If you’ve been tied down in meetings all day then you will have been late to the news that this morning Leicester Tigers’ Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill was asked to leave his post with immediate effect. The Board’s decision was that a change needed to be made and as a result the man that has been part of the club since 1992 will now find himself now watching from the outside.
Those that have met Richard Cockerill will know that he lived and breathed Leicester Tigers and that the open manner of the statement made by the club is likely to have been a direct request from the man himself. As a player, and later as a coach and Director of Rugby, he never shirked away from difficult conversations or situations, instead he dealt with them matter of factly and I remember him telling me how much of a firm believer he was in face-to-face communication as opposed to hiding behind an email. In short this will be a tremendously difficult time for the 46-year-old and the announcement got me thinking about rugby's points of view and fans' viewpoint regarding management positions.
It's very clear to anyone that follows both football and rugby that there is a different approach adopted to the time given to managers over the course of both games being professional. While the former often gives managers a matter of weeks to perform miracles, and some clubs regularly go through a few managers a season, rugby has always adopted what I would call a more sensible approach.
Those that own rugby clubs often bring in individuals with the desire of creating long-term relationships and building over a course of time. Inevitably bumps along the road may occur or short-term difficulties appear but more often than not rugby clubs, and their fans, stick to their guns and stay loyal and positive towards those leading their side. Yet more recently I've noticed a shift in discussion with the words 'position on the line' and 'should be sacked' being uttered more regularly than before. I wonder are rugby union supporters and clubs becoming less tolerant and impatient than ever before? Or are we just at a point in time where a number of clubs potentially need to freshen up at the top in order to press on once again?
Those that own rugby clubs often bring in individuals with the desire of creating long-term relationships and building over a course of time. Inevitably bumps along the road may occur or short-term difficulties appear but more often than not rugby clubs, and their fans, stick to their guns and stay loyal and positive towards those leading their side. Yet more recently I've noticed a shift in discussion with the words 'position on the line' and 'should be sacked' being uttered more regularly than before. I wonder are rugby union supporters and clubs becoming less tolerant and impatient than ever before? Or are we just at a point in time where a number of clubs potentially need to freshen up at the top in order to press on once again?
Now clearly I'm not a member of any of the clubs that have changed their management in the last 12 months so I couldn't tell you the intricacies or reasons behind those movements - each decision may have been the right one for those clubs? However, what I will say is that from my point of view managing a professional sports team is hard enough without your head being called for every time that your side loses two or three matches in a row. I understand that in some of these situations change may be what is required but perhaps not in all and personally I'd hate for rugby become as needlessly ruthless as other sports.
