Tony Smith England Head Coach has accepted the role as Coaching Director with Warrington Wolves, Smith stood down as RFL Technical Director but will remain as England Head Coach.
James Lowes will continue as coach for the 1st team, but many felt he could not hide his disappointment at the news conference announcing Smith’s arrival at the Wolves.
Warrington have had among there worst finishes to a season (2008) & have faired little better with their start to the 2009 Engage Super league campaign, & have lost on 9 consecutive occasions during this period.
Many feel the team is underperforming with probably the strongest squad on paper of any Super League club, Smith is expected to make a major impact at the club and his reputation as a disciplinarian maybe just what is required to turnaround the enigma that is Warrington Wolves.
Smith’s move follows his indication to the Rugby Football League (RFL) in January that he wished to return to club coaching as he missed the day to day involvement with the game.
Smith is still one of the younger coaches in RL at 42 years old, and will continue with his role as head coach of the England team in the forthcoming Gillette Fusion International against France followed by the Four Nations tournament in the autumn. The post will now return to its previous part-time basis, this has led a number of observers to ask why the RFL have moved their position on the need for a full time coach back to part time within two years.
The role from which Smith stood down as Technical Director could now be shared between a number of part/full time appointments.
We will now return to the age old argument of a part time coaches neutrality, with some feeling a club coach could use the position to their employers advantage, although Smith’s reputation for directness suggests he will easily counter any such argument.
The good news is James Lowes has not been lost to RL & his potential as a stand alone coach is still possible, indeed some feel the arrangement with Smith as director may greatly benefit Lowes in the long term.
Questions now abound as to who Smith may try & bring in as impact players, his relationship with Sinfield the Leeds captain & others at his previous club could cause some consternation should he decide to enter the transfer market, with Warrington seeming to be a club with bottomless pockets in their ability to attract & pay high profile players. |
