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Bath fans express worry on Twitter about their inexperienced coaching set-up
By Josh Raisey
Bath have recently announced their new coaching staff ahead of next season, and it has left many fans worried on social media.
After current head coach Todd Blackadder announced a few weeks ago his departure from the club at the end of the season, former captain Stuart Hooper has been announced as the new director of rugby.
Hooper will be joined by former Ireland international Girvan Dempsey, who has been their attack coach over the past year, and Luke Charteris as lineout coach, who is retiring from playing at the end of the season.
Current England scrum coach Neal Hatley will also arrive at the club as forwards coach after the World Cup, to return to the role he had before he joined the national setup.
The main concern that many fans have is that these coaches seem to be relatively raw in the world of coaching compared to the vastly experienced Blackadder and Toby Booth, who will also leave at the end of the season.
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While Hatley will provide the most experience, he will be joining towards the end of 2019, meaning he misses an entire pre-season with the club.
Charteris was a fine international player, with 74 caps to his name. However, that does not necessarily mean he is suited for the job yet, particularly with Hooper being a novice as the director of rugby.
While Dempsey has a bit more experience as the attack coach of European giants Leinster before he joined Bath, that still does not seem to outweigh the inexperience of his team.
Many Bath fans are showing their concern over the season ahead on Twitter, and this is what they are saying:
Bath currently sit in sixth place in the Premiership table with one game remaining, meaning they are set to play in the Champions Cup next season should they win their final match. That will mean that Hooper’s first season in charge will be a testing one, played against the best in Europe.
Additionally, Bath have not made the recruitment drive on the field that some supporters would have wanted, which is only another reason why some fans are not optimistic about next season.
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Clearly. Haven’t seen it but will take a look, if deliberate then deserved ban incoming…
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