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Cardiff chairman pens open letter to fans after exit of Dai Young
By Liam Heagney
Chairman Alun Jones has penned an open letter to Cardiff supporters less than 24 hours after it was confirmed that Dai Young had left his director of rugby position. The ex-Wales prop was suspended last April after he was accused of bullying members of staff, a claim that he categorically denied.
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An independent investigation found insufficient evidence to support the bullying allegations made against Young, but the coach decided on Monday it was best to step away from the club.
A statement released at the time read: “Unfortunately this process has caused strain on the working relationship between Cardiff Rugby and Dai Young. In the circumstances, regrettably, it has been mutually agreed by the parties to terminate Dai’s employment contract in accordance with terms within that allow for early termination.”
This media release has now been followed on Tuesday by Jones delivering his perspective on what unfolded at the Welsh club in recent times. The chairman began his letter by thanking supporters for their patience regarding a process where legal matters meant that Cardiff were unable to make any rugby-related announcements these past few months.
“First of all, I’d like to thank you for your patience, understanding and support during what has been one of the most challenging periods in the club’s long history.
“I fully accept that most supporters will have felt frustrated by the lack of communication from the club during this period, but our hands have been tied both in relation to our discussions with the WRU and then with regard to the position with Dai Young.
“As I am sure most of you will appreciate, there is not a lot more I can say in relation to the latter other than what was released in the press announcement.
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“What I can say is that the board responded to concerns raised in an appropriate fashion and that the subsequent process was carried out in a fully independent, professional, and thorough manner. It was unfortunate that this took far longer than anticipated, but this was due to circumstances beyond our control.
“It is regrettable that the club and Dai have parted company, but we are now focused on the future and ensuring we move forward during what continues to be a challenging time for the professional game in Wales.
“For legal reasons, we were unable to make any rugby-related announcements during the investigation but we are now in a position to confirm a number of signings and re-signings. We can also resume work on recruitment and retention, albeit with the reduced budgets arising from the new agreement with the WRU. You can expect plenty of announcements on this in the coming days.
“The above constraints aside, we recognise that our communication with you needs to improve, and we have agreed to a revised communications framework which will be implemented immediately. This includes a recommitment to communications from myself, our CEO, Richard Holland, and bi-annual Q&As with board members.
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“Our immediate priority now is of course on securing and implementing a succession plan for rugby and once this is in place we can really begin building for the future.
“It is important to acknowledge the fact that next season is going to be incredibly challenging on the pitch, but the most important thing is we as a club are here, we are secure, and we have a foundation to build from.
“Growing from within will be a significant part of our strategy going forward and we are fortunate to boast a superb player pathway. It is vitally important now that we harness its full potential as well as further develop the relationship with the Rags.
“It is also now four months since we lost our life president Peter Thomas CBE and this has had an enormous impact on the club.”
