Hunt for Blues boss takes bizarre turn

There couldn't be a clearer indication as to why the Blues franchise is so dysfunctional.

Unbelievable is a word often used too loosely.

But I find it unbelievable that the disastrous Pat Lam has still been the subject of plenty of debate and divided opinion right up to the final interview stage.

And according to Pat himself, "that was one of my best interviews and I'm very hopeful."

How bizarre! How really and truly unbelievable!

Let me draw the most obvious parallel for you that emphasises how absurd this situation has got to.

Can you imagine both the Crusaders administration and fans alike accepting that Todd Blackadder should be rehired as Head Coach if he had just overseen a humiliating 4 to 12 win / loss record on top off a mediocre record to date.

The pressure to dump Blackadder now would be so immense, no amount of friends in high places or self-serving politicking would come remotely close to saving him.

And that includes the NZRU who even though they ultimately employ every New Zealand coach in the Super 15, wouldn't dare mess with the accountability factor that such a ruthless culture as the Crusaders have undeniably created.

In all reality, it wouldn't even get to the stage where Blackadder remotely considered reapplying.

He would have fallen on his sword by now which is exactly what Blues fans could fairly have expected Lam to have done.

But not a chance.

Lam has obviously known all along that his dumping would by no means be a straight forward matter knowing the opposing factions that exist in and around the wishy-washy, back-scratching Blues franchise.

It's become apparent that John Kirwan, the more favoured new contender for the job has enjoyed the backing of Chief Executive, Andy Dalton and Chairman, Gary Whetton with Kieran Crowley and probably Vern Cotter the other contenders.

But the NZRU and their golden boy, Graham Henry who has been a close mentor of Lam, plus Graham Mourie and Don Tricker who've all been involved in the selection process are more than likely to have imposed the inherent conservatism of our national governing body and pushed hard for Lam.

That's probably not surprising given the NZRU were happy to endorse Ian Foster as assistant coach for the All Blacks not long after he coached the Chiefs to lose every home game in a season.

Such is the shambles and self-serving publicity that exists at the Blues, it surely explains why no overseas coach has shown the slightest interest in the position.

That's exactly what the situation required I believe.

A totally independent, strong-minded individual without any previous ties to the Blues who would come in and make recommendations to sweep clean, without fear nor favour from the top down.

But that won't happen.

And that's why the odds are that the Blues will continue to deliver mediocrity both on and off the field as opposed to the Crusaders who will continue to be finalists forever and a day.

Let's hope that sanity prevails and Lam has been given the shove.

But as Blues fans are so painfully aware of, anything is possible as accountability is not a priority at this deeply flawed franchise.

Your thoughts please.