Skinner
Coach
- Messages
- 13,581
From the Sunday Star Times :
http://stuff.co.nz/sundaystartimes/4113972a6444.html
The NZRL aren't willing to countenance a part-time coach.
Kiwis rugby league coach Brian "Bluey" McClennan is set to quit as national mentor to join English Super League club Leeds.
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) are all but resigned to losing the inspirational coach to the Rhinos.
The Sunday Star-Times has learned that although McClennan has yet to receive a formal offer from the Super League giants, sources say that the NZRL are expecting to hear very soon that McClennan will quit as national team coach to move to England.
English newspapers The Independent, the Daily Telegraph and League Express have all claimed McClennan is favourite for the Leeds job, which falls vacant at the season's end when incumbent Tony Smith takes over as Great Britain coach.
The Star-Times understands the NZRL think McClennan is more than just a favourite for the vacancy and are already considering their options, just over a year out from the world cup, should they lose the 2005 Tri-Nations-winning coach.
McClennan signed a three-year full-time contract as Kiwis coach after that remarkable result in England, which was due to take him through to the end of the world cup.
His original game plan was to consider overseas offers after that tournament, but his rising profile and reputation has aroused interest in England, with other Super League clubs known to have considered McClennan as a coaching contender in the past.
He turned down the Castleford Tigers in 2005 and has been talked about by other club sides here since then. He was also linked with NRL clubs in Australia, including the Sydney Roosters.
He has an undoubted passion for the national job and sees the world cup as the pinnacle for the national side, which means any decision to move to England would not be taken lightly, especially as a deal with Leeds would undoubtedly mean a swift halt to his Kiwis role.
The NZRL aren't willing to countenance a part-time coach. And it's understood they do not want a coach who will only take this year's All Golds tour and leave before the world cup.
The commemorative October-November trip to Europe, which includes three tests with Britain and one with France, is the last real preparation for the Kiwis before the world cup.
The Star-Times understands the NZRL will be insistent that McClennan either commits to both that tour and the world cup or neither.
It's difficult to see where a replacement for McClennan would come from, but the NZRL have been keenly pushing their pathways plan for some time, and it would be bad public relations if they appointed the next national coach from outside the system.
This leaves the front-running to domestic coaches who are as unknown as McClennan was until his brilliant successes with the Kiwis.
http://stuff.co.nz/sundaystartimes/4113972a6444.html
The NZRL aren't willing to countenance a part-time coach.
Kiwis rugby league coach Brian "Bluey" McClennan is set to quit as national mentor to join English Super League club Leeds.
The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) are all but resigned to losing the inspirational coach to the Rhinos.
The Sunday Star-Times has learned that although McClennan has yet to receive a formal offer from the Super League giants, sources say that the NZRL are expecting to hear very soon that McClennan will quit as national team coach to move to England.
English newspapers The Independent, the Daily Telegraph and League Express have all claimed McClennan is favourite for the Leeds job, which falls vacant at the season's end when incumbent Tony Smith takes over as Great Britain coach.
The Star-Times understands the NZRL think McClennan is more than just a favourite for the vacancy and are already considering their options, just over a year out from the world cup, should they lose the 2005 Tri-Nations-winning coach.
McClennan signed a three-year full-time contract as Kiwis coach after that remarkable result in England, which was due to take him through to the end of the world cup.
His original game plan was to consider overseas offers after that tournament, but his rising profile and reputation has aroused interest in England, with other Super League clubs known to have considered McClennan as a coaching contender in the past.
He turned down the Castleford Tigers in 2005 and has been talked about by other club sides here since then. He was also linked with NRL clubs in Australia, including the Sydney Roosters.
He has an undoubted passion for the national job and sees the world cup as the pinnacle for the national side, which means any decision to move to England would not be taken lightly, especially as a deal with Leeds would undoubtedly mean a swift halt to his Kiwis role.
The NZRL aren't willing to countenance a part-time coach. And it's understood they do not want a coach who will only take this year's All Golds tour and leave before the world cup.
The commemorative October-November trip to Europe, which includes three tests with Britain and one with France, is the last real preparation for the Kiwis before the world cup.
The Star-Times understands the NZRL will be insistent that McClennan either commits to both that tour and the world cup or neither.
It's difficult to see where a replacement for McClennan would come from, but the NZRL have been keenly pushing their pathways plan for some time, and it would be bad public relations if they appointed the next national coach from outside the system.
This leaves the front-running to domestic coaches who are as unknown as McClennan was until his brilliant successes with the Kiwis.