Wynne Gray: Bitter deja vu in JK's failure to lift Blues

The Blues' backers place great store in John Kirwan's charisma but the wins he needs to keep his place are not coming. Photo / Getty Images

Kirwan's painful denials of team's dire performance issues failing to impress public desperate for revival.

The storyline was familiar. Believe me, the bloke said, things will be different with the Blues this year.

I hoped my "oh really" reaction went unnoticed and I'm sure I didn't flicker because the Blues have been lolling in mediocrity in the 12 years since they last won the Super rugby title.

Change the coach, change the results? No dice so far. After his win in 2003, Peter Sloane battled through the next two years as have successors David Nucifora, Pat Lam and Sir John Kirwan. Four defeats on the bounce and JK's melon is on the burning stick, the sacrifice to assuage an unhappy public.

It's a natural reaction especially after some of the absurd rhetoric he delivered after the latest loss to the Lions. If he'd used some of the blunt language Dave Rennie used to castigate his team's work, we could have nodded. Instead we were left with "you've got to be joking" reactions to the Blues' performance and Kirwan's support of the team's progress. This was sports-speak gone troppo.

There are many times when coaches present a different public view to the messages they deliver within the confines of their sporting domain. We understand the rationale behind that dichotomy, it is part of the game within the game.

However, Kirwan's latest sermon is getting into the realm Lam occupied as he worked through the terminal stages of his work with the Blues. It was painful watching his repeat denials about the problems encircling the Blues.

The franchise was a sole NZRU affiliate then but the goal posts have shifted a bit in Kirwan's tenure. Private equity company Bolton Equities Ltd holds a 40 per cent share of the Blues with a seven-year commercial deal and two seats on the Blues board. Chief executive Murray Bolton has maintained he is in for the long-haul.

He hitched his investment to Kirwan's charisma when the queue of coaches lining up for the job barely filled the corridor. The spinoffs are many in the business world where Kirwan's profile pulls in audiences and sponsors at a variety of functions.

His support of causes like mental health gives him a wider connection to the community and he brings a natural charm to a variety of causes including a stint as guest editor of the Herald in 2013. His prime duty is to the Blues where he has to select and coach the rugby team to succeed. That is not happening and 13 wins from 36 games is no reference for an extension offer to his contract.

Decisions happen midway through the Super series and Kirwan needs away wins against the Hurricanes, Waratahs and Chiefs then victory against the Brumbies on the team's return to Eden Park, to contemplate that invitation.

Blues results
1996 1st (coach, Graham Henry)
1997 1st (Henry)
1998 2nd (Henry)
1999 9th (Jed Rowlands)
2000 6th (Gordon Hunter)
2001 11th (Frank Oliver)
2002 6th (Peter Sloane)
2003 1st ( Sloane)
2004 5th (Sloane)
2005 7th (Sloane)
2006 8th (David Nucifora)
2007 4th (Nucifora)
2008 6th (Nucifora)
2009 9th (Pat Lam)
2010 7th (Lam)
2011 4th (Lam)
2012 12th (Lam)
2013 10th (John Kirwan)
2014 10th (Kirwan)