Top 14: Mourad Boudjellal: ‘Tana Umaga to be sacked if
Toulon are relegated’
06 November 2008
 Toulon’s
comic millionaire president Mourad Boudjellal has confirmed
that Tana Umaga will be sacked if the club are relegated
back to ProD2.
In what was supposed to be a statement of support for the
beleaguered head coach he even added that Umaga would be
sacked if Toulon escaped relegation because another team was
relegated for administrative failings – like Albi last year.
Boudjellal spoke out after reports emerged that divisions in
the squad were hardening with some players threatening to
leave or go on strike should Umaga be sacked. It seems
emotions were brought to a head after it was confirmed that
former Wallabies and Stade Francais boss John Connolly had
been invited in to find out why the star-studded squad has
been underperforming.
But Boudjellal’s comments are far from a ringing endorsement
of his head coach’s abilities and Umaga will be acutely
aware that only last week the forwards coach Jean-Jacques
Crenca was sacked by the Top 14 club, with Huber returning
to Toulon in his place.
“If John Connolly comes to carry out this audit, he will not
be the next trainer of the club,” said Boudjellal.
That all sounds fine, until you remember that this is also
the man who brazenly lied to the media – and admitted so
afterwards – when denying the club had had any contact with
rugby league convert Sonny ‘Bill’ Williams. The ensuing
transfer, which was bitterly contested, merely confirmed the
maverick streak in Boudjellal’s make up.
Ironically, it now seems that Williams is one of the
‘Polynesian’ players willing to walk out on the club in
support of Umaga.
Boudjellal added: “I have two coaches with differing talents
– Umaga and Hueber. I knew that when I chose them. I want to
get their abilities working together. The person who comes
to do the check could evaluate the two contributions to get
the best out of both – to reconcile the playing styles of
the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere.
“Tana will finish the season in his post. If we are
relegated, he will not be at the club next year. The same
will be true if we are kept up by administrative decree. But
if we avoid relegation by our play, Umaga will stay.”
It’s hardly a ringing endorsement. Indeed, it reads more
like the infamous ‘boardroom support’ football managers
usually get shortly before getting the boot.
Boudjellal went on: “Concerning my meeting with Connolly, I
wish to say that have had discussions with him. It is my
right to meet with whomever I want.”
So there.
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