Yeah, we all know that it was Danny who buggered us about, not Dai, but the point was Dai and Danny did not see eye to eye, and I think the Wade/Cipriani interview shows that, clearly. Even Dai himself made comments showing his frustration at times that made me wonder how happy he was with his ten going off piste. That was on national TV!
England aside, had it been Shaun and not Dai, Danny may not have left because they are hugely close. Danny has made lots of comments about coaches, and is clearly very complementary about a couple, but I have never heard good words about Dai from him.
We had no choice prior to the move in how we played, we had to play exciting rugby as we had Wade and Varndell on the wings and a relatively mobile back row. We did not have the cash to get top names, and when we did it was not for the cash that they came. Betsen et al were not there for the money. I don't think that was Dai's blueprint, it was necessity, and we did well in managing what we had under Dai.I just think he wanted a more conservative game.
I don't see last few *seasons* as a disaster, far from it, but the last few months were a team going nowhere, heading for a cliff, and SV managed Dai's departure very well, allowing him to leave with full dignity as befits a true club servant.
I still see Cardiff games as the wife is a fan, and wish Dai well. Coincidentally, they have a lot of the same issues we had these past few months. Discipline going to pot in the last quarter, a crummy lineout when in their 22, and a bit of white line fever, with a tendency to bash away phase after phase on their line after a good break.