Financial turmoil and discontent at Wasps, pull the other one – Andy Goode
If you believe a certain newspaper this week, Wasps are in “financial turmoil” and there could be an “exodus” of their leading stars but nothing could be further from the truth.
The article in question suggests Elliot Daly and Joe Launchbury are expected to leave when their contracts expire. It’s obviously any player’s prerogative to move elsewhere at the end of their deal but they have both signed new contracts this season and neither are unhappy from what I hear.
As many as 10 of the senior squad have agreed new terms since September and Dan Robson signed a new contract as recently as this week, so there certainly isn’t a groundswell of discontent among the players.
Players don’t re-sign contracts if there are the kind of big issues at a club that are being suggested so it’s sensationalist and lazy journalism.
It smacks of a player at Wasps who hasn’t been offered a new deal and is leaving at the end of the season and has said things to a journalist that don’t represent the views of everyone else at the club.
I guarantee if you’re not getting paid and there’s huge discontent about the training facilities, you’re not performing the way Wasps are right now on the pitch. They’ve only lost to Sale and Leicester, both on the road, since January and look like sealing a spot in the semi-finals.
It isn’t just the results either, you can see how much these guys love playing together in the way they celebrate.
Dai Young has created the culture under the ownership of Derek Richardson and you can see from the outside that it’s a good environment to be in, let alone when you’re a bit closer to the action as I am with the work that I do for the club.
There have been unforeseen delays with the training ground that aren’t ideal because they had a site earmarked and there were issues with the full planning consent for what they wanted to do but new locations have been found and I understand that’s very close to being signed off.
As a player, you want to get in there as soon as possible because it’ll be amazing and that will happen but sometimes reality dictates that it takes longer than you anticipate with planning constraints and red tape but a deal for another site is close to coming to fruition as Dai has indicated.
And, it isn’t as if Wasps are currently training somewhere that is well below the standard of other Premiership clubs. Most clubs don’t have the state of the art facilities that Wasps will benefit from when they move from Broadstreet RFC and the results on the pitch would indicate that the current setup is more than workable.
Saracens have been back-to-back European champions and their training ground isn’t that great, so stories suggesting players are going to leave based on the training ground are absolute codswallop. Quins have got a very nice training ground at Surrey Sports Park as well but I don’t think the Wasps players would swap places with them at the moment.
Image rights were also raised as an area of concern and only the individual players can tell you about their payments but it isn’t a straightforward process to calculate them and invoice for them and backlogs do happen at clubs, so it wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened if there have been any delays.
The club is moving in a great direction and when players like Brad Shields and Lima Sopoaga are coming in and Kurtley Beale and others have been there recently, you know there just aren’t the major issues there that have been suggested.
Wasps are a team that has improved year on year and are one of the big dogs in the Premiership now when it wasn’t so long ago that they were really struggling. That is all because of significant investment.
I don’t think anyone can accuse the club of a lack of investment when you look at the squad and who’s arriving next season as well. If you compare the squad in 2015 when I was there to where it is now, it’s night and day.
The likes of Juan de Jongh, Willie le Roux, Jimmy Gopperth, Elliot Daly and the list goes on are all world class players.
You ask any player if they’d rather have a shiny new training ground with an average squad or wait a couple of years and have a group of players that is littered with international stars and be competing at the top end of the Premiership and they will definitely choose the latter.
You’d rather play with Sopoaga and have an average training ground than play with Andy Goode and have an amazing training ground, that’s for sure.
As for financial turmoil, I don’t think so. The rugby is only a small part of the business at Wasps nowadays and it’s an important part but the hotel and the casino and everything else that goes with it are providing very healthy incomes for the club.
By the time the summer’s here and I’m sat on a beach with a beer in my hand, the accounts will have been published, more information will be available regarding the training ground and the article in question will look a bit daft then. Who knows…Wasps might even be Premiership champions as well!
Comments on RugbyPass
I think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
11 Go to commentsAfter missing the curfew, the player was simply too “Shagged” to stand up.
11 Go to commentsVernier is probably the best 12 in the world though she has some English competition these days . I am nervous for England because it is unpredictable France and who knows which team will turn up, but they have not yet shown anything that should worry England, Saturday could be a different day. I would be more confident against the BFs.
1 Go to commentsWhat a difference Rodda and Carter made. Rodda has been out for ages but he is really the only world class lock in Australian rugby. Him, Carter and Beale made a huge difference on the weekend. If only they had a few decent props they’d be a much more dangerous team. Hamish Stewart was excellent last week as well. His carrying has improved significantly and has to be next in line after Paisami at 12 for the Wallabies. He’ll benefit hugely with Beale at fullback, there’s just no better communicator in Australian rugby than him and his experience will make a huge difference for the Force. No one sees space like Beale and he’s still sharp. I can see Force making a late charge into the top 8 if they can get some consistency.
2 Go to commentsRodda will be a walk up starter at lock. Frost if you analyse his dominance has little impact and he’s a long way from being physical enough, especially when you compare to Rodda and the work he does. He was quite poor at the World Cup in his lack of physicality. Between Rodda and Skelton we would have locks who can dominate the breakdown and in contact. Frost is maybe next but Schmidt might go for a more physical lock who does their core work better like Ryan or LSL. Swain is no chance unless there’s a load of injuries. Pollard hasn’t got the scrum ability yet to be considered. Nasser dominated him when they went toe to toe and really showed him up. Picking Skelton effects who can play 6 and 8. Ideally Valetini would play 6 as that’s his best position and Wilson at 8 but that’s not ideal for lineout success. Cale isn’t physical enough yet in contact and defence but is the best backrow lineout jumper followed by Wright, Hanigan and Swinton so unfortunately Valetini probably will start at 8 with Wright or Hanigan at 6. Wilson on the bench, he’s got too much quality not to be in the squad. Paisami is leading the way at 12 but Hamish Stewart is playing extremely well also and his ball carrying has improved significantly. Beale is also another option based on the weekend. Beale is class but he’s also the best communicator of any Australian backline player and that can’t be underestimated, he’ll be in the mix.
8 Go to commentsWhy do people keep on picking Ardie at 7 when he's a ball in hand 8? A modern 7 is the lead tackler and ruck clearer which isn't his strength.
14 Go to commentsSly dig there at Ireland’s propensity to back a non-Irish coach. Must really want it. I’m not sure I like ROG very much. Comes off as unpleasant. But he’d gain my respect if he took a number 7 ranked team and turned them into WC winners. Not even back-to-back. Argentina? Scotland? Or how about Wales? France would be too easy, no?
1 Go to commentsA bit of sensationalism, but surprised by the comments about SBW. I’ve always thought of him as a pretty authentic person. There is nothing worse than working with a colleague you’ve seen straight through.
11 Go to comments100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
1 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
2 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
8 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
8 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
11 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
8 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
14 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
8 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
11 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
11 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
14 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to comments