Mike Bradley will leave Connacht to join Edinburgh
Edinburgh chairman Jim Calder and the Edinburgh Rugby Supporters’ Club have joined forces to hail the appointment of head coach Michael Bradley as a positive move for the capital side, and to formally welcome the Irishman to his new role in EH12.
Calder said the arrival of the former Ireland captain, who led Connacht to three European semi-finals in his seven years at the helm in Galway, was “a real step in the right direction” for Edinburgh, pinpointing his intimate knowledge of the Magners League and track record of getting the most out of players as “enviable attributes” for the role.
Calder, a pivotal player in Scotland’s 1984 Grand Slam and a vastly respected figure in Edinburgh’s rugby and business communities, continued: “I see Michael’s appointment as great news for the club on a number of levels.
“First and foremost, he’s a coach and individual who comes highly recommended. Everyone you speak to about him highlights the steel and determination he’s brought to every job he’s had, and I know he’s already impressed a lot of people within Edinburgh and Scottish Rugby with just how passionate he is about this role and how hungry he is to make a success of it.
“It’s also great to have him on board in good time for pre-season. He’ll have the chance to find out more about the squad and the club over the summer period, and I’m sure it will be all systems go come the start of the new Magners League campaign. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know him better over the coming months, and to giving him my full support as we enter another exciting phase in the club’s history. We’ve seen in recent weeks just what the squad is capable of, and I’ve every faith in Michael’s ability to build on that when the new season comes around.”
Ronan Gilchrist, who this week took up the post of chairman of the Edinburgh Rugby Supporters’ Club, added his own endorsement to Bradley’s appointment, saying: “On behalf of the Supporters’ Club and Edinburgh fans in general, I’d like to welcome Michael to his new role as head coach of Edinburgh. I’d also like to welcome him and his family to this fantastic city of ours.
“Michael has already said that he wants to help grow Edinburgh’s supporter base and to engage with the fans, and we look forward to meeting with with him and hearing his coaching philosophy. I’m confident in his ability to get the best out of the squad and to produce exciting Magners League and Heineken Cup encounters during his tenure as head coach.
“On behalf of the supporters, I’d also like to thank [interim head coach] Nick Scrivener for his hard work with the club and wish him all the best for his return to Australia.” Bradley will take over as head coach following Edinburgh’s final Magners League match of the season away to Benetton Treviso on Friday (kick-off 7.05pm BST)