Kennedy unfazed by Exiles’ finances
NICK Kennedy, the London Irish director of rugby, insists the financial nightmare of failing to bounce straight back into the Premiership will not become an intolerable burden in his first season in charge.
The two recent winding up orders faced by London Welsh, who are being taken over by a California-based group of investors, highlighted the real and present dangers of not being part of the English rugby elite. And while a one-year parachute payment is making life easier for Irish following their relegation, it is only a temporary plaster.
The only way Irish can ensure the kind of income needed by the club is to gain promotion at the end of this first season in the Championship. With Bristol having taken their place in the top flight, Irish are the biggest fish in the pool and with a raft of sponsors announcing new deals with the club, there appears to be confidence outside, as well as within the club, that this is merely a one season problem. However, Kennedy,
below, is taking nothing for granted and while the financial ramifications cannot be ignored, what he can control is what happens on the pitch.
Brendan Venter is acting as technical director while the coaching involves Clark Laidlaw and ex-Irish players Paul Hodgson (skills), Declan Danaher (defence) and George Skivington (forwards).
Kennedy, who was in charge of the club’s academy alongside Hodgson and Danaher last season, also has the pressure of knowing that failure to get promoted will put England U20 stars Johnny Williams and Theo Brophy-Clews at the mercy of offers from Premiership clubs who could showcase their talents at a higher level.
Kennedy told The Rugby Paper: “I don’t feel under extra pressure – just the normal amount on a club that has been relegated from the Premiership to come back up. Clubs like Harlequins, Northampton, Bristol and Newcastle were all in the same situation at various times, wanting to come back up right away, but every other club in the Championship is also chasing that target.
“The difference between the days when Quins and Saints were relegated is that the Championship is a lot more competitive. I think it is a lot tougher to get out of than it was.
“There have been big changes at the club and that would have happened if we were still in the Premiership – the fact is we were the worst team in the league. While we’re moving in the right direction, there is still a long way to go.
“Brendan comes to the club for a few days a month and is back in the week building up to the Nottingham game.
“He is on the phone a lot and he signed me for Irish and we played two seasons together. It is great to have his input and I am learning a lot from him. The main difference from the academy days is the long hours, but I am enjoying the challenge.”
Irish only have to look at the club address to see the dangers of getting the financial sums wrong.
They still ‘own’ the professional teams that used to operate at Richmond and London Scottish before they both went bust and while the colours of both clubs no longer appear on a sleeve of the Irish match jersey, they still feature in the address and on contracts.