Returning 'home': Ian McGeechan
The former British and Irish Lions Head Coach Sir Ian McGeechan has become the new Executive Chairman of Leeds Carnegie.
McGeechan has accepted the opportunity to return 'home' to Yorkshire succeeding Paul Caddick at the RFU Championship club with immediate effect.
McGeechan only played for one club during his 16-season-playing career, Headingley RFC, who merged with Roundhay RUFC in 1992 to form the Leeds club.
He will return to Headingley Carnegie in an Executive position to head up the club working with Director of Rugby Chris Gibson and Head Coach Diccon Edwards on a number of key initiatives to build a sustainable and successful future for the Yorkshire club.
"I am delighted to have this opportunity to come back to where it all started for me and give something back to my club. I want to do everything I can to help develop the strong base there is already established here so that Yorkshire talent continues to be given an opportunity to shine at Leeds Carnegie," said McGeechan.
"I have been involved with setting up and developing a number of academies in my career and as an ex-School master I know the potential of youth within the best possible structure.
"An important part of my role will be to build relationships with businesses, sponsors and clubs across Yorkshire to create ultimately a sustainable base to build professional rugby here in Yorkshire. The role of Executive Chairman is a new role for me but one that I am very excited about. I am keen to support the club in any way I can.
"I was fortunate in my early Headingley days to be guided by older, wiser players who helped shape me as an individual and now all these years on, things have come full circle and I have the opportunity to do exactly the same," added McGeechan.
Comments
lawynd says...
Yes, time will tell...that you're wrong. ;)
Posted 12:51 25th July 2012
porridge_time says...
Time will tell.
Posted 08:40 25th July 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Geech is a man manager, he'll bond a team together becasue he's so likeable.
I think its a shame he left Northampton Saints the year before they won the euro-cup in 2000 because that was HIS team. he put that squad together and it would have been his biggest domestic success. he's hasn;t got close to pulling that off since 2000, but the 2009 lions tour was in no way an embarassment for him. Geech is Mr Lions as much as Willie-John is. McBride was the player and captain, Geech is the coach. four tours, 2 wins and two narrow losses. He transends the home nation boundaries and is liked and respected by British and irish rugby fans. A kind gentleman for whom the players will bleed for.
Posted 12:07 24th July 2012
APV1 says...
@ porridge_time - I guess we'll all have to accept that opinions vary. But sometimes, when everyone else thinks one thing and you think another, it's time to review the evidence and reconsider your stance.
What I'm trying to say, in a roundabout and diplomatic manner, is - you're just plain wrong.
Posted 10:57 24th July 2012
porridge_time says...
Jim Telfer steered Scotland to the Grand Slam in 1990... with McGeechan as his side kick. McGeechan's last stint with SRU was as Directory of Rugby and he left it in a complete shambles and I don't think his time with Wasps or Bath were the screaming success story the media had written so lyrically for them at his appointedment.
His only real success has been on the coat tails of Jim Telfer and I'd be very surprised if Leeds benefited greatly.
Posted 00:23 24th July 2012
JamieTheProp says...
A legend - anyone who says anything different knows nothing about rugby! I'd rather see him running the next Lions tour than Gatland!
Posted 21:44 23rd July 2012
sirtidychris says...
porridge_time
SIM steered Scotland to Grand Slam glory and took his country to the World Cup semi-finals. After receiving an OBE in 1990, he assumed control of rugby affairs at Northampton in1993 and led the Saints to Allied Dunbar Premiership title success. he is the only coach in the history of the game to have worked on five different tours - 1989(won series), 1993, 1997 (Won series), 2005(coached mid week side that was unbeaten) and 2009. In the summer of 2005, Ian was appointed in the role of Director of Rugby at London Wasps and proceeded to steer the club to victory in the 2006 Powergen Cup Final and the Heineken Cup in 2007.
He joined bath in 2010 as performance director but, following the departure of Steve Meehan, he was moved to a director of rugby role...a position he never wanted.... "I was only here in a part-time role to look at the rugby structures and quite clearly they knew I didn't want to come as a head coach. With Steve leaving last year I said that I would support the coaches closely but didn't want to have that role.
"A recommendation from me was that we needed a head coach and that's why the process was started after Christmas. I've made recommendations over what the structure should look like and I've been right about them in the past.
He was handed a poisened chalice at bath when he ended up in a role he never wanted and operating a coach short and now all of a sudden everyone thinks he is rubbish..despite being given only 1 season and bringing more youngsters through at bath then they have done in over a decade.
SIM is one of the best directors of rugby in the world (note i didn't say coach) he will be a massive asset to leeds to say anything else is simply embarassing.
Posted 18:21 23rd July 2012
GoWalesGo says...
porridge_time
Whilst i agree that he slightly overrated, he has still achieved a hell of a lot in his career as a manager/coach, winning the H cup etc... I don't see why Leeds, a championship side now would fold with him at the helm.
You're just making a big deal out of nothing.
Posted 14:54 23rd July 2012
porridge_time says...
Leeds Carnegie shame they will probably fold after this overhyped individual gets there.
Posted 08:11 23rd July 2012