0
Western Force may replace John Mitchell sooner rather than later
- Wayne Smith
- From: The Australian
- May 17, 2010 12:00AM
THE Western Force hopes to announce its 2012 coach by the start of July, but whether that person also will take charge of the Perth side next season remains to be seen.
Force chief executive Vern Reid confirmed yesterday he was aware of reports the club's foundation coach John Mitchell was being touted as the likely replacement next season for Dick Muir, who created an unenviable Super rugby record this season by coaching the Johannesburg-based Lions to 13 straight defeats.
"We had the Sharks game to prepare for and I didn't want to distract from that, but John told me there was a matter he wanted to discuss with me in the coming week and that could be it," said Reid on his return from South Africa yesterday.
Mitchell does not intend continuing with the Force beyond next season when his contract expires.
But the Lions' offer raises the prospect that the Force committee, which will meet tomorrow to draw up a short list of candidates, might keep open the possibility of immediately replacing Mitchell.
A 27-22 loss to the Sharks in Durban on Saturday (AEST) brought to an end a sorry season for the Force which plummeted to 13th on the table, the club's worst finish since its debut season in 2006 when it placed last in the 14-team competition.
"It was very much a season of what might have been for us," Reid said. "We had done a lot of planning and work during the off-season and the squad had come together well when six of our top 10 players were struck down by major injuries within one week of the season beginning.
"As a result we were 0-6 at the midway point and after that sort of start, you can put the glasses down."
Admittedly, the Force did win four of its last seven matches once such stars as David Pocock, Richard Brown and Cameron Shepherd started to filter back into the side, but by then the damage had long been done.
Reid confirmed their marquee signing for this year, Springbok five-eighth Andre Pretorius, was keen to play for the club next year to give something back to the Force after sitting out the entire season with a crippling hamstring injury.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225867449658