Ian McGeechan could coach the Lions tour in 2013
New Lions tour manager Andy Irvine suggested that he would like for Ian McGeechan to lead the Lions on the tour for 2013.
McGeechan led the Lions on their last tour, which was viewed as a success after their disastrous tour of New Zealand in 2005 under Clive Woodward.
McGeechan ruled himself out of coaching the Lions again after his side were unlucky to lose 2-1 to South Africa in the series in 2009.
The 63-year-old is currently working with Bath, but Lions manager Irvine has not ruled out the Scottish coach. Irvine insisted that McGeechan’s Lions tour to South Africa would be the blue print for future tours.
Speaking after his own appointment to tour manager, Irvine insisted that his priority was to find a new coach. “We’ve very much got an open mind on Geech — his record speaks for itself, he’s Lions through to the core and did a fantastic job on the last tour.
He has to be a consideration.”
The Lions manager was not deterred by McGeechan’s comments at the end of the last Lions tour and said, “McGeechan said after South Africa that he wouldn’t be interested in coaching, but he said that after three other tours as well.”
“Geech is back in the fold at Bath. He doesn’t quite have a tracksuit on every day but he’s still very much in touch with the game,” added Irvine.
However, the Lions manager admitted that the Lions had other options and that McGeechan would not be pushed into the role. Irvine said, “If he rules himself out I wouldn’t want to put any pressure on him.”
Warren Gatland was also linked with the position, but the Welsh manager has signed a contract extension with Wales that will keep him at the club until 2015.
Irvine and the Lions management team will be in no rush to appoint a coach for the tour, which will not start until 2013.
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