Under-fire Scottish Rugby chief executive Gordon McKie accepted responsibility for falling crowds and poor results this season but insisted that the game in Scotland was still in healthy shape despite the “unacceptable” performances of both the national and pro teams.
McKie admitted Scottish Rugby had “come down to earth with a thump” after the Six Nations and, on occasion in a testing hour-long meeting with the media at Murrayfield on Thursday, accused some home-based players of being in “an excuse-making culture” and of having an “attitude problem”.
“However, McKie refused to countenance extra money above the current £5m budgets for either of the pro teams, blaming their failure to engage with the public on continuing difficulties in getting a main broadcaster to feature Glasgow and Edinburgh games on a regular basis.
The chief executive announced a full review of all performance rugby in Scotland, from the international team right down to the under-16 set-up.
“We have a resolve and determination to tackle areas which are not right and there is room for improvement, ultimately to come up with a vision and strategy for Scottish Rugby which will allow us to climb the world rankings again,” he said.
“It’s been a long three months but in overall terms Scottish Rugby is in good health so, while results have been disappointing, fundamentals remain sound.
“On-field performance drives everything and there has to be an improvement here. We have a £35m budget a year, and that figure has increased every year for the last four years. We have to look at how do we spend that to reach our objectives, and get more regularly winning teams.
“We are committed to the pro teams but there are the new accords of Heineken Cup and Celtic League coming up in the next three years and we can’t guarantee anything. If results are not good enough we have to ask if it justifies the investment.
“I feel personally committed to giving it a good shake.”
McKie denied that the fall of the two pro teams currently in the bottom four places in the Magners League was solely due to a player exodus or lack of money.
“Money is a key ingredient to success but not the only one. I think it’s fair to say compared to our rivals we don’t have what they have; sponsors, broadcasters, and much bigger populations that want to watch rugby.
“I think we need to look at the culture. There’s a cosiness that’s been allowed to develop in the pro teams.
“The vision that they need to do better needs to be understood and there is an excuse-making culture that needs to be addressed because they’ve not performed, and that’s not solely down to money.”‘Attitude problem’He went on to suggest that some players had an “attitude problem” in terms of connecting with the grassroots of the game.
“A lot of our pro players earn a good living, should be motivated to play for Glasgow and Edinburgh and honoured to play for Scotland. That’s not to say many of them don’t,” he said.
“But it comes down to how we manage, recruit and train them and I think there’s room for improvement there.”
In terms of player departures Glasgow’s Scottish internationalists Max Evans and Richie Vernon have already signed with new clubs abroad for next year McKie said that there was a balance to be struck between keeping top players and making room for other younger players to develop.
“This season we couldn’t have brought on Ruaridh Jackson had Dan Parks stayed,” he continued.
“Both teams get the same £5m budget and largely it’s been left to the coaches to get on with that. Sometimes it’s better for them and for us if players move on.”
Head coach Andy Robinson stressed that one of the key aims in his strategy was to keep new star Richie Gray, whose contract is up at the end of next season, at Glasgow and in Scotland.MoneyBut McKie indicated that extra money clearly required to keep the young lock away from rich French and English clubs would have come out of Sean Lineen’s existing budget.
“Maybe others will come with money to put into Glasgow to help them keep Richie,” he said. “But they’re not queuing up outside the door.
“So far some of the rhetoric (from prospective investors) was fairy-tale language. Lots of people want to help, but when we ask to see the colour of the money…I’ve been round the block a few times with people who wanted to help. David Murray wanted to help and put his money into this organisation but he’s been the only one.
“We’re open-minded about taking contributions or gifts from others who may want to help and put money into Scottish rugby, to help our teams be successful.”
McKie accepted the responsibility as the head of the organisation to do something about the current malaise, including falling crowds. None of Scotland’s home matches during this season have sold out.
“The organisation is in great shape but we’ve had a disappointing period and it’s incumbent on me to do something about that,” he continued.
“We have to look to make things better, and it’s challenging times. I don’t shirk my responsibility. If the powers that be decide I’ve failed, then I’m a big boy, but I can’t push water upstream.”