Seán O’Brien has insisted he has "nothing but respect" for the Lions management team as the fallout to his recent criticism continues.
Ireland and Leinster flanker O'Brien took aim at the approach of head coach Warren Gatland and his back-room team during their summer tour.
The Lions drew the three-Test series, but O'Brien felt it should have been a victorious one for the tourists.
The 30-year-old was particularly critical of attack coach Rob Howley, claiming he was set in his ways, with Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell having to take control of the side in the closing stages of the tour.
His views resulted in a response from Lions chief executive John Feehan, who publicly backed Gatland and the coaching set-up.
In a statement released this evening, O’Brien was at pains to stress it was constructive criticism of both players and coaches and says he hopes it will help Lions tours in the future.
"To be clear, my views on the Lions tour were honest and genuine and solely with the intention of building on what was a great tour," he said.
"I have nothing but respect for Warren and the whole coaching team, in addition to the rest of the backroom staff and squad of players."
"Unfortunately some people have focussed on what I feel we could have done better instead of what we did well.
"I have nothing but respect for Warren and the whole coaching team, in addition to the rest of the backroom staff and squad of players.
"But do I believe we – the players and coaches – could have done better? Yes. Do I believe we could have won the series? Yes. Do I believe the Lions squad of 2021 will be better for this? Yes.
"If we don’t look to build on and improve on the tour to New Zealand, how can future Lions squads get better?
"It is a privilege and an honour to be called a British and Irish Lion and I hope this clarifies my position once and for all."
O'Brien felt that the build-up to the first Test in Auckland - one which the Lions lost by 15 points - had been too intense and that the same mistake was almost repeated before the Tour's concluding match.
Gatland acknowledged the work overload ahead of the first Test and claimed to have rectified it during the Tour.
In a statement released by the Lions, Feehan robustly defended the management team and said the achievement in New Zealand aganist the world champions was not to be underestimated.
"I said all along that I think we had the best coaching team available and I think they proved that in what we achieved in New Zealand," Feehan said in a statement.
"To draw a series with the All Blacks, who had not lost a Test match at home for eight years, was a remarkable result, and Warren and the coaches deserve huge credit for that.
— Sean O' Brien (@SeanOBrien1987) September 21, 2017
"People will always have their views on what could have been done better but the fact is that, against all the odds and with limited preparation time, this squad became only the second Lions team in history to either win or draw a series in New Zealand in 13 attempts.
"That achievement cannot be underestimated."
