Former head coach John Plumtree is set to leave the Sharks setup, writes MORNÉ ESBEN.
Comments from Sharks CEO Shaun Bryans on Friday during a media roundtable strongly suggest the veteran coach no longer features in the club’s plans, marking a sharp shift from their position just a few months ago.
Plumtree’s Springbok-laden Sharks made a poor start to this season’s Vodacom URC, and were 14th on the log after six rounds, with just one win. Last December, he stepped aside as head coach to make way for JP Pietersen, with his future role within the organisation unclear.
Now, Bryans has provided the clearest indication yet that the Sharks are moving on.
“He came into the organisation at a difficult time for the Sharks and really has been hugely helpful in almost affecting a turnaround. I think we’ve gotten to the point now where we are very much focused on building for the future, so there isn’t really a role for John in the structure.”
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It’s a blunt assessment of a coach who was, until recently, expected to remain part of the setup in some capacity.
Back in December, Bryans had struck a very different tone, saying: “He will remain part of our high-performance system, and will continue to contribute in a capacity that is still being finalised.”
But the messaging has now changed.
“Obviously we’re trying to design a high-performance system for the future and one of the key issues speaks to alignment and communication – I think it’s important to keep the structure quite simple and not to have any confusion.
“Plum is a wonderful coach and has done a great job here at the Sharks, but when you move into a new era, it’s best that you move into a new era.”
That “new era” is now firmly underway under Pietersen, with the Sharks seemingly opting for a cleaner, more streamlined coaching structure.
Photo: Kian Abdullah/Gallo Images
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