GLOUCESTER bosses are prepared to bolster Kingsholm's flush coaching staff still further – to allow Nigel Davies a more strategic Cherry and Whites overview.
The Kingsholm board bankrolled a new-look coaching set-up when rugby director Davies arrived from Llanelli Scarlets in the summer.
Cherry and Whites chiefs all-but doubled their frontline coaching ranks, to reflect both the fallout from Bryan Redpath's tenure and a firmer financial footing.
Where Redpath and assistant Carl Hogg were backed up by operations manager John Brain, now Davies has forwards coach Hogg, defence specialist Paul Moriarty, player/backs coach Mike Tindall and scrum coordinator Tony Windo.
But now Gloucester's top dogs are seriously considering adding a further full-time recruit to Davies' coaching staff.
Stalwart lock Alex Brown has assumed a variety of duties from team management to lineout coordination in the wake of his enforced premature retirement in December.
The 33-year-old's shoulder problem forced him to hang up his boots, but the Bristol-born second-row has been quick to try to launch an off-field career.
Gloucester remain in talks with the former Colston's Collegiate College pupil over a more permanent Kingsholm role for next season.
And the Echo understands player scouting and talent identification are high on the list of areas Gloucester where would be keen to beef up their resources.
Brown is keen to carve out a long-term Kingsholm coaching niche, and could yet be the man to fill a new post that would involve a variety of duties.
Former Wales centre Davies was fully hands-on when he arrived during pre-season to set up robust and definitive coaching frameworks.
But right from the outset the new boss admitted he was keen to carry Gloucester to the position where he could step back from frontline duties as and when required, to focus on other areas.
Davies used the LV=Cup fixture windows to drop away from immediate coaching and handle player retention and recruitment for next season.
Hogg and Moriarty took up the slack in those two fixture runs, and are on hand to step into the breach when required.
But the Gloucester board are reviewing a number of options that would enable former management consultant Davies greater and more regular flexibility.
At the same time Gloucester are also weighing up their scouting networks.
Premiership rivals like Northampton and Leicester have well-established scouting procedures in place across the continent and beyond.
Initially Davies had planned to handle the brunt of this requirement himself. But now the Cherry and Whites are reviewing the situation, to determine if partial scouting duties could fall under the remit of a new recruit.
