Whelan denies rift with Ashton

Irish team manager Pat Whelan has refuted any suggestion of a rift with national coach Brian Ashton, inspired by newspaper comment over the past 48 hours. Whelan maintains he knows of no conflict within the team management structure. This view, however, seems at odds with Ashton's "no comment" to the assertion that he and Whelan were about to part company.

The Irish coach confirmed last night that he would "not comment on any newspaper article, nor on any situation" until he had spoken directly with Pat Whelan. That tete a tete will take place in Dublin tonight when the men in question will be joined by Donal Lenihan.

The meeting, initially, was to revolve around selection issues, but it will now centre on the belief that Ashton is unhappy with the management structure. The former Bath coach's silence in defence of his relationship with the national team manager is unquestionably damning, despite Whelan's assurances to the contrary.

The IRFU are certain to demand the issue be resolved with all haste. If they are called upon to arbitrate, then there will be one solution: if Ashton is uncomfortable with Whelan's role, then the union would almost certainly ask the Limerickborn, former international to resign.

Simply, they issued Ashton with a six-year contract, charging him with the future of Irish rugby; he is the professional. Whelan's position as team manager is dispatched under the official title of honorary. The IRFU have confirmed in the past that he does not receive a salary for his ministrations. There can be only one casualty.

Whelan, though, is adamant that there will be none. "I've had no inkling of any problems with Brian Ashton, of any sort or description. I would imagine I would be the first to know if there was a problem. I have been talking continuously to him (Ashton) since I came back on Sunday.

"I have had half-a-dozen telephone conversations with him: there has been no discussion on the matter."

This last statement later appeared a little wide of the mark when Whelan asserted, "We discussed it, but it is of little consequence," before finally settling for, "We haven't discussed it in depth, no."

What may be gleaned from the comments is that a Sunday Times article, written by Tom English, which called for Whelan's resignation has been mentioned in conversation between Ashton and Whelan, however briefly.

The national team manager dismissed ancillary accusations that a selection of the players were unhappy with him. "I have spoken to a lot of players in the last 24 hours and none of them have indicated to me that they have any problem whatsoever," Whelan said. "When you have a squad as large as 37 contracted players you are always going to find players that are disgruntled because they can't get into a team.

"The position as far as we (management) are concerned is that everything, from our point of view, is in order, and that's it."

Whelan was quick to deny he has manipulated team selection. "I don't believe that it is incumbent on me to discuss team selection with anyone, because I believe selection to be a totally confidential matter.

"The only way that I will discuss it with players is if they ask me or, alternatively, if I think I should speak to them. The only other occasion would be justifying selection for the national team at press conferences. All I can say is that there are three of us (Ashton, Whelan and Lenihan) who sit down to pick the team, and to date, it has been a very harmonious situation.

"I sat down with him (Ashton) in New Zealand to pick six or seven teams and there was no problem, and therefore I think that the point made in the article is therefore not correct."

Whelan preferred not to discuss an article in the Examiner in which Ashton offered the "no comment" to the assertion that he and Whelan had reached the end of the road. "I haven't read Barry Coughlan's article in the paper, I did not know that he had one. I can't really answer for him (Ashton). I would possibly be reading things into it that were incorrect.

"My position on the matter is quite simple. I know Brian Ashton for some time, I know him on a personal basis for 12 months. He is the type of guy who, if he has a problem, doesn't harbour it . . . he tells you out straight. I would expect him to tell me straight out on that basis.

"I don't have any hidden agendas, he doesn't have any hidden agendas: I think we operate quite well as a team."

When asked whether he would contact Ashton, again, prior to tonight's meeting, Whelan was unequivocal. "We will have our normal selection meeting with Donal Lenihan in Dublin. The three of us will sit down, and I am quite sure that the article is going to come up because it is injurious to the squad.

"Those type of articles are very injurious to the squad and it is incumbent on us to discuss them, and for me to bring it up on that basis. And I will bring it up on that basis."

Whelan concluded: "If Brian Ashton had a problem he would tell me, I know damn well that he would tell me." The portents for continuing harmony in the team management structure do not appear promising and one may expect that the IRFU are unwilling to let the present uncertainty degenerate into a tawdry soap opera.