Sir John Kirwan has walked away from the struggling Blues, insisting he's left them in a better position than when he started.
But that's certainly not the case on the field, where they won just three games this season.
The Blues deny Tana Umaga has been appointed as his successor, but Umaga will have plenty of problems to overcome if he does get the job.
"I'm here to get results, and I said three years ago then I'd step aside and that's what I'm doing," Kirwan said this morning.
It was a change of heart.
"I want to be here for five years, I've come home to do a job and I'm not stopping until it's finished," he had earlier said.
Six weeks ago Kirwan presented a strategy to stay in a motivational and strategic role, and chief executive Michael Redman liked it.
"We wanted to have a model that supported that, but packed around him the very best people in those specialist roles," said Redman.
But on further reflection Kirwan didn't think it would work.
"Too many things that could stand in the way and stop the club moving forward the way I'd like it to move forward," said Kirwan.
It ends a tough three years in charge. Over the course of his reign, one word that continually popped up was 'cohesion'.
"It needs total cohesion from all its stakeholders," said Kirwan.
"We've had an issue around the cohesion within the Blues area, there's been issues with the support the coaches have had in the rugby area – investment, facilities, sports, science, technology, resources, support, supporting coaches around driving values and culture," said Redman.
Kirwan insists he's made progress, but changing the rugby culture in Auckland hasn't been easy.
"Look at the city, wind down your window, look around you - I've always said that the Blues will be successful when we understand our culture."
A board publicly divided over his future hasn't helped, either.
"The public see the Blues as a basketcase - the board absolutely recognises that for various reasons, including their own impasse, most recently that the Blues brand has taken a huge hit this year," said Redman.
The next act for the board is hiring a new coach. Sir Graham Henry was the first, guiding the franchise to titles in 1996 and '97.
The next three coaches, Jed Rowlands, Gordon Hunter and Frank Oliver, only lasted a year.
Peter Sloane turned the Blues' fortunes around, and with Henry back as his technical advisor they won their third and last title in 2003.
But it's been lean pickings since. They lost a semi to the Sharks under David Nucifora in 2007 and another to the Reds under Pat Lam in 2011.
Under Kirwan the Blues finished 10th twice and 14th.
So next year, whoever ends up being appointed will be the Blues' ninth coach since Super Rugby kicked off.
There is speculation Umaga could be next in line, something Redman wouldn't comment on.
"We've had a number of people linked to the Blues in recent times," he said.
No one will be appointed until the board meets next week but whoever is appointed will discover it's a stressful job.
"It's been a hell of a ride, it's kept me awake at night, made me smile, but like I said it's the greatest city in the world, the greatest club in the world," says Kirwan.
Well, not anymore - as the next coach probably already knows.
3 News
source: newshub archive
