As Otago officials conduct a review of a disappointing season in which Otago finished last in the ITM Cup, the hunt appears to be on for a scapegoat.
Otago Rugby Football Union deputy chairman Laurie Mains is part of the review team, along with fellow board member Dick Bunton, union chief executive Richard Reid and Sassenachs immediate past president Fred Daniel.
Mooney fronted that panel on Thursday to give his views on the season.
Mains said the review was confidential and it had to be done thoroughly, and that took time.
"I can't say when it will be finished as these processes can take some time and we want to give it the time it deserves," Mains said.
"But it is confidential and what remains in that review is seen by three board members and nobody else."
Mains said he could not comment on any rumours.
He said he had got on well with Mooney and said any talk of major disagreements with the coach was not true.
"I've never had a cross word with Phil and find him a very pleasant individual and an easy guy to get along with."
There has been speculation Mooney will be sacked and replaced by Green Island coach Brett McCormack and Otago B assistant coach Andy Hunter, with Mains in an advisory role.
But Mains said that was news to him.
McCormack could not be contacted yesterday, while Hunter said he had heard nothing about coaching the side and had not been approached.
Mooney said the meeting on Thursday was "pretty standard stuff "and he outlined his thoughts on the season.
He was keen to continue in the job, and said he had never had a disagreement with Mains.
"I have got on all right with him. But he is not the guy I really communicate a lot with," Mooney said.
Mooney, who has completed one year of a two-year contract, said his first port of call was with Reid on issues with the team.
"It is a job I want to continue with and I've got a two-year contract and I want to see it through."
ORFU chairman Wayne Graham said he could not predict when the review would finish although he hoped it would be by the end of the month.
"We just have to wait and see what is coming out of this review. We're just going about it in a business-like manner," Graham said.
"If we want to do better than this year then we have to make sure we do this review right."
Graham said as far as he was concerned it was business as normal for Mooney and as soon as the review was completed then everyone would be informed of what would be happening.
Otago assistant coach David Latta said he had not heard anything from the review team about his role. He was keen to continue as assistant coach and said he had learned a great deal from Mooney this year.
