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Last updated: 25th January 2008
Meehan: spoke to The Rugby Club
To continue to build on what we've been working on over the last 18 months, then asking him to resign the captaincy was an important step.
Steve Meehan
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Bath head coach Steve Meehan insists he has no hard feelings over skipper Steve Borthwick's decision to leave the club.
England forward Borthwick has announced he will see out his contract at The Rec before moving to Saracens at the end of the season following 10 years at Bath.
Meehan stripped Borthwick of the captaincy following the announcement but has held talks with the 28-year-old and insists the move was not motivated by money or problems within the team.
He told The Rugby Club: "He and I have had some frank discussions about it and I feel reasonably good about what he's said to me in regards to his departure.
"It's not come down to a situation where we've been at loggerheads or anything like that. It's got nothing to do with what we're trying to build as a team. It would be hard to leave a side that's currently second.
"And I don't think it always comes down to money with every individual. Perhaps with some, but I would like to think that's not the case with Steve."
Explaining his decision to take the captaincy away from Borthwick immediately, he said it was important for the development of the team.
Important step
He continued: "To continue to build on what we've been working on over the last 18 months, then asking him to resign the captaincy was an important step.
"The players need to recognise that it's not about one man and is about us as a group and they can fill his captaincy shoes now as opposed to in the future. It's more about the development as us as a squad."
Borthwick apparently questioned the ambition at the top end of club last summer and some have speculated that may be the reason for his decision to leave.
Meehan said he shared some of those concerns in the past, but felt the club had pulled together in recent months.
He added: "I've asked similar questions and I've received answers that were sufficient for me to sign on for another two years.
"I'm happy with where it's going, I think the acquisition of Simon Halliday has helped the club and the future is looking pretty good.
"Strong teams have strong administration and it is a club. It is important that team, rugby staff and administration all work together and are heading in the same direction. That has been spoken about a lot here in the last 12 months.
"My feeling is that has been brought closer together in Bath since I arrived."
