Warren Gatland addresses future in Wales hot-seat as pressure mounts after 11 straight losses
Wales head coach Warren Gatland.
Warren Gatland has detailed he will be ‘comfortable’ with ‘whatever the best decision is for Welsh rugby’ as pressure mounts on the head coach.
The Wales boss is under serious pressure following his side’s 11th straight defeat yesterday as the Wallabies recorded an emphatic 52-20 win at the Principality Stadium.
‘Make the decision’
Gatland – currently in his second tenure as Wales head coach – told the media after the game that he would be ‘comfortable’ with any decision but called for those in power to make it sooner rather than later.
“Whatever the best decision is for Welsh rugby, I’m comfortable with that,” he said. “If that’s about me going, then make the decision. We’ll talk about that and make that together.”
Wales are on their worst-ever losing run, with Gatland’s side falling to yet another defeat on Sunday, and the Kiwi coach said this is ‘the most challenging’ time of his career.
“It’s challenging at the moment, the most challenging it’s ever been,” he said. “I’ll probably reflect on some stuff.”
Gatland also added that he will need to ‘have a chat with a few people’, and spoke honestly about his own doubts.
“I’ll have a chat with a few people about what happens from here. My family have made lots of sacrifices. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t ask myself some questions, but I do it because I love being involved in the game,” he said.
“I have so many good memories of my time in Wales and the people and the friends I’ve made. I care massively about Welsh rugby”
‘How are they going to make a change?’
Whilst Gatland said he would welcome any decision on his future, he questioned whether it would be the best thing to ‘improve’ the national side, and the game in Wales, moving forward.
“If you’re going to change me, who are you going to get to come in and how are they going to make a change?” he said.
“Making a change might mitigate some of the negativity because it will put the focus on something else; but will it improve the game?”
“Are you going to find the right person?” he continued. “Or, are we better off sticking our head down and hoping to put things in place to improve things at regional level and in the pathways.”
The game in Wales is in a tough place. The four regions are struggling on and off the pitch, the WRU are in the midst of a sexism scandal and added to this the men’s side are on their worst losing run ever.
“There’s so much negativity around the game, in terms of what’s been happening on and off the field,” Gatland added.
