Will Brian Ashton get a new contract or be relieved?

Question

I suppose everyone is brain dead as usual.

Answer 1

He will probably be canned if they get someone else, and if not then they will give him a short contract.

Answer 2

What I don't really understand is why Rob Andrew got an old man's job and Brian Ashton was given the job where you get your hands dirty.

People complain that Ashton isn't in touch with the players and given that he doesn't exactly have a sterling rugby pedigree I think it's got to be hard for him to ask the players to do things he himself would never have dreamed of doing as a player. Surely Andrew would be better placed to talk rugby while Ashton could put his enthusiasm for the game into developing the sport at grass roots level and ensuring that talent is given the opportunity to shine in the representative age group ranks?

I'm not an England fan (I'm Scottish) but I'm a fan of English rugby and I think England would thrive with Andrew as coach and Ashton as Elite Director or whatever it is they call Andrew at the moment. The two positions do seem best suited to the profile of the guy holding the other position, don't you think? Elite Director is a job for a headmaster whereas coach would probably best suit someone who has been there, seen it, done it.

I'm not saying I think Rob Andrew is the best coach in England but I think any coach is only as good as the strength of the group of players he has at his disposal and those England players dug deep during the world cup. The world cup was far more successful than expected but England are still rebuilding but they're in a stronger position today than they were at the end of the last world cup. It's easier to replace Mark Regan than it is a Martin Johnson.

Will Brian Ashton get a new contract? Yes I think he will because I think firing him would be controversial, expensive, would bring an element of negative publicity and ultimately it wouldn't have that much of an effect on the result of the first Six Nations game, in my opinion.

Ultimately, who should be in charge in 2011? I don't know but I'd like to see a combination of Dean Richards (forwards) and Rob Andrew (backs) with Sean Edwards looking after defense.

It's a shame Nigel Melville's got the job in the US that he should have in England.