As Matt Sherratt reflected on his short stint with Wales this week, the word that he came back to more often than most was alignment. The Cardiff head coach was using it more in terms of alignment between the four professional clubs and the national team, or between whoever is appointed head coach and director of rugby. However, as the Welsh Rugby Union consider their next set of appointments, alignment among the national team's coaching group will need to be high up on the list. Unsurprisingly, after Warren Gatland lost 14 Tests on the bounce before walking away, the suggestion is that there wasn't a great deal of it in the final days of Gatland 2.0. WalesOnline understands that Sherratt's first meeting as Wales interim coach saw the playing group admit to certain things - such as exit plays from their own 22 - having not been in place under the previous regime. It's also understood that a number of Gatland's trusted lieutenants had fairly strained relationships - presenting to the players separately. As one former Wales international puts it, it's an example of coaching in silos - a criticism that could have often been levelled at the national team's coaching ticket in recent years. Previously, some have spoken about certain things - such as the breakdown - slipping through the cracks as each coach focuses on their own area. In particular, it doesn't seem like there's been a great deal of alignment in the last year. Attack coach Alex King was increasingly marginalised by the arrival of former attack coach Rob Howley prior to being completely left out of the coaching set-up prior to this year's Six Nations, while forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys has seemingly been heading in the same direction. There's also suggestions some have been surprised by how little had changed in terms of methods to Gatland's first stint in charge. It all makes for a less than ideal situation. The WRU know internally that the next coaching ticket needs to be there for the long term, with a greater working relationship with the regions. In fairness, the criticism of the poor relationship was rarely levelled at the assistants, just Gatland. For example, defence coach Mike Forshaw was a fairly regular presence around the professional clubs. The other thing the Union seems aware of now is the generational gap between coaches and players. Obviously, Gatland was at the head of that - and the man himself has spoken about how his approach with players has had to change - but there's a recognition the gap probably exists across the entire coaching ticket. So now, as the Union seek that greater alignment and better connection to the players, the question will be whether if any of Gatland's remaining staff stick around. There's always been examples of coaches inheriting lieutenants. Twenty years on from the 2005 Grand Slam, it's worth remembering that Mike Ruddock inherited skills coach Scott Johnson from Steve Hansen. Johnson, now linked with the vacant director of rugby role at the Union, ended up being crucial in Ruddock's departure the year after that Grand Slam success. And then, when Gatland returned in December 2022, he ended up keeping Humphreys from Wayne Pivac's coaching set-up, while Gethin Jenkins and Stephen Jones were let go - allegedly without any means of contact between Gatland and the pair. In their places came King and Forshaw. Both seem destined to leave this summer, with their contracts understood to be up in June. King, after being removed from the coaching staff, would need one hell of a turnaround to stay, while Forshaw is probably going to struggle to make much of a case after conceding over 100 tries in 29 games. There's no clarification on the contractual situations of the other coaches. Given the break clause for Gatland did exist this year, despite public denials, it would make sense for the contracts of Humphreys, Howley and Neil Jenkins to also have a jumping-off point this year. In truth, whoever comes in as coach is likely to want their own coaching staff and, after 17 Test defeats in a row, the Union is hardly in a position to insist upon certain coaches remaining - as was the case with Johnson and Ruddock two decades ago. Skills coach Jenkins, given the fact he's been part of the coaching staff for two decades, could be the exception. Otherwise, it's hard to see any other coaches remaining. Humphreys has already been kept through one coaching change, while, when Sherratt came in to take temporary charge of Wales, he had no place for Howley. However, the former Wales scrum-half is also involved in the pathway system. So while a place on any future coaching team seems unlikely, there's always a chance Howley will remain with the Union in some capacity - although he has not made the final shortlist for the director of rugby role. Whenever the WRU make their initial appointments, there's bound to be some more to follow in terms of a new coaching staff. The key, it would seem, will be getting greater alignment than before.