London Wasps need star players to take the sting out of sad decline in English Premiership

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MANAGEMENT
Wasps have not been helped by a high turnover of coaches/directors of rugby since their 2008 Premiership triumph.

In May 2009, when the club finished the season without a trophy for the first time in seven seasons, Sir Ian McGeechan was ousted from his position after four years in charge.

McGeechan?s successor, Tony Hanks, was sacked in February last year, with former forwards coach Leon Holden appointed as a caretaker until the end of last season. Former Cardiff Blues coach Dai Young took over as director of rugby in July, but the club then parted company in November with Shaun Edwards, the club?s head coach since 2005.

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UP FOR SALE
Owner Steve Hayes, who bought the club from Chris Wright in Dec 2008, recently announced his intention to sell the club after failing to receive backing for a new stadium at Wycombe Air Park. He is understood to be in negotiations with four parties and it is likely the club could be sold in the next few months.

?Any new owner will have to show me that their aspirations are to provide London Wasps with the right level of investment and structure to ensure they are once again a team in the hunt for titles,? said Hayes, who reportedly made ?50 million when he sold finance company Loans.co.uk in 2005.

Hayes also owns Wycombe Wanderers, the co-tenants of Adams Park, and some Wasps fans argue that the football club?s promotion to League One led to Hayes increasing his investment in Wycombe at Wasps? expense.

Hayes, however, personally covered Wasps? loss of ?2.5 million last season and the club still spend close to the Premiership salary cap of ?4.1 million. Hayes was also the inspiration behind Wasps? successful annual St George?s Day Premiership match at Twickenham.

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GROUNDS FOR CONCERN
Hayes? dream to move Wasps and Wycombe Wanderers to a new sporting village in High Wycombe, which would have included a 17,500-capacity stadium, was dashed last summer when Wycombe district council withdrew their support. Wasps have been linked with a move to the Olympic Stadium, but any new buyer must give two years? notice to leave Adams Park or buy out the contract. The club have struggled to average more than 7,000 fans per game in recent seasons.

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The extent of turn-over of players at Wasps can be revealed by the fact that only Tom Rees remains at the club from the starting XV that defeated Leicester Tigers 25-9 in the 2007 Heineken Cup final at Twickenham. And even Rees has hardly played for the club since Wasps? Premiership title victory in 2008, given his horrific run of injuries.

Wasps starting XV v Leicester (Heineken Cup final, Twickenham, May 2007):
Danny Cipriani; Paul Sackey, Fraser Waters, Josh Lewsey, Tom Voyce; Alex King, Eoin Reddan; Tom French, Raphael Ibanez, Phil Vickery, Simon Shaw, Tom Palmer, Joe Worsley, Tom Rees, Lawrence Dallaglio (c).

Survivors: Tom Rees

Moved on: Danny Cipriani (Melbourne Rebels), Paul Sackey (Stade Francais), Tom Voyce (Gloucester), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Tom French (London Welsh), Simon Shaw (Toulon), Tom Palmer (Stade Francais)

Retired: Lawrence Dallagio, Joe Worsley, Phil Vickery, Raphael Ibanez, Josh Lewsey, Fraser Waters, Alex King (backs coach, Clermont Auvergne).

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568303/s/1b76cafc/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Csport0Crugbyunion0C898870A40CLondon0EWasps0Eneed0Estar0Eplayers0Eto0Etake0Ethe0Esting0Eout0Eof0Esad0Edecline0Ein0EEnglish0EPremiership0Bhtml/story01.htm

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