BERNARD JACKMAN IS open to getting \u201canother crack\u201d at coaching roles after his recent departure from the Dragons.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The former Irish hooker parted company with the Welsh outfit last month despite signing a three-year deal in June 2017.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Newport-based club were second from bottom in the Pro14 Conference B when Jackman left, after three wins and seven defeats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the 42-year-old says he hasn\u2019t been discouraged from continuing his coaching career elsewhere, although he had slight regrets over not bringing in a mentor to guide him.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to get another crack at it. I\u2019m definitely a better coach now than I was last year,\u201d he told\u00a02fm\u2019s Game On last night.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very young for a head coach but I\u2019ve already amassed great experience in two different countries. We\u2019ll wait and see what happens over the next few months. If a good opportunity comes up, we\u2019ll look at it, and if not well I\u2019ll go down a different route.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I got a head coach role so quickly, I perhaps missed out on the opportunity to have a mentor or a figure to guide me through.<\/p>\n
\u201cI see Mike Prendergast and Paul O\u2019Connell working with Stade Francais under Heyneke Meyer for example, the lads [Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones] that got to work with Rassie [Erasmus] at\u00a0Munster .<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an assistant coach, you just worry about a certain area of the game. That\u2019s what I started off doing in Grenoble. If it was the right club, and there was the opportunity to be an assistant to a good head coach, we\u2019d definitely look at it.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Jackman has no regrets over his spell in Wales and feels he left the club in a better place than he found it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIt was a\u00a0build\u00a0project and it is still in a\u00a0rebuild\u00a0phase, but it is in a much better place than when I got it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m confident the right structures are in place. We didn\u2019t get the results quickly enough and as\u00a0head\u00a0coach\u00a0you have to take responsibility for that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe looked to keep the best people in the Dragons, which we did and bring in the best coaches, which we did. When players haven\u2019t had access to a quality backroom team ever, it does take time. I\u2019m confident the right structures are in place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like to think I have a growth mindset. If you look back and say, \u2018I wish I had more time\u2019, it will affect your ability to learn from the next challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn any job in rugby, you don\u2019t know how long you will be there. I have no regrets.\u00a0Obviously\u00a0there is frustration around the results, but you have to work hard and be patient.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe big thing for me was I could see development in the players from day-to-day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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