Russell describes Glamorgan as a 'pretty dysfunctional family'

Paul Russell, Glamorgan's chairman, has dismissed criticism that the county has lost their way and suffered through concentrating all their effort on next summer's Ashes Test.

Russell finally spoke almost three weeks after the sudden departure of chief executive Mike Fatkin and the subsequent removal of several back-room staff including the long-serving groundsman Len Smith.

"Fans tell me the family feeling's gone," Russell told the Western Mail. "I can only say good. It was a pretty dysfunctional family.

"When I took over as chairman, we were turning over less than £2.5 million, had one permanent building with 800 seats and were crashing and burning financially. In 2009 we will turn over £9 million and have one of the finest medium-sized Test venues in the world.

"You can talk about the detractors, but there is no getting away from those facts. While some people are being negative I see a great deal of hope. It has taken me more time to build a new side than it has a stadium which was the reversal of what I thought would be the case. But I think we now have a basis of a side that can win us trophies and take us up to the first division."

On Monday, Russell appointed a new operations director, Simon Lee, while also confirming the departure of two players, David Hemp, the captain, and Richard Grant.

"Lee is not a replacement for Mike Fatkin, it was a role that we were recruiting for when Mike was still with us," Russell insisted. "In fact, Mike helped with the job description.

"In the chief executive department, I have been granted executive powers by the board until the Ashes Test. I am referred to as executive chairman, which will effectively be a temporary chief executive role. After next summer we will take a long hard look at the structure of the company.

"I never find taking actions in the interests of the business difficult. I am a businessman and I have to take objective and dispassionate decisions which I think are in the interest of Glamorgan. I think we now have a group with the sufficient expertise and experience to make a real success of things."