No excuses for failure at Warriors blasts Richard Hill
Hill was fired last April and replaced by Ryan, who has so far failed to fashion a league win with the squad he inherited from the former England scrum-half.
Fingers have been pointed at Hill, who was surprisingly allowed to complete most of this season’s recruitment before being abruptly jettisoned within weeks of receiving a ringing confidence vote from Warriors chairman Cecil Duckworth.
But Hill insists the squad he left had enough quality to succeed – and would have done had he been allowed time to carry his plans through.
Hill, 52, who spent three years at Sixways, told The Rugby Paper: “I was disappointed (to be sacked), but particularly for the rest of my staff because a lot of them had only been there nine months and they got rid of them all.
“I’d only just put that team together – Corin Palmer, Paul Hull, Nigel Redman, Mathieu Rourre and Phil Vickery – and then they all had to go.
“This time last year, Worcester had 25 points from 12 games, ninth in the table and in little danger of relegation. I don’t think that was appreciated as much as it should have been because the Premiership is such a tough league.
“What happened was harsh. We did all the recruitment, there’s a good squad and no way should that group have lost every single league game this season… no way at all.
“When I see the squad com-pared to London Irish and Newcastle, it’s a more powerful squad than either of those. But they’ve won only one game all season – in the LV= Cup at Cardiff – and haven’t won at Sixways which is extraordinary. It used to be a stronghold.”
Hill has also been accused of running down Worcester’s academy, but argues that his long-term vision provided a conduit for young talent.
“I’ve bitten my lip over a few things I’ve seen and heard, but developing the academy is why I brought in Corin Palmer as operations manager,” said Hill, now coaching French division two side Rouen.
“It’s difficult for a head coach to concentrate on developing an academy when his job depends on results – as Dean Ryan is finding out now!
“My job was to keep Worcester in the division, which we did. Corin’s was to think about the academy and that’s why I also brought in Mark Hewitt (academy manager) and Paul Hull (recruitment).
“There was a long-term plan, but that was for them to deal with while I got on with dealing with results.”
NEALE HARVEY
