Bok coach Allister Coetzee is adamant that he wants to remain in the job, but has conceded that he would be willing to resign if there is no improvement next year.
Coetzee has faced mounting calls for him to face the axe in a year that has seen the Boks slump to eight losses in 12 Tests, with one historic defeat coming after another.
Following last weekend’s first-ever loss to Italy, it’s been revealed that Coetzee met with SA Rugby president Mark Alexander and CEO Jurie Roux in order to provide some insight into the state of affairs.
According to SuperSport.com, Coetzee also made it clear that he wishes to remain in the job, and highlighted that his late appointment to the top job (in April) had seriously compromised the team’s preparations.
‘I had to explain to them [the bosses] how deep the crisis is. There has to be discussion. If you change the coach now you will just bring in the next guy to sit with the same problems,’ Coetzee said.
‘Why I took the job when I already knew I would be up against it [in terms of the short preparation time] because of the late appointment is a tough question to answer, but I felt I couldn’t turn the job down. I felt I had to take the job despite the hand I had been dealt. You never know if the opportunity to coach the Boks will come again.’
Coetzee is now set to meet with his bosses once again following Saturday’s disappointing defeat to Wales, and he will still need to find a way to convince them he can turn the team’s fortunes around.
‘I’m confident that if I am given time to work with the team before the start of next season and am able to have anything in place I will be able to get it right, and if I am unable to do that and we find ourselves in the same place next year I will put up my hand, take the blame and walk,’ Coetzee commented.
‘That is the type of person I am. [If I am given time] I’m not going to make excuses. But it’s also a bit unfair if you blame everything on one person.
‘I was appointed on 11 April. I knew I would be doing the job at the end of March. We played against Ireland in June.’
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