Stuart Barnes told Sky Sports News HD that Rob Andrew should follow Martin Johnson and resign.
Johnson not the only one to blame, says Barnes
Stuart Barnes has called for Rob Andrew to follow Martin Johnson's example and resign.
England team manager Johnson called time on his three-and-a-half years in charge following a dismal showing at the World Cup in New Zealand.
Johnson quits - full story
Former chief executive of the Rugby Football Union, Martyn Thomas, was the man who gave Johnson the job even though he had no managerial experience whatsoever.
Barnes believes he was completely the wrong appointment to start with and says with Thomas gone, Elite Rugby Director Andrew, should take responsibility for a decision that has left the national side in turmoil.
"Martyn Thomas went for public opinion rather than wisdom and three-and-a-half years later England paid the price for cheap populism," he told
Sky Sports News HD.
"Martyn Thomas has already resigned and one has to say Rob Andrew was against the initial appointment of Johnson and when Martyn Thomas put the pressure on, Rob Andrew changed his mind.
"I think really Rob Andrew should go too after this, because it has set England back a long way," he told
Sky Sports News HD.
"It's the whole thing; this is a chain that goes from the top and the people wearing suits down to the bottom and the players wearing shirts and representing England.
"There is a moral malaise in the RFU where people are more interested in protecting their positions than doing what's right for England."
Barnes initially called for Johnson to go straight after the World Cup quarter-final defeat by France.
Irrelevant
He was again critical of his "crass" decision-making in New Zealand and says that although some of the England players let him down with their off-field behaviour, his lack of managerial experience meant the former Leicester man did not handle the PR well.
He also accused him of selecting a sub-standard back-up team, having been given carte-blanche by the RFU to appoint his own coaches.
And while another former England captain, Will Carling, described the decision as sad and hoped a place could be found for him, Barnes says walking away was one of the few things Johnson got right.
"I am glad he's gone," he said. "I'm afraid Will Carling's stuff on Twitter sums up the problem.
"What England have got to do is differentiate between Johnno the captain and player - and everything Will Carling said about that is right - and Martin Johnson the manager, who has I'm afraid, travelled absolutely nowhere with England and led them to their worst World Cup in 24 years.
"What he achieved as a player is absolutely irrelevant to what he's done as a manager. A place should be found for him? I really think Martin Johnson has done the right thing by resigning, there's no sadness, Johnson had to go.
"It would have been a loss of his integrity had he not, he knows that. He's done the right thing.
Experience
"The biggest failing wasn't Martin Johnson's fault at all. He'd never managed any team before and it was an absolute joke when he was appointed. This is not a matter of hindsight, many of us were saying then how can you appoint someone to manage an international team with no experience whatsoever.
"Captaining and managing a team are completely different worlds."
Barnes then turned his attentions to Johnson's successor - and urged the RFU to go for Graham Henry.
The man who guided his native New Zealand to their first World Cup win in 24 years retired from the game straight after the All Blacks' win over France in this year's final.
But Barnes, who put the 65-year-old forward as a "devilish throw-away" during the tournament, urged the RFU to do all they can to tempt him to Twickenham.
"I would love to see Graham Henry take over," he said.
"He sort of announced a retirement because the one thing England has over other nations is finances; they should try and take what is required to make Henry think again.
"Henry is the best and most experienced coach in the world and what he does best is, Henry is outstanding at developing his coaches. And for a number of years before Johnson, England's back-up coaching has been of a poor standard.
"Graham Henry is my choice but it would be an astonishing feat if England could tear him away. I wouldn't discount it.
"It would take a lot for him to leave his beloved New Zealand, but it's not out of the question."
