Chris Paterson retires, Edinburgh let players go

As expected Mossy has announced that he is to retire at the end of the season. Sad to see the legend go, but the chat is they will be giving him a role within Edinburgh and the SRU which is good to see.

http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/edinburgh-news/4184-farewell-to-seasoned-stalwarts

On another note, numerous other players are not having contracts renewed:

Godman
Blair
Jim Thomson
Andy Kelly
Kyle Traynor
Alan Macdonald
Lozada
Gilding

I wish them all well for the future as they have been good servants for Edinburgh. Not overly disappointed about Traynor, Gilding and Lozada but surprised about JT, Al and Andy Kelly who have contributed significantly to Edinburgh over the years.

I'm assuming that means we're still to sign a few 2nd rows and another hooker, or else we'll be very short there??

Spoke to Al at the Edinburgh game at the weekend and he's not sure whether he will stay in pro rugby. Can maybe see JT becoming a 7's player if he fancies it.

Make Chris Paterson chief exec of the SRU now.

I am sure he will make an excellent coach, but i just feel his skills may best suit administration.

LondonTiger wrote:

I am sure he will make an excellent coach, but i just feel his skills may best suit administration.

Interesting opinion to have- what makes you say that based on what you've seen of him as a player?

I think he is a fantastic pundit - whenever he's been on TV or the radio he's been very eloqount, funny and says it as it is without infuriating people from other nationalities (not naming names!)

He'd be wasted as a pundit though so good he's keeping involved with the SRU.

Based on interviews, after dinner speaking engagements and stuff like that he has always come across as intelligent, articulate, personable and charismatic.

As a player he showed those traits plus determination. He reminds me of Tony O'Reilly so much that I just feel his skills would be best suited to being the boss rather than a coach. In the amateur days he would already have been a senior executive in a major PLC.

Chris Patterson, what a fantastic player he has been for Edinburgh over the years. Not surprised to see Gilding on his way - simply not Rabo standard, nor even close. Lozada I could have guessed would depart as he's not been much in the frame this season, and similarly Godman (with Leonard and Hunter continuing their development) and Andy Kelly (Lawrie has tended to be first choice behind Fordy). Blair wanted to leave, Trayor is poor, but younger than Chunk, and Alan McDonald has been unlucky with injury

Fair enough. I think he'll be given a role somewhere in the middle - he won't be a coach but likewise won't just be an administrator stuck in bureaucracy.

Someone as iconic as Mossy is to Scottish rugby needs to be a bit of both!

I'm not convinced about the direction Edinburgh are going in. Replacing Blair for Rees and Traynor for Yapp is at the forefront of some daft decisions but losing Kelly and Thompson is ridiculous. Thompson, along with Mark Robertson, should have been capped a couple of seasons ago. I can understand losing Macdonald seeing as he's an openside and they have only ever been able to accommodate him at blindside.

Paterson for kicking coach - he needs to get into Ruaridh Jackson, ASAP.

I agree that Rees for Blair is a massive disappointment but TBH Traynor was crap and nothing more than a squad player, so can't see Yapp being any worse to us than that. The only difference is Traynor is Scottish I suppose.

Agreed about JT - he's been a great player over the years for Edinburgh andshould have been capped (must be raging that bloody Jack Cuthbert got capped and he didn't!) and he's only 27 or so.

My worry is that they are bringing in decent players, but do they have the same desire as the likes of JT etc?

TBH, I don't think JT has ever quite delivered on his potential - I know that's heresy to any Edinburgh fans, but just look how easily Tom Brown has glided past him this season

ASBO - I wouldn't say it is heresy as I tend to agree with you. 2 years ago he deserved a cap or two IMO but hasn't pushed on from then. He's a very laid back guy and not the most driven so that's maybe why.

I still think he'd have a lot to offer as an Edinburgh player though and, as he is an Edinburgh man, it is a shame that he's gone.

So fullback cover we now have Tom Brown (come on a massive amount), Atiga and Tonks, although the latter two aren't specialist fullbacks.

Good luck to Paterson - as has been said I hope he stays in the game, what a stalwart and a very good player.

Big salute to CP, a wonderful player and one of the best goal kickers to have played the game.

Very disappointed to see JT go. I thought he'd be fighting with Brown for the 15 jersey next season now that CP had gone. Hopefully he can find a contract somewhere. He's a good player who provides useful cover at 15, wing and outside centre.

No issues with the others on the list. Alan MacDonald is too far behind in the pecking order these days and Traynor and Gilding just aren't good enough. Kelly is a journeyman and Lozada doesn't add much more to me than MacAlpine coming through.

The only one that bothers me is JT.

Sad to see, although not really surprised, that Paterson is retiring. Been one of my favourite Scottish players for years now. Hope he carries on in some sort of capacity with the SRU, he's got a lot to offer. Good luck to him

Reckon he had to decide between JT and a returning Cairnsy? Saying that, Cairnsy I know has another year left on his contract.

If I had to chose I'd pick Cairnsy, but having played with them both when I was 18 I'd rather they'd both still be playing!

Don't know what the choice would have been. As you said above, the biggest priority for Edinburgh is the front five, so if letting go of JT plus the others above will enable Bradley to get in at least two decent locks plus perhaps a decent loosehead as well, then it'll be worth doing.

With the way Edinburgh now play the game it'll be good to see Cairns back next season. I imagine he'll enjoy playing outside Laidlaw and Scott under the new regime. Give him a chance to stretch his legs.

Another naughty player retires... oops I mean noughtie

A player who became part of the patch-work, part of the culture of Europen rugby. Great respect and liking for him as a player (was actually I think having something on of a rebirth in recent times - with elusive jinx moves and more aggression than I've ever remembered him to have)

But anyway, respected him as player but was really suprised by him when I heard him speak as pundit. I don't know why I was surprised but I was. Not loud, not too opinionated, just articulate, realistic and warm with it. In a sense, how I probably expected him to be and maybe the actual surprise was that my gut feeling was right - when it is often wrong about personality!

Wish him the best at what he chooses to do and hopefully we'll still be seeing him popping in and out on TV.

Well he can have Andy Nicol's job immediately as far as I'm concerned!

Not surprised by much of this, slightly surprised to see JT going and less so Alan Mc think both could still do a good job as squad players, but maybe time to seek pastures new.

Looks like there's more signings coming, tight 5 and maybe a winger?

Also the article said 10 to go - no extension for Gamboa, hasn't looked up to it from what I've seen.

Interview with the legend himself

http://www.edinburghrugby.org/news/edinburgh-news/4185-bar-radio-paterson-on-retirement

Such a good speaker!