his admin staff Lindsay Geddes and Duncan Anderson are, or at least should be, working flat-out to maximise interest in their team ahead of the new season which is little more than a month away.

Once Thomson does get the satnav on to find his way to Firhill, Warriors supporters must hope that he proves rather more dynamic than he has been in the community rugby department. That is, let us remind you, the department that has struggled to come to terms with the need to intensify age-group competition inScotland by ensuring that the topyoung players face one another on a regular basis.

Even after Frank Hadden - thenScotland coach, having had charge of national teams at almost every age level - joined the calls to integrate the schools and youthleague competitions so that this could be achieved, they were still unable to sort it out.

Thankfully, clubs' frustration withthat finally spilled over this summer when a motion was proposed and passed forcing that integration to be implemented.

The Warriors, still one of the worst-supported teams in Europe in spite of playing some of the most exciting rugby to be seen anywhere, need people promoting them who do not need to be forced into action.

It has, of course, long been obvious that sporting governing bodies are not well-equipped to run professional rugby. While it was absolutely necessary that, as happened in Ireland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the governing body maintained ownership of its teams, turning them into successful commercial organisations is quite another matter.

Just as people devoted to Leinster are best placed to identify what works in Leinster, people devoted to Llanelli are best placed to identify what works in Llanelli and people devoted to Leicester know best what best works in Leicester, so the same applies in Glasgow.

The SRU has never been able, orwilling, to understand that and it is no coincidence that, Connacht apart, the Scottish professional teams are the worst-supported in the British Isles. Thatis exacerbated, in Glasgow's case, bywhat is little short of neglect.

Over the years it has become tiresome listening to representatives of one regime after another telling us that the SRU is not an Edinburgh-centric organisation.

Actions speak louder than words.

This article was posted on 30-Jul-2009, 07:10 by Hugh Barrow.