Sean Holley says he has spoken out over Ioan Cunningham after becoming “bewildered” by events at the Scarlets.
Forwards specialist Cunningham, 37, was released last week as the west Wales region pondered a rethink of their coaching options.
Wales U20s forwards coach Richard Kelly is replacing him.
New Zealander Ben Franks is also coming in as scrum coach.
Holley took to social media to express his views on the developments but insists he did so only out of concern for Cunningham.
“I feel for Ioan,” said the former Ospreys coach. "He’s cut his teeth, worked hard and won a PRO12 title with the Scarlets. That doesn’t happen by chance and so we have to assume he contributed fully to that success. Now he’s out of a job.
“Is there a place for him in Wales somewhere? He’ll obviously have to go out and find something else after all he’s invested in terms of time and effort, and all the investment the Scarlets have put into him.
“My worry is who’s going to pick up the pieces.
“Here we have a young coach who’s evidently good at what he does and now he finds there isn’t a role for him.
“I’m disappointed. I know Ioan well. He was a development coach at the Ospreys when I was there and I coached him many years ago. He’s a nice guy who has worked hard to achieve what he has achieved.”
Franks is a two-time World Cup winner with New Zealand who announced in February his intention to finish as a player, while Kelly has coached at Carmarthen Quins, with the Scarlets A team and with the national U20s, making a favourable impression along the way.
Holley says he is not taking aim at either of the pair, adding: “Richard Kelly is going to be really good coach.
“I don’t want to slight him or Franks.
“I understand Franks is a big name and has huge experience as a player. He’s obviously a winner.
“Has he coached much?
“Does he fit the bill for the Scarlets coaching team? They think so.
“I’m just a bit bewildered by it all.
“I don’t know what the options were. Adam Jones is doing a fine job at Harlequins. He’s more than just a scrum coach and has been doing some breakdown work with them, too, learning his trade in a general sense, but I think he’s signed a new contract. At some point, we have to start getting people like Adam home and Robin McBryde back from overseas.”
Holley is anxious that Cunnigham doesn’t slip off the Welsh rugby radar.
“When any coach is released in Wales there’s always that worry because there are only so many coaches’ jobs around,” he said.
“Ioan has a young family and is local.
“Now he might have to find a job elsewhere, maybe go over the bridge or abroad. Those things can be hard hitting.
“It’s like when I was at the Ospreys. People had invested a lot in me, then all of a sudden it ended there when I was still comparatively young.
“Surely, Ioan has something to offer having gone through all he’s been through.
“I wonder what the process is and what the exit plan is.
“I don’t understand what happens now. There’s a big question mark.”
