Rugby: Former Blues coach Pat Lam channelling Real Madrid at relegated Bristol

Bristol head coach Pat Lam prior to the pre-season friendly match against Connacht. Photo/Getty Images

Bristol head coach Pat Lam is taking a leaf out of Real Madrid's book in his bid to take the West Country club back to the top of the English game.

Former Blues and Manu Samoa coach Lam arrived at Ashton Gate this summer after the club had been relegated back into the Greene King Championship. With the booby trap of the playoff system removed, Bristol, who open their campaign against part-timers Hartpury College on Sunday, are 4-11 favourites to bounce back at the first time of asking.

Already, Lam's sights are set higher on Champions Cup qualification and beyond. To that end, All Black flanker Steven Luatua and Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan have been signed, with former All Black Charles Piutau arriving next season to become English rugby's highest-paid player.

Yet their recruitment is part of a two-pronged strategy - recruit superstars and promote homegrown youngsters - that recalls former Real Madrid's president Florentino Perez's "Zidanes y Pavones" policy during the club's Galactico phase.

"Everyone knows that Bristol are a sleeping giant, but the one thing that the club was missing is a vision," Lam said. "Speaking to the board, we agreed a vision that is now shared by everyone at the organisation.

"We want to inspire the community through our rugby success. Then we have our three objectives - Champions Cup, players playing for England and promoting Bristolions.

"That gives us our direction.

"Charles Piutau was not brought in just because he was available, but because he fits our plan. He is a quality rugby player and a quality person that we need to get into the Champions Cup.

"But then he will also have a huge role in mentoring our young English players. Already we have seen that with Ian Madigan and what he has done with our two young fly-halves, Billy Searle and Callum Sheedy."

It is tempting to scoff, considering Bristol's outlay on Luatua and Piutau ($NZ1.2 million and $NZ1.8 million reportedly), but Lam is sincere that this is not just a cheque book coach.

He can point to his success with Connacht, taking the poor relation of the Irish provinces to Pro12 champions in 2016, as proof that his methods work.

"We ticked all those same boxes at Connacht over a four-year period," Lam said. "In my time, there 13 guys got capped by Ireland, our academy was really successful and we were champions, and I am equally proud of all those elements."