Hammett’s departure is just the tip of the iceberg

The as-yet unconfirmed news of Mark Hammett’s departure comes as a huge disappointment to those of us who believed that 6 months ago, the club had turned the corner...

Pre-season, Cardiff Blues fans were welcoming in a new era for the region; one which was full of promise, long-term aspirations and a sense that the club was maturing as a professional sporting business.

15 league matches later and with just 4 wins to his name Hammett’s tenure has come to an abrupt end.

It’s very easy to speculate as to what has been going on behind the scenes at the Arms Park, especially following the pathetic capitulation at the hands of Treviso last night, however given the reported family issues which are at the heart of the decision it would be tactless and disrespectful to report on rumours at this stage. While we await an official comment from the Cardiff Blues, it’s only fair to respect the privacy of Hammett at this time.

What we can do, however, is evaluative how we came to this point, and where we go next.

Any coach needs a number of factors in order to be successful. He needs to have a clear game plan and style of play; he needs the support staff around him to deliver that ethos to the players within the squad; he needs players with the quality to execute the game plan; he needs a squad large enough to cope with injury problems and international call ups; and, probably most importantly, he needs to create a sense of unity within the squad that the players want to work for him, that they believe in what the coach is trying to achieve and that they would put their bodies on the line to secure victories.

For various reasons, it hasn’t looked like Hammett has achieved any of those things.

You could write a 20,000 word thesis on where things may have gone wrong, but when you look at this current squad and set up, you realise you could do it in much fewer words.

A large number of this squad are simply not up to the standard required to win matches at this level, and no amount of coaching is going to get them there.

4 wins in 15 league matches; 2^nd below London Irish in the 2^nd tier European Challenge Cup group stages; a home loss to the Dragons for just the 2^nd time since the start of regional rugby.

Despite doing a fine job at the end of last season, it’s become clear the McIntosh and John are not going to improve this squad. In the past 12 months, the defence has not improved. The sad fact is McIntosh must be held accountable.

Cardiff have conceded 389 points in 15 games; that’s 103 points MORE than the Dragons (who have played one game less); 175 points more than Munster in 4^th place; and 80 points more than Glasgow conceded in the whole of last season (22 games).

There is a culture of general apathy which the tops clubs just wouldn’t tolerate. Whether that’s bred from the ‘Team Wales’ culture, or possibly too few home grown players who wear the shirt with pride, the players have lacked any real passion, drive and desire since Dai Young’s departure.

While the Ospreys lost a number of high profile players in the summer, they went on a 7-game unbeaten run at the start of the season. Meanwhile, prop Adam Jones is attempting an audacious drop goal during a crucial home league match.

The aftermath of Hammett’s departure will last the rest of the season. Unlike when Phil Davies left the club, where there was a general feeling of relief, most Cardiff fans will be bitterly disappointed to see Hammett leave. Despite all the above being true, there was the understanding amongst fans that he had inherited a poor squad and was still the man to make the changes needed. The dark clouds will remain over the Arms Park for some time.

In the coming weeks and months, we will begin looking at replacements for the Kiwi, but there are very few who will fit into the Venn diagram of ‘experienced, successful coach’, ‘available’ and ‘willing to join Cardiff’.

Whoever gets the job, it’s clear they have an extraordinary amount of work to do. A player and coach clearout is an absolute necessity. A whole culture change is needed and money will have to be spent wisely on players who can come in and actually make a difference.

 So much for the new beginning.