Harlequins' Tani Fuga believes former director of rugby Dean Richards could one day make a controversial return to the club.

Richards was handed a three-year worldwide ban from coaching after he was found guilty of orchestrating the 'Bloodgate' scandal which rocked the club this summer.

In August an ERC panel found that the former England forward had ordered Tom Williams to bite on a blood capsule during Quins' Heineken Cup tie with Leinster to allow fly-half Nick Evans to return to the field.

Quins were fined £260,000 in light of the findings of the panel and the club also went close to being thrown out of the Heineken Cup.

Chief executive Mark Evans said last week that he still respects Richards and would not rule out the possibility of the former England number eight making a return The Stoop.

Veteran Quins hooker Fuga admits he and the rest of the Quins squad still also hold Richards in high regard.

When asked whether he thought Richards could return to the club, 36-year-old Fuga said: "I'd be happy with that.

"I don't know what he has planned but you never say never. His ban is for three years so I probably wouldn't be here of course.

"He's someone who is well respected at the club, definitely. Some of the players are still in contact with him.

"He's held up his hands and said, 'I was wrong'.

"Whatever has happened has happened. I think people will forget about all that's happened, and say he's done his time so give him another chance."

Fuga is in his 10th year at the club and was part of the team which Richards guided to promotion to English rugby's top flight in his first year in charge.

He still regards the 46-year-old as one of the best coaches in the sport.

"When we were in Division One, when Deano joined us, straightaway he made it clear to us that he wanted us to be one of the best teams in the country within three years and he always tried his hardest throughout his time at the club," Fuga said.

"I got along with Dean and he got along with all the players too. He always brought the best out of me and was like a father figure to many of us."

Quins are expected to name a new director of rugby soon, with former Ireland full-back Conor O'Shea thought to be the front-runner for the post.

Harlequins head coach John Kingston has been put in charge of first-team affairs since Richards departed.

He was rewarded for his efforts with a new contract last week, which will run until 2012 and Fuga is more than happy with life under Kingston.

"John Kingston and (Quins assistant coach) Tony Diprose have been fantastic," said Samoan international Fuga.

"They have just been talking to us and just telling us to concentrate on our game and not listen to what is being said in the media."