The void left by not employing a head coach when Dean Ryan was promoted to director of rugby was the reason behind Gloucester's failures in the last two seasons.

That was the verdict of chairman Tom Walkinshaw's review of the club, which resulted in Bryan Redpath's promotion to head coach and Ryan leaving the club yesterday.

Walkinshaw wanted to introduce two clearly defined roles at the top and Ryan wanted to maintain the coaching side of his job. Something had to give, and that ended up being Ryan.

Walkinshaw said: "As we dug down and spoke to people, talked to coaches and talked to players and all the rest of it, it started to become apparent that we had made a fundamental error.

"When we promoted Dean we didn't replace the head coach and therefore there was a void.

"It's quite clear that was the one thing that was responsible for the inconsistent performance of the team on the field.

Walkinshaw added: "The message to fans is quite clear.

"We've got one of the best squads of players in the country. We've identified the problem and we've put it right. The acid test will be in the coming season.

"The majority of the recruitment for the coming season is in place.

"The shape of the squad has been formed now for some months.

"It's now Bryan Redpath's interpretation of how we should be playing the game.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you see some changes there. It's up to him to stamp his authority on it."

Walkinshaw revealed the thing that concerned him the most was the team's ability to be breathtakingly brilliant one week, but then very average the following Saturday.

And he felt that came down to there being too much on Ryan's plate with preparing the team week to week and the long-term nature of the director of rugby role.

"The big thing was why on earth can we go and beat Bath one week and then be had over by a team you would normally be rotating some players against," Walkinshaw said. "What on earth is going on?

"You can't say the players weren't good enough because they have done so well in certain games.

"Then all of a sudden you get a performance and you think, 'where did that come from?'

"It was inconsistent and I think it's quite clear now that the lack of head coach was the factor.

"Tying all the coaching together and preparing the players the same way for every game – that was the mistake we made."

But Walkinshaw was at pains to point out that Ryan was leaving the club on good terms, that the pair shook hands when the deal was done and Walkinshaw wished him all the best for the future.

"It's not been easy for Dean. We thank him for the work he has done for Gloucester. We wish him all the best for the future.

"But we both agree it's in the best interests of both parties for him to move on.

"We've looked at everything and it would have been very difficult for him to re-establish authority and it would be wrong. Life has to go on.

"The guy has done a good job for Gloucester and the failings were not solely at his door.

"I put my hand up and say I'm as much responsible for not picking it up earlier."

Walkinshaw was very clear how he thought the roles of head coach and director of rugby should be divided.

He added: "Looking at the analysis and what went wrong and the structure you start to define very clearly what the roles are.

"It was clear to me that if you have someone in charge of coaching they have to be in charge of coaching and you can't interfere.

"The worst thing you can do is get caught between the two because then people haven't a clue what authority they've got and then you get a shambles.

"Director of rugby is more visionary stuff. You don't take training and that sort of stuff.

"He's looking at the structure the squad needs and the players and negotiating with players, at next season and the season after.

"The head coach is looking at how we win the game next weekend.

"You need a lot of time with a squad and rotate it to analyse how you try and use the players to the best affect.

"You can't flip between the two."

Walkinshaw is now hopeful that Redpath and the remaining coaching staff of Carl Hogg and Denis Betts can come through and show their true potential free from Ryan's autocratic leadership.

"I've spoken to a lot of people about the quality of our coaches and the players," he said.

"They haven't come up with any criticism. Most people are very complimentary of their capability.

"Our coaches are regarded very highly, but they need to be allowed to do the job they are hired to do.

"There's no reason at all why they can't be winners. You've just got to prepare them right, put them on to the field in the right frame of mind."

While Walkinshaw admitted other coaches were considered for the job, Redpath soon emerged as a leading candidate because of his obvious intimate knowledge of the playing staff at Kingsholm.

He also sees the ex-Scotland scrum-half as an expert motivator.

"The position he played in the team is a hugely motivational position," Walkinshaw said.

"He was one of the best scrum-halves around.

"His motivational skills are high. I think sometimes in the past year we needed a bit more motivation.

"He's incredibly knowledgeable. His peers hold a very high regard for him as a future international coach.

"I think we would be silly to let someone rated so highly to slip though our fingers. The players all speak incredibly highly of him, as they do the other two coaches."

Meanwhile, Walkinshaw also confirmed there would be steps made to bring in a director of rugby, but there would be no rush in deciding who that would be or the nature of the role.

He concluded: "We'll take our time to look at that and see what that role is. It's more a back office role. We'll attend to that in due course."