John Kirwan has described Tana Umaga as a "fantastic" candidate for his former head coach's role at the Blues and has promised to help his transition into the job should he decide to take it.
Kirwan this morning announced he was stepping away from the role he has held for three years.
John Kirwan has resigned his role as head coach of the Blues.
Kirwan, who has been head coach for three years, has today announced that he will not seek reappointment for a further term as coach and will step aside, effective immediately.
Under Kirwan the Blues won three matches this season and during his three-year reign have won only two away matches.
While Kirwan had put up a proposal to the Blues Board for his continued involvement, he said that he had reconsidered over the past few days after talking with his family, colleagues and friends.
"I love this club. I believe for it to be successful in the future it needs total cohesion from all stakeholders," Kirwan said in a press conference today.
"I think it's time for someone else to take over the reins."
"I believe the Blues are heading in the right direction," he said. "It's a moment of reflection and a big moment in my life. I've had sleepless nights."
Kirwan took over as Blues coach in the 2013 season after the side dumped Pat Lam. The team finished 10th in his first season with six wins. The following season the Blues finished in 10th once again with seven victories before failing to reach the playoffs for a third straight year this season - winning just three games.
"There's too many things in my way to stop the club moving forward and I wish my successor all the best."
The Herald reported on Saturday that the Blues have targeted former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga as the key to helping them out of their coaching crisis.
Umaga, who was in Italy as assistant coach of New Zealand at the World Rugby Under-20s Championship but returned home to accompany Jerry Collins body home and attend his former teammate's funeral, met Blues officials at their Mt Albert headquarters before he left.
Kirwan said Umaga would be a fine choice to replace him.
"I think Tana's an outstanding young man. He is a guy who would be fantastic for here."
Blues CEO Michael Redman said that the organisation owes much to Kirwan who will leave a real legacy at the club, which became a standalone organisation last year.
"When JK arrived three years ago he had the courage to shine a spotlight on the areas within the organisation that were in serious need of an overhaul," said Redman. "The playing record of the Blues under JK has not reflected his work and the determination he had to create a pathway for sustainable success going forward, based on strong values.
"That reform is now unstoppable and JK has to take a significant amount of the credit for it."
Umaga is likely to be a popular choice as coach and, if successful, would be a public relations triumph after a season of disappointment both on and off the field.
He is seen as a coach with a good rapport with his players at Counties Manukau and is likely to relate well with a young and inexperienced Blues backline.
After playing 74 tests, the former All Blacks midfielder joined French club Toulon as a player-coach, a role he continued at Counties on his return to New Zealand in 2011.
Tana Umaga is set to sign a three-year deal
The former Hurricane also played a season for the Chiefs on his return and has had a close relationship with the Hamilton-based franchise.
There was a feeling he could have pursued a coaching role there under Dave Rennie, an avenue which has probably been closed by the recent appointment of Tasman coach Kieran Keane.
Three years ago he missed out on the head coaching job at Munster. He then committed himself to learning his craft at Counties Manukau, telling the Herald of his respect for the jump up to Super Rugby level: "I'm not sure I'm ready for that level. I'm still making mistakes here and I'm just fortunate these guys have helped me through making my mistakes and have got the results, so I don't want to be making those at the next level.
"I want to go up there totally confident in the ideas I have. I want to make sure that they're sound and have the backing of being tried and tested," he said.
