Aviva Premiership
Diamond has 'total confidence' in Redpath
ESPN Staff
September 25, 2012
Sale Sharks' director of sport Steve Diamond poses with the Premiership trophy, Aviva Premiership season launch, Twickenham, England, August 24, 2011
Sale Sharks have started the 2012-13 season in woeful fashion © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Steve Diamond | Bryan Redpath
Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership
Teams: England | Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks chief executive Steve Diamond has backed Bryan Redpath to turn around the side's fortunes after seeing them slump to defeats in each of their opening four games of the 2012-13 Aviva Premiership season.

Sale bought big over the summer bringing in Scotland lock Richie Gray and mercurial fly-half Danny Cipriani. Alongside newly recruited coach Redpath and their new stadium in Salford, much was expected of the Sharks this season. But they have woefully underperformed and have lost against the Exeter Chiefs, Saracens, Harlequins and London Welsh thus far. It was the defeat against the Exiles on Friday night that prompted Diamond to give forwards coach Steve Scott the boot.

Diamond will now take charge of the forwards on an interim basis while they search for Scott's successor and he has now started to look for a new "yard dog" to take charge of their pack.

"I'm obviously concerned about the situation. We're about a sixth of the way through the season and its hardly the greatest start - especially when you're trying to sell the place like we are," Diamond told the Manchester Evening News. "The flak goes with the territory and there are people who are wanting to have a go at me and the team and I don't mind that because I know where we are going over the next three, four or five years.

"I have got total confidence in Bryan and, let's be honest, I put all of that team together that played on Friday, not Brush. So if anyone should take the flak for that, it should be me.

"The situation is that Steve Scott has left the club with immediate effect and Bryan and I will be looking for a replacement as forwards coach within the next two months. In the meantime, I'll be assisting Bryan with preparation for the next few games.

"What we need is somebody who is going to be like a yard dog. I can do that in the short term, which is why I've stepped into the breach for now. Off the pitch, the way things are shaping up with my chief executive's hat means I have got some spare time on my hands so I don't think I'll be stretched too far in terms of my time."

And Diamond has also revealed that he is keen on bolstering their options in the forwards. Front-rower Ali Dickinson is currently sidelined through injury while Hendre Fourie is battling to save his career. Diamond said: "We just need a few more players. So we will be looking at a new tight-head prop as well as a couple more forwards.

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