A ventilation of some of the frustration felt in rowing circles at the disappointing display in the Olympics and a revamp of the fixtures calendar were two of the key outcomes of the a.g.m. of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union in Galway on Saturday.

The review of international rowing on the night before had revealed strong dissatisfaction among some athletes in relation to aspects of the performance of the team management. Questions were also asked at the a.g.m. as to whether the management had learned anything from the year.

The manager of the Olympic team Michael O'Callaghan said that he felt coaching "needed to be more professional". But the prominent and outspoken coach, Mick Desmond, was critical of this view saying that proper systems needed to be put in place including the employment of a top-class foreign coach.

Neville Maxwell, the Leinster representative on the Executive and one of the lightweight four which finished 11th in Sydney, also said that the structures were inadequate. "The 1999 season started with no coaching and no plan," he said. Earlier both the president and recently appointed chief executive of the IARU, Tom Fennessey and Frank Tierney, had said the appointment of a national coach was a key priority and would be addressed very soon.

Fennessey said this would be part of "a planned and transparent international policy".

The president of the union later played patient midwife to the long drawn-out process which produced a schedule of fixtures for 2001.

The key elements are a return to two-day national championships which will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 20th and 21st, in Inniscara. The major regattas of the year will be at set intervals in the run-up to the championships.

Sean Timmins, chairman of the safety sub committee of the union, said he felt new dates should not be given to Trinity Regatta or Lagan Head of the River until they fulfilled the requirement to provide a statement in advance about the safety procedures.