Clive Woodward launched a stinging attack on the English rugby union on Friday, saying he was ”losing control” the moment he stepped off the plane after winning the 2003 World Cup.
A day after quitting, Woodward told a news conference he was disappointed at the apathy that developed after the World Cup triumph in Australia and he was staggered to see players of the calibre of Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio retiring because of too many playing demands.
Woodward said, however, he intends to lead the British Lions to New Zealand next year and will not be looking for any other jobs — including in soccer — until after that tour has been completed.
”It was fantastic to win [the World Cup] but it was clear to me from the moment that plane landed I felt totally out of control,” Woodward told a news conference at Twickenham.
”My mindset was, we had a clear plan of how we were being successful and that has been watered down. I went into the same meetings with the same face and heard the same things. I wanted more and we have ended up with less.”
Woodward, who also led England to the Six Nations Grand Slam months before the World Cup triumph, said he would like to have carried on the position he had held for seven years. Although he has plans to become a soccer coach and has been linked with Premier League Southampton, he had been prepared to stay on another year with the England team.
But he felt the structure he had built around the England team was being weakened by clubs taking players away or giving him less time to prepare them for matches.
”Some people would say, ‘There goes Woody, whinging again’. I cannot compromise,” Woodward said. ”Winning is about inches. Look at the Olympics, the rowers, the sprinters, Kelly Holmes. She won by inches.
”We won the World Cup by inches. You cannot compromise. We won the World Cup because we had an outstanding set of players.
”We prepared properly. But agreements have taken place between the RFU [Rugby Football Union] and clubs that on paper look great. They’re not in reality,” Woodward said. ”I have had these discussions for so long. If I am in a minority of one, it doesn’t mean to say I am wrong.”
Woodward, who said he would support his long-time assistant Andy Robinson to be his successor, said he had no real option but to resign.
”When you get into that frame of mind you have to shake hands and agree to disagree,” Woodward said.
”It needs a new person to come in and work within the system who believes in the system. I was not prepared to take any compromises any more.” — Sapa-AP
Stranger than fiction