EXCLUSIVE: Yorkshire Carnegie suspend Tommy McGee
By JON NEWCOMBE
Yorkshire Carnegie have suspended caretaker head coach Tommy McGee on disciplinary grounds.
Scotsman McGee has been stood down from his duties with Sir Ian McGeechan overseeing training in the build-up to Sunday’s Championship game against Bedford.
It is thought unlikely that former Leeds prop McGee will see out the remainder of the season, let alone the final year of his contract at Headingley. TRP understands the club’s ongoing investigation will result in his resignation.
McGee stepped up from his role as forwards coach after Gary Mercer went on gardening leave before Christmas following a disastrous start to the season.
Results have only marginally improved on McGee’s watch, and the club has been actively looking for a full-time successor to Mercer since the change of ownership earlier this year.
Bryan Redpath, one of their targets, is thought to have priced himself out of the market given the fact he is on mega money at Sale.
Sale were prepared to come to some form of financial deal with Carnegie in order to release him a year early from his contract, but Edinburgh now looks the more likely destination for the former Scotland international.
One thing is certain, the next appointment needs to be the right one. Since Neil Back left the club in May 2011 there have been four different head coaches in place, none lasting more than one season.
Results and performances this season have been dire compared to last year when the club reached the end-of-season play-offs and were unfortunate to miss out on the final.
Heading into Sunday’s game against Bedford, Carnegie sit in 9th place with only five wins to their name from 16 matches.
Average gates for home matches have dropped below the 2,000 mark and the news of McGee’s pending departure will only serve to disillusion the club’s dwindling fan base even further.
