Foley's focus on Force
Western Force coach Michael Foley is totally committed to the Super Rugby club as the Australian Rugby Union race to find a replacement for Ewen McKenzie who quit in sensational circumstances after Saturday's loss to the All Blacks.
Foley, whose name has already been raised by the ARU board, has a year left on his three year Force contract and has previously said he would be happy to look at an extension.
"I am totally committed to the job I am doing with the people I am doing it with at the Force," Foley said.
"I've enjoyed the last two year's immensely and all the challenges that have gone with it.
"I have great faith in the people I am working with,the team and the staff, and I am excited about what the future holds.
"Anybody who gets asked (by the ARU) would feel compelled to help but in the last two years I have had a very good working environment. There has been a clear agenda and we have embraced our challenges.
"Once you start working in a healthy environment like this there is a lot of appeal to see the job done."
Foley, a former Wallabies assistant coach, believes McKenzie was a victim of those pushing their own agendas.
He said it was sad to see McKenzie walk and questioned whether Australian rugby could afford to lose him.
"At different times teams have incidents and issues. What has happened is that there have been a couple of incidents and they have been used to highlight what some people with agendas perceive to be greater issues," he said.
"Every team with such a broad range of people and diversity will, from time to time, have incidents that need to be dealt with.
'What has played out is a blurring of the lines between what is incident based and what is the bigger issue.
"Incidents have been interpreted as far, far bigger issues.
"We have lost a head coach. That is very sad. Ewen has taken a lot of pride in contributing to Australian rugby.
"He has found himself in a position where he believes that his tenure is no longer possible and that is a very sad situation.
"Can we really afford to lose people like that? What have we been left with?
"Our flagship team is without a head coach a week before they are due to go overseas and just under a year before the World Cup."
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika is the frontrunner for the job and it is understood Springboks World Cup-winning and former Brumbies coach Jake White has been ruled out.
