Posted on Jan 25, 2011 in Rugby News
Having given up the World after overseeing a Russian revolution, Sale Sharks’ prodigal son Steve Diamond has already begun his mission to bring the good times back to Edgeley Park.
Though the Sharks’ newly-appointed executive director of sport doesn’t officially begin his new role until next week, such is his enthusiasm barely a day after jetting around the world from New Zealand, the former Sale hooker and coach was shrugging off jet lag and getting stuck in to his new role at the Sharks’ Carrington training ground.
And there’s plenty to keep the 42-year-old busy.
Amongst the many bulging items in his in-tray is weighing up the long term futures of more than fifteen first-team players who are out of contract this summer.
Along with stepping down as Russia’s head coach, having guided the Bears to their maiden appearance at the Rugby World Cup finals in New Zealand later this year, Steve also quit his post as Northampton’s recruitment officer in order to join Sale Sharks.
His huge success at Franklin’s Gardens where, amongst others, he was responsible for the capture of Chris Ashton and Stephen Myler, helped him carve out a reputation as one of rugby’s best talent spotters and his phone has already been red hot with inquiries from agents and players who suddenly sense that Sale Sharks are about to take off again.
And aside from overseeing a probable shake-up in Sale’s playing staff, Diamond wants to oversee a sea-change in the culture, philosophy and values which underpin the club – with a return to their no-nonsense Northern core values at the heart of his mission.
Above all, however, ‘Dimes’ is simply thrilled at the opportunity to restore the Sharks’ fortunes which Sale owner Brian Kennedy has entrusted him with.
"We’ve got a great opportunity and I’m very excited by the job" Diamond admitted.
"I’ve literally given up going to the World Cup finals which was a decision I didn’t take lightly as I had built that up for two and a half years.
"The Russian job was going really well and my role at Northampton was going really well but I got chatting with Brian and he told me he wanted a change in the culture here really.
"We got talking about how we could change into a winning culture, basing that around the North West.
"To do that, it needed someone who was integral and integrated into that area. Then the dialogue started. I had some time to think about things over Christmas and New Year and decided it was what I wanted.
"One of the reasons I came back is because I care about the club and it does feel like coming home.
"I think Brian had made his decision for a change before he approached me and then Pete Anglesea took over as head coach and immediately changed the culture with his positivity and knowledge and give the lads confidence.
"All I’m going to do initially is build on that. We’re going to restructure things off and on the field but that’s normal – that would be happening anyway at this time of year.
"I’m not going to be on the field coaching every day – I’m going to be setting the culture and be instrumental in how we do things and the coaches are going to be given their lead to coach.
"In the foreseeable future, Pete will continue as head coach but we’ll assess that as we go forwards over the next three or four months and if the current coaches perform and achieve levels that are expected of them for a club of this size, with the money we’re spending, then there is an opportunity for everybody.
"When I speak about culture, its about the direction of where we are going and how we get to the end goal or outcome and that’s to be successful and to be challenging the top four.
"It’s not happened for four or five years now and what we need to do is get the foundation right. With the money that Brian is spending we shouldn’t be lingering around the relegation zone because we’re spending the same money as every other club on and off the field.
"With Philippe Saint-Andre leaving, Kingsley Jones taking over and leaving and Mike Brewer coming in there have been too many changes of direction and nobody’s kept hold of what was instrumental to the success Sale had.
"It’s simple really. Its about hard work, no egos, my ability behind the scenes of getting the right players to join us for the right reasons and getting a competitive team that goes out on a Friday night that people don’t want to play against and for teams to find that Edgeley Park is a horrible place to come."
In the short term, however, Diamond’s immediate focus is on helping shape the look of Sale’s squad ahead of next season – and that means weighing up who will stay out of the 15 players out of contract and who he deems the right fit to come in.
Diamond’s eye for a player has been one of the key, unsung factors in Northampton’s emergence as the powerful side in the Aviva Premiership and he revealed success in the transfer market will be a key factor in reviving Sale’s fortunes.
"The most important job in any organisation – not just rugby – is recruitment. Its easy firing people but the recruitment is the hardest task," Diamond added.
"Philippe was a good recruiter but its all about what you have at your disposal. And what we have got is the full £4m at our disposal.
"Why it went very well at Northampton was that I understood the culture that Jim Mallinder had set there. Why it will go equally well here is that I understand the culture that myself and Pete Anglesea want to instil.
"They can all be fit, they can all pass – but its about finding people who fit into your culture.
"But thanks to the contacts I’ve got throughout UK and around the World, we can find out what people are like. We’ve already spoken to half a dozen people but we won’t be changing for change’s sake.
"The person who comes in has to offer more than the person they are replacing. Its not money – though we have got to fit under the salary cap – it’s more about the qualities they bring.
"You want bright people and you want that competiveness as well. I want to see two or three fights at training, I want people who want to play in the team.
"However, there are very good players already here and its an open book as we speak in term of those player’s futures though there are a couple of key positions not least with Charlie Hodgson leaving which are a priority.
"The squad has to be positive. They have to play well for Sale to be given a new contract and have to play well to get a contract elsewhere so it’s all about the club.
"In terms of precise numbers as to new arrivals I’ve yet to properly make up my mind it depends on a number of factors and we are not in a desperate rush. And you find those who are most desperate do the most desperate things and we’re not in that boat.
"We don’t want to make mistakes in bringing the wrong people in and we have to do due diligence behind the scenes.
“But in terms of who stays or leaves – it’s our choice. We’re in a fantastic position and that’s the way it has got to be. And if that means we have to make tough decisions, then so be it."
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since Diamond left Sale in 2004 but he is adamant that both he and Kennedy are better, wiser people for the journeys both have experienced since.
And he is adamant that both are as one in their vision for what the future can hold at Edgeley Park.
"I think Brian has done a lot of soul searching and he’s been honest about that," Diamond added.
"I left not under a cloud but carried on elsewhere.
"But for me to come back as a better coach and manager and for Brian to be a better owner is great as we both realise the mistakes we maybe made then and now we’re older and wiser.
"Now it feels like coming home and we can have good time. Brian’s got 16 businesses around the world. I want a situation where he comes to games not fretting about what’s going on at the club on or off the field.
"I want to take the burden off Brian in that respect. I want to turn up at Edgeley Park and say ‘Boom, this is our best team. We’ve prepared well and the players are going out to do their best’ and you can’t ask for much more than that. And if we put out the right squad we won’t be too far off the beaten track.
"In terms of a timeframe, I think we can be a competitive team next week if I’m honest, though to a large extent that is already happening.
"Where we can go in the future is unlimited. We’ve got a huge region here waiting to be tapped into and I know when I look for a player I always start in the North. Now I’m back here hopefully we’ll get our hands on them first."
And given his huge success with Russia, perhaps not surprisingly Diamond revealed that at least one of the players he guided to a historic first World Cup could be making their way to Carrington.
"I think we’ll see one Russian player here after the World Cup, one of the better players whom I think we’ll give an Academy type contract to And obviously now I’ve got deep roots in Eastern Europe, in places such as Georgia and Romania so we will get the heads up in regards to that department."
Brian Pope, England’s oldest living international rugby union player, celebrates his 100th birthday tomorrow (June 29), and the Rugby Football Union is marking the occasion by presenting him with an engraved silver salver. The England Rugby Internationals Club will also be giving him a framed picture and match report from his England playing days.
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