International
Johnson close to deal
RUGBY Football Union chief executive
Francis Baron expects
the appointment of the new England
team manager to be finalised
by the end of next week.
Martin Johnson remains firm
favourite for the newly-created
post and RFU elite rugby director
Rob Andrew was absent from
Twickenham yesterday for an
important meeting'' on the
issue.
Andrew is set to present his
proposal to a specially-convened
RFU management board meeting
next week, which would then
have to ratify the selection.
Baron said: If Rob's meeting
is successful, it will enable us to
put the final pieces of the jigsaw
together fairly quickly.
What we will hopefully be
doing in the next week is appointing
a team manager.''
One criticism of Johnson's candidature
is his lack of experience
in coaching or management in
professional rugby.
England's 2003 World Cup-winning
captain hung up his playing
boots three years ago and has
filled his time working in the
media and for sponsors.
But Baron said: I think if you
are going to fulfil a coaching
function, you do need experience,
but management is different.
You can pick up things much
more quickly if you are on the
management side than if you
have to do a technical job in
terms of planning and carrying
out sessions.
We are looking at a team manager.
We are not looking at a
coaching position here.''
If appointed, Johnson is unlikely
to be in place in time for
England's June tour of New
Zealand because his wife, Kay, is
expecting their second child.
Baron does not expect any new
appointment to start until July 1,
which coincides with the introduction
of the new elite rugby
agreement between club and
country.
He said: That gives us time to
sort out all the issues on how the
group work together.''
Baron and RFU chairman Martyn
Thomas failed to provide any
further clarity to a situation
which has grown increasingly
murky in the three weeks since it
was revealed Andrew had held
talks with Johnson.
Head coach Brian Ashton
wants a team manager who can
share some of the administrative
burden but who will not get involved
in rugby affairs.
In December, Andrew confirmed
Ashton would play a key
role in the appointment. However,
the RFU's courting of Johnson
suggests the ground has
moved since the RBS 6 Nations.
Johnson is unlikely to accept
an administrative position and
he has been urged by Sir Clive
Woodward to insist on overall
control of the senior England
management team.
If that does occur then Ashton,
who guided England to second
place at both the World Cup and
Six Nations, would be left in
limbo, having essentially lost his
powers of selection and his authority.
Baron refused to confirm specific
details of the team manager's
job description, or when the
focus shifted from an administrative
candidate to a more
hands-on rugby appointment.
Twickenham's top brass are
making changes to the structure
after being alarmed by England's
recent inconsistency.
Thomas said: There are no
prizes in life for coming second.
Our goal and ambition has always
to be number one in the
world.''
Baron insisted Ashton would
not be sacked, but he also accepted
one or more of the coaching
team might find their positions
untenable.
11:07am Wednesday 9th April 2008
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