MacRae quits after three years as Lovat boss
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LOVAT’S double MacTavish Cup-winning manager Allan MacRae has sensationally quit on the eve of the new season.
MacRae broke the news to a stunned Balgate committee earlier this week citing unnecessary interference from the club’s hierarchy.
It appears that MacRae’s abrupt departure was prompted by a letter sent to the management and coaches at the club seeking ways to improve the channels of communication at the club.
Club chairman, John MacRitchie, a former player and seen as a potential successor to MacRae, said one of the committee’s big concerns after last season was to manage the player pools to the “maximum benefit of the club”.
“Last season was unfortunate in that we ended up cup tying too many first team fringe players which prevented them playing in the junior cup competitions,” he added. “I believe Lovat had more cup-tied players than any other club in the sport.
“The committee is strongly of the opinion that if that aspect had been better managed we would have performed more strongly in the junior cup competitions. It is all about communicating and allowing the committee to point out the bigger picture.”
MacRitchie rejected claims made by MacRae that the committee were dictating to the managers and were out to influence team selection.
“That simply is not true. We asked Allan if he could inform the committee of his player pool for the upcoming match. That would allow us to look at the overall situation regarding player avaialability.At no point did we wish to interfere with his team selection,” said MacRitchie.
“As a club we are deeply disappointed that Allan is leaving. We fully appreciate everything he has done and his commitment to the cause, not only for the first team but also for his time with the reserves. It is a great pity that we were not able to resolve our differences but we have to move on with the new season just weeks away. We wish him well for the future”.
MacRae, a policeman based in Helmsdale, has overseen a golden era at the Kiltarlity club and in 2013 led the club to their first MacTavish triumph for sixty years, a feat he repeated 12 months later.
Two runners-up spots in the Premiership in successive years is also on his CV and he leaves the club in their strongest position since the glory years of the 1950s.
