 Ashton (right) worked closely with Sir Clive Woodward with England |
New Bath coach Brian Ashton insists he will stay true to his bold reputation as he tries to revive the glory days he enjoyed in his first spell in charge. Ashton, who led Bath to their last domestic trophy in 1996, built his credentials on an expansive approach.
"I just think that the Anglo-Saxon way is to be rather conservative," he said.
"Maybe I was unfortunate to be born in the wrong country. But I have never departed from my ideals in the last 20 years and it's too late to change now."
Ashton, 59, was the inspiration behind the best rugby played by England under Sir Clive Woodward as his assistant coach.
 | BRIAN ASHTON FACTFILE 1946: Born in Leigh, Lancs Played for: Tyldesley, Fylde, Orrell, Lancashire, England North, Barbarians, AS Montferrand, Roma, Milan 1989-94: Bath assistant coach 1994-97: Bath head coach 1997-98: Ireland head coach 1998-02: England asst. coach 2002-05: RFU Academy Mgr |
He was previously credited with helping establish Bath as the kings of English rugby in the early-to-mid 1990s. But after three years as director of the Rugby Football Union's National Academy - based at Bath University - Ashton is relishing the prospect of returning to frontline coaching.
"At the National Academy my role was becoming more of a management one," he explained.
"I found I was drifting into politics and I am no politician. I found I was drifting into administration and I am no administrator; and from time to time I was asked to act in a diplomatic fashion and I am no diplomat.
"My main strength is as a coach. I see my job as improving players individually, to do the technical work with them, and also to establish the environment, the framework, in which the players operate."
"I didn't want to spend my final job behind a desk when I feel I am more effective out on the field." Ashton will have to maintain that reputation if Bath are to regain the lustre they enjoyed during his last spell in charge.
|  I'm a massive believer that a coach will never change his ways |
Bath remain in the bottom three, six points above basement club Leeds, after a seventh Premiership defeat this season against Sale. An indicator of their demise since the likes of Stuart Barnes and Jeremy Guscott were in their pomp is their recent attempts at crossing the opposition try-line.
Despite a 100% record from their four Heineken Cup pool games and a powerful pack, Bath have scored only 12 tries in 11 league games this season, the lowest in the Premiership.
They have not registered a Premiership try at The Rec since last April, almost nine months and 480 playing minutes ago.
A second relegation battle in four years, either side of losing a Premiership final to Wasps and a Powergen Cup final to Leeds, looms unless Ashton can reignite Bath's attacking game.
"I'm a massive believer that a coach will never change his ways," he added.
"The really important thing is to make sure that every week when the players go out they have the sort of mentality to produce a game that reveals their true potential."
MMIX
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