Head coach Tait reveals new Newcastle Falcons set-up

Tait coached in the Celtic League before moving to the Premiership

Alan Tait has revealed there will be no new director of rugby role at Newcastle Falcons, following his appointment as head coach at Kingston Park.

Falcons parted company with director of rugby Steve Bates on Tuesday, and a restructured backroom staff will take the club into the 2010-11 season.

"I am the man in charge of the rugby side of the club," Tait said.

"I will decide which players come, which players leave and which players get selected in the team each week."

Tait continued: "I will decide what our coaching set-up and backroom support team is.

"But rather than getting bogged down in the office side of things I will be supported by our chief executive David Bell with regards to admin, contracts and negotiations, so that I can concentrate purely on rugby.

"There will be no director of rugby coming in, and I as head coach will be in charge of the rugby department."

Having enjoyed a profitable career with Newcastle as a player, the former dual code centre returned to the club as assistant coach to aid Bates at the beginning of the current season.

And having experienced the club's disappointing performance in the Premiership this season, the ambitious Tait is keen to see improvement during the summer and beyond.

I think it's only fair that our supporters know the quality of players we are recruiting in the meantime, and I can reveal that they include a number of full internationals

Falcons head coach Alan Tait

"We now have a chance on Saturday to end on a positive note against London Wasps, but the planning is already well underway for next season," Tait said.

"A number of new players have either agreed terms or are very close to doing so, and we hope to start getting these names announced from next week onwards.

"I think it's only fair that our supporters know the quality of players we are recruiting in the meantime, and I can reveal that they include a number of full internationals, some of the Championship's top performers and the best talent from the local North-East clubs.

"This is in addition to the fact that most of our top players are already under contract for next season, and with that campaign in mind we have already taken the decision to bring the players back early for pre-season training which will now start in mid June," Tait added.

"This will give the new group ample time to knit together, and there can really be no excuses."

Newcastle's final game of the Premiership season is against Wasps on Saturday, 8 May, and marks the final appearance of All Blacks tight-head Carl Hayman before his move to French club Toulon.