MUNSTER COACH ANTHONY Foley says he is still waiting for some of the finer details of his contract be clarified, but that breaking their losing streak is more important to him right now than anything else.
Foley is in his second year as Munster head coach and held separate roles as forwards and defence coach in the previous five seasons after a 13-year career as a player.
He said he has not yet put pen to paper and is more worried about his team’s string of four consecutive defeats.
“There are a few things that need to be clarified around it so I don’t know, there was nothing to say last week, there is nothing to say this week. It’ll probably be the next few weeks before anything is done around that.
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“There was a deadline of 1 December to agree something or to try and get the extra year extended. The IRFU are happy with that,” said Foley.
If I feel that we can’t get the results, and we are in a results business, then why bother? I’m conscious and I’m fighting and tearing everything to get a result.
“I’m more concerned around getting a result at the weekend, I’m not looking after my own interests here. I don’t want to look after my own interest.
“Look, everything on the side of it, recruitment, contract extensions are all white noise at the moment. They are not a part of my mindset at the moment.”
The return of Tommy O’Donnell to full fitness is a huge boost for Foley’s hopes of victory this weekend against Leinster though. Without O’Donnell, who dislocated his hip playing a World Cup warm-up against Wales in August, and Peter O’Mahony, who is a long-term knee injury absentee, the Munster pack have been shorn of two top performers.
Foley is thrilled to see the Tipperary man back but he wants to see how he manages after training at CIT yesterday before pencilling him in for a match-day role.
Tommy O'Donnell (left) and Donnacha Ryan. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“Tommy will be in the squad, he will be in contention. We just want to see how he pulls up. Obviously he has done a massive amount of work over the last number of weeks. We just want to make sure that it’s the right thing to do.
“Once he didn’t get it operated on, I think it sped up his recovery. Initially they were talking February. Once the operation didn’t happen they were talking around early January.
“In fairness, he has blown a lot of people away with the work he has been asked to do, and the functionality from what he could do in the gym, and what he could do in the pool, to what he could do running wise as early as he was able to do. A lot of that is down to his application and his drive to get back in.”
Dave O’Callaghan is the only recent injury concern for Munster after he suffered a strained hamstring against Leicester at the weekend, while BJ Botha took a full part in training after his recent concussion.
Tyler Bleyendaal also trained fully yesterday in Cork and could get the nod ahead of Ian Keatley at out-half on Sunday as Foley shuffles his hand for this clash and the trip to Ulster a week later.
'Contract issues don't concern me right now' - Foley
MUNSTER COACH ANTHONY Foley says he is still waiting for some of the finer details of his contract be clarified, but that breaking their losing streak is more important to him right now than anything else.
Foley is in his second year as Munster head coach and held separate roles as forwards and defence coach in the previous five seasons after a 13-year career as a player.
He said he has not yet put pen to paper and is more worried about his team’s string of four consecutive defeats.
“There are a few things that need to be clarified around it so I don’t know, there was nothing to say last week, there is nothing to say this week. It’ll probably be the next few weeks before anything is done around that.
“There was a deadline of 1 December to agree something or to try and get the extra year extended. The IRFU are happy with that,” said Foley.
“I’m more concerned around getting a result at the weekend, I’m not looking after my own interests here. I don’t want to look after my own interest.
“Look, everything on the side of it, recruitment, contract extensions are all white noise at the moment. They are not a part of my mindset at the moment.”
The return of Tommy O’Donnell to full fitness is a huge boost for Foley’s hopes of victory this weekend against Leinster though. Without O’Donnell, who dislocated his hip playing a World Cup warm-up against Wales in August, and Peter O’Mahony, who is a long-term knee injury absentee, the Munster pack have been shorn of two top performers.
Foley is thrilled to see the Tipperary man back but he wants to see how he manages after training at CIT yesterday before pencilling him in for a match-day role.
“Tommy will be in the squad, he will be in contention. We just want to see how he pulls up. Obviously he has done a massive amount of work over the last number of weeks. We just want to make sure that it’s the right thing to do.
“Once he didn’t get it operated on, I think it sped up his recovery. Initially they were talking February. Once the operation didn’t happen they were talking around early January.
“In fairness, he has blown a lot of people away with the work he has been asked to do, and the functionality from what he could do in the gym, and what he could do in the pool, to what he could do running wise as early as he was able to do. A lot of that is down to his application and his drive to get back in.”
Dave O’Callaghan is the only recent injury concern for Munster after he suffered a strained hamstring against Leicester at the weekend, while BJ Botha took a full part in training after his recent concussion.
Tyler Bleyendaal also trained fully yesterday in Cork and could get the nod ahead of Ian Keatley at out-half on Sunday as Foley shuffles his hand for this clash and the trip to Ulster a week later.
21 months later: Jerome Garces will take charge of Saracens v Ulster
Speedy recovery puts O’Donnell in contention to face Leinster
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Anthony Foley contract talks Inter-pro Leinster Munster Pro12