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Auckland - Blues coach Pat Lam has shrugged off rumours he is eyeing up a move to Bath after his team's poor start to the Super Rugby season.
According to the Stuff.co.nz website, in an interview on Radio Sport on Tuesday, Lam deflected suggestions he would move to the English club after the Auckland franchise started the season with two straight losses.
"At the end of the day I have a contract here in New Zealand and I have a job to do. I know there are a lot of people who aren't happy but I can assure you we aren't happy too."
Lam said he had received an offer from the New Zealand Rugby Union to extend his contract beyond this season and at this stage he was committed to New Zealand rugby.
That contract offer could fall through though if Lam and his Blues cannot pull their season together quickly after a loss to the Crusaders and a horror performance against the Chiefs left the pre-season favourites floundering.
With eight current All Blacks in the Blues squad, Lam acknowledged the team had struggled to gel with players coming back into the squad at different times.
"It's a team fault. It's all of us. One of the challenges is we've got people coming back at different times.
"Ultimately we got it wrong, we got it wrong badly last week and we know as a group that we need to play better."
Dismissing suggestions it was time for him to step aside, Lam said the team's focus was very much on the in-form Bulls and Stormers and getting the season back on track.
"I understand why people are disappointed but bottom line, the goal is still to get to the playoffs.
"It's only round two and at the end of the day if I worried about what people said I would have been gone a long time ago."
The Blues play the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Kick-off is at 19:10.
According to the Stuff.co.nz website, in an interview on Radio Sport on Tuesday, Lam deflected suggestions he would move to the English club after the Auckland franchise started the season with two straight losses.
"At the end of the day I have a contract here in New Zealand and I have a job to do. I know there are a lot of people who aren't happy but I can assure you we aren't happy too."
Lam said he had received an offer from the New Zealand Rugby Union to extend his contract beyond this season and at this stage he was committed to New Zealand rugby.
That contract offer could fall through though if Lam and his Blues cannot pull their season together quickly after a loss to the Crusaders and a horror performance against the Chiefs left the pre-season favourites floundering.
With eight current All Blacks in the Blues squad, Lam acknowledged the team had struggled to gel with players coming back into the squad at different times.
"It's a team fault. It's all of us. One of the challenges is we've got people coming back at different times.
"Ultimately we got it wrong, we got it wrong badly last week and we know as a group that we need to play better."
Dismissing suggestions it was time for him to step aside, Lam said the team's focus was very much on the in-form Bulls and Stormers and getting the season back on track.
"I understand why people are disappointed but bottom line, the goal is still to get to the playoffs.
"It's only round two and at the end of the day if I worried about what people said I would have been gone a long time ago."
The Blues play the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Kick-off is at 19:10.
