McKenzie slams Stade for pin-up player purchases

The popular Stade Francais calendar 'Dieux du Stade' (Gods of the Stadium), features nude and semi-nude photographs of team members.

Ewen McKenzie, recently sacked by French Top 14 club Stade Francais, on Monday slammed his former employers and accused them of prioritising the recruitment of good-looking players for the club calendar.

- Stade Francais is the best team in the world in terms of marketing - the Australian told sport daily L'Equipe.

- It's an international brand. But on the level of their sporting approach some things are shocking. Paris are verging on amateurism.-

He went on to accuse club president Max Guazzini of - only seeing two things - his calendar and the (team's home ground) Stade de France. -

The popular Stade Francais calendar 'Dieux du Stade' (Gods of the Stadium), features nude and semi-nude photographs of team members.

- He has a marketing outlook which is not always in the best interests of sport - said McKenzie.

- For example, Max could recruit one player over another just because he has a better look for the calendar.

- I had players in my squad who I never chose. Others were requested to leave the club because they didn't want to pose for the calendar any more.

- I had certain players forced on me who, for me, shouldn't have been in a team targetting the Top 14 title. -

Guazzini reacted later with disdain to McKenzie's remarks.

- He has found a job in Australia, and it is imperative for him to justify the reasons why Stade Francais, which is a well known club in Australia, sacked him and all he comes up with are derogatory remarks - he told French radio station RMC.

- From A to Z, everything he said was rubbish.

- Professionally speaking, ask the players, he didn't work, he did absolutely nothing.

- In terms of recruitment, we did exactly what he asked of us.-

Former New South Wales Warratahs coach McKenzie was recruited in mid-2008 after the departure of Fabien Galthie. He was sacked on September 8 after the club endured a disastrous start to the season.

He has since been recruited by Queensland Reds for three Super 14 seasons.