Alex Codling questions Newcastle?s future after demolition by Leicester
With the Falcons remaining rooted to the bottom of the Premiership table, the coach expressed worries about the club?s short-term strategy
Charles Richardson, Rugby Reporter, at Mattioli Woods Welford Road 3 December 2023 ? 9:36pm
Alex Codling questioned the strategic future of Newcastle after the club slumped to their eighth successive league loss.
Newcastle have played eight, lost eight in the Premiership so far this season, with the most recent defeat a 47-3 drubbing at the hands of Leicester on Sunday keeping them glued to the bottom of the table.
While Newcastle head coach Codling insisted after the loss at Welford Road that the spirit and work ethic of his players could not be questioned, he expressed concerns about the composition of the squad he has inherited.
?At no point will I ever criticise the players around their spirit and togetherness,? said Codling, 50, who is in his first season in the North East. ?It?s a tough watch and after 25 minutes we?re in a pretty difficult position. It?s tough. I?ve never been in this position before. I detest losing. I take it more personally than anyone.
?Newcastle have got decisions to make going forward around the strategy, because there are some really talented youngsters ? but in the short term it makes life difficult. That?s the bare facts of it. I can?t dress it up any other way ? but I can?t criticise the players.
?I just work week to week at the moment; I work 100 hours a week. This is a huge challenge, my job is to now try and lift the spirits up again. As painful as it is in the short term, for the long term of the club there are some really talented youngsters. The challenge we have is that we don?t have the experience around them to drop them in.
?You dust yourself down and go again. It?s like a boxer, there are only so many punches you can take, but you keep taking them and hopefully at some point you land a blow.?
Asked whether he was in discussions with Newcastle?s executives about the future strategy, Codling said that he was ?paid to coach?.
?I respect the club massively, they?ve had to make tough decisions around finances but, ultimately, it becomes really tough when every week you?re coming up against fully stacked teams,? he added. ?The difference this year is that the chance to come up against teams during international periods when they rotate has now gone and, while that?s good for rugby, we?re now going against fully stacked teams every week and it makes life harder. In the short term it?s painful, in the long term hopefully it will be good for the club.?