BRIAN NOBLE is back as head coach of Bradford Bulls after over a decade out of the coaching spotlight.
From 2001 to 2006, Noble led the Bulls to nine major honours – three Super League titles, three World Club Challenge triumphs, two Super League Leaders’ Shields and a Challenge Cup.
He would have spells at Wigan Warriors and then Salford Red Devils before stepping away from coaching in 2014.
Since then, he has held director of rugby roles at Toronto Wolfpack and Bradford, turning down several chances to return to coaching
“I’ve avoided coming back for a long time. I’ve had a few opportunities to come back into the game and decided for personal reasons they weren’t for me,” Noble told West Yorkshire Radio Rugby League.
“I took on the director of rugby role at a couple of places that have been successful. I came back to the club 18 months ago to have a look at what was going on.”
So why did Noble choose to leave coaching in the first place?
“If I’m completely honest, the reason I got out of coaching in the first place was that the losses were lasting too long – like six or seven days before the next game – and the wins weren’t lastings enough,” Noble continued.
“There wasn’t enough recognition of the wins. I’m a one week at a time man, I’ve not been anything else since my coaching days.
“I’m a one performance at a time man too. I’m keen on what’s gone right or wrong and strategies like that will last all year.
“I don’t like losing and I get bitterly disappointed for players that don’t play well but if someone plays better than us and beats us on the day then I put my hands up and say ‘fair play’.”
Though Noble has returned to coaching, he signed just a one-year contract at Bradford. But why?
“I didn’t want to go any longer than a year. In discussions with the chairman and chief executive, we really need to be banging on the door of IMG and say ‘we are ready for Super League’ at the end of this year rather than leaving it longer.
“It becomes a long promise if not. The only pressure I will put on us as a coaching staff is we have to be in a position to give IMG the nudge that we are in a position for Super League.”
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