Johnston has high hopes for Warriors' future - The Worcester Observer

Johnston has high hopes for Warriors' future

Worcester Editorial 30th Jan, 2014 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0
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HIGH performance director Nick Johnston says relegation would not dash Worcester Warriors’ hopes of becoming a top six Aviva Premiership side by 2016.

Warriors are currently facing a fight to retain their status in the top flight as they sit 11 points adrift at the foot of the table, with ten matches remaining.




Johnston, who arrived at Sixways last month after five successful years at Northampton, said Worcester will do all they can to avoid the drop, but he insisted a demotion to the RFU Championship would not stand in the way of the club’s lofty ambitions.

“It may well be (that we have to take a step back to move forward), but that doesn’t faze us,” he said. “We don’t want that to happen and we still think we can get out of this hole we have created.


“We are determined to hit the 2015/16 season as one of the best prepared sides going. Our challenge is to be a top six side at the end of that year.

“We will move forward and develop as we genuinely want to make this club a top four team sooner rather than later.

“I haven’t come here to be bottom half of the table. That is not what I am about and neither are Dean (Ryan), Carl (Hogg) and the rest of the coaches here.

“We want to make this club successful and we are determined to do it. People may say it was a strange decision to come to Warriors, but it isn’t really.

“I believe it was an easy decision as it has the most potential and possesses the biggest challenge.

“We are not here for the short-term and when our time has finished here I firmly believe there will be a sustainable structure in place that will move this side forward for years to come.”

Last week Warriors flew to Portugal for a warm-weather training camp ahead of the return of the Aviva Premiership and Johnston believes a change of scenery could make a big difference

“It is not going to be the magic cure so we should not get too carried away, but it was an opportunity to get away and train in 18 or 19 degrees with the sun on their backs,” he added. “That different environment can sometimes do it.

“We did it at Northampton and it helped us a bit. It is not the answer, but we are in a situation which we have created and it is only us who can get the club out of it and we will do our best.”

Warriors will also be hoping to secure back to back wins at Sixways for the first time this season when they host Exeter Chiefs in the LV=Cup on Saturday (3pm).

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