Diamond exit creates 'uncertainty' at Newcastle - Care

Director of rugby Steve Diamond left Newcastle after a 39-17 loss to Saracens in their opening game

The decision to remove director of rugby Steve Diamond at Newcastle Red Bulls will have created "uncertainty" across the entire playing squad, says former England scrum-half Danny Care.

Diamond left his position last Wednesday, just one game into the new season. And with Alan Dickens stepping up as the new head coach, the Red Bulls were well beaten three days later by Exeter Chiefs.

The rebranded club are bottom of The Prem with two defeats out of two, as they appear set to face another tough season on the pitch.

And Care says that players will already be concerned about their own futures beyond this campaign.

"Newcastle have got to be careful," Care told the Rugby Union Weekly Podcast.

"The fact there is no relegation again makes all this fine because Newcastle will be in the league again next season, but I can imagine there is a lot of uncertainty there.

"There's obviously massive high hopes and a great company like Red Bull have come in - an incredible organisation - but for the players to see the head coach sacked after one week, they'll be asking questions about what their purpose is."

Red Bull's takeover of the north east club was only completed in August, a little over six weeks before the start of the new Prem season.

With such a short turnaround, much of Newcastle's recruitment has been short-term, with most players handed one-year contracts.

With the owners announcing their new management structure last week, including Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend being given a consultancy role, there appears to be longer-term plans being put into place behind the scenes at Kingston Park.

Care said he felt sorry for the Newcastle players.

"You wouldn't begrudge them from feeling this is almost a nothing year," he said.

"They keep hearing five-year project, 10-year project, but there are players there wondering, 'Am I going to be part of that project? What am I actually playing for'?

"The head coach has been sacked after one game and the players will be wondering if they'll be sacked off at the end of the season."