June 06, 2005

Sort out top job, JP tells SRU

Posted by Editor on June 6, 2005 08:08 AM | 13 comments | Print | E-mail author

Jon Petrie thinks Scotland can build on the wins over the Barbarians and Romania
Glasgow and Scotland captain Jon Petrie has urged the Scottish Rugby Union to appoint a new head coach as soon as possible after interim boss Frank Hadden scored a second successive victory.

The Edinburgh Gunners coach guided the national team to a 39-19 win over Romania in Bucharest - almost two weeks after the win over The Barbarians in Aberdeen.

But, after the disastrous reign of Matt Williams which left Scotland with just three wins from 17 Tests, JP believes the feelgood factor has returned to the team. He said: "The players have been down over the last year or so and it is great that Frank has come in and instilled a bit of confidence and a bit of belief.

"I hope things get sorted out over the next few weeks so that we can move on as soon as possible. I hope the Scottish public are back behind us a bit more. There is a lot we can be proud of and a lot we can build on over the next few months."

JP was unable to complete the full game against the Romanians after damaging his ankle after just 26 minutes.

But Scotland interim head coach Hadden believes there is a genuine optimism around the game north of the border.

He said: "There has been tremendous optimism in the game over the past few weeks and, as far as I am concerned, the outlook is bright for the national squad and, as a knock-on effect of that, for the professional teams."

But Hadden was swift to heap praise on his players for their attitude.

He said: "Like me, they were very jaded at the end of a long and hard season, but they have fed off each other.

"Obviously, I was not pleased with the fact that we lost so many points so early in this match, but we kept our composure and stuck to our guns to earn the victory we thoroughly deserved.

"The Romanians were much bigger than us, so we had to move them around and tease open their defence."

Comments
Posted by Uisdean on June 6, 2005 09:51 AM | Reply to this comment

Yes, it looks like Scotsman Frank and his youthful team of 'bravehearts'are the people to do the job for us at last.

My only beef is that the British BBC let us down again!

Posted by hugh on June 6, 2005 10:54 AM | Reply to this comment

Is it normal for an employee to tell his employers who should be appointed as the "boss"

Posted by big blue on June 6, 2005 12:51 PM | Reply to this comment

Hugh, do Hawks not have a website where you can have your daily go at everyone and everything connected with Glasgow Rugby.

Or is no one interested enough?

Posted by Tom_B on June 6, 2005 12:57 PM | Reply to this comment

I'm sure Jon Petrie was just voicing his opinion, as I'm sure the Hawks players did about their new coach.

Posted by hugh on June 6, 2005 02:46 PM | Reply to this comment

I am not sure how you think that I have had a go at Glasgow Rugby
The qustion posed was in a professional environment do you think it is normal for a paid employee however well intentioned to tell the employers who pay him who to appoint as his boss ?
Yes Hawks do have a website and in fact we often share info with your own good webmaster for the benefit of both Glasgow Rugby and Glasgow rugby but that should not inhibit debate on issues and there have been plenty of these over recent years and just maybe if some of these issues had been aired and debated properly the SRU might not be in the mess that it is in just now

Posted by Highlandbrave75 on June 6, 2005 01:48 PM | Reply to this comment

For those listening to Frank Hadden on the Radio after yesterday's game we heard him say that the SRU haven't had any communication whatsoever with the coaching staff who are taking charge of the Scottish side for now.

Interesting that the interview was cut short after Hadden's statement with John Beattie announcing over the radio waves that the SRU media man Graham Law had arrived in the press box and ushered Mr Hadden out of it.

Posted by ballinj on June 6, 2005 02:34 PM | Reply to this comment

This site at times resembles an American conspiracy website.

I think everyone would like to see Hadden given the job. Personally I don't think he is the right man for the job however at the moment he is probably the only man for the job given the lack of experience of the other candidates.

However before you can appoint someone to a position there has to be someone to do the appointing. For once the SRU have been sensible in that an interim CEO doesn't have the authority to appoint a position as important as the Team Manager.

Now there is a very sensible argument along the lines of why there is an interim CEO and cretins responsible for that however it is encouraging that said cretins have been swiftly booted out the door.

For once the SRU are not at fault no matter how frustating. However there is the need to have something in place quickly at least so the Pro teams can have some sort of notice if they need to replace management personnel.

Oh and by the way it was Hastings who shot JFK

Posted by Highlandbrave75 on June 6, 2005 02:41 PM | Reply to this comment

"Oh and by the way it was Hastings who shot JFK"...sorry have to disagree there ballinj, wasn't it Gordon Bulloch?

Posted by big blue on June 6, 2005 04:11 PM | Reply to this comment

And Alan shot RFK.

Posted by Gordon on June 6, 2005 04:15 PM | Reply to this comment

I like the new theory about the JFK assasination - his head just did that....

Posted by McDruid on June 6, 2005 04:46 PM | Reply to this comment

i can see where Jon Petrie's coming from. Both Hadden and he are quite good, but not by any means the best at their jobs or first choice for Scotland, so they do have something in common. Where is Petrie going to play for Scotland when Jason White, Simon Taylor and Donnie McFadyen are all available? Of course his prospects might just improve a little if Hadden is appointed and remembers JP's kind words.

Posted by Gordon on June 6, 2005 05:08 PM | Reply to this comment

Or, maybe it's an honest opinion from a player who has been part of the squad for a few years and played under a few coaches. Quite a few other players certainly seem to share his view.

Posted by McDruid on June 7, 2005 10:18 PM | Reply to this comment

Entirely possible, Gordon. I have become very cynical about top class rugby since money entered the frame. Often it is the money that you hear talking!

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