CASTLEFORD TIGERS have their new head coach and assistant coach for the 2024 Super League season following the exit of Danny Ward.
Ward led the West Yorkshire club for the last six games of the 2023 season, but, with just two wins under his belt, departed the Tigers last month.
Now, Castleford have appointed current assistant coach Craig Lingard as head coach and former Hull KR assistant Danny McGuire as Lingard’s number two.
It is Lingard’s first head coaching role in Super League after doing a stellar job with the Batley Bulldogs in the Championship on a shoestring budget.
McGuire, meanwhile, has been plying his trade as an assistant coach with Rovers after hanging up his boots at the end of the 2019 season.
“I am massively honoured! Something I’ve always aspired to be is a Head Coach in Super League and I’ve got that opportunity now,” Lingard said.
“It has come a little bit sooner than I was expecting but it’s something I’m going to grab with both hands and hopefully be a success. I’m coming in with my eyes fully wide open, it’s not a new venue for me and I’ve got a good idea about the workings of the club. With a lot of change in personnel with people leaving and people coming in, the bulk of the squad that are staying I’ve got experience of working with.
“I can work a bit more closely with them next year and put my stamp on how I want us to play and the values we want to bring back to Castleford Tigers to make us more successful than we have been this season.”
Now, McGuire is looking ahead to a new challenge at The Jungle and he, like Craig, can’t wait to get started.
“I’m really excited about the challenge after a fair bit of speculation but for me it’s about looking forward to working with a really talented bunch of players and a club with history and everything that surrounds Castleford Tigers.”
“I can’t wait to get stuck into it. It’s really nice to meet Craig. He seems a really good fella and I’m excited to work alongside him. I’m still fairly early on into my coaching journey with loads to learn and experience so I’m excited to be working alongside somebody who’s achieved so much in the game, so I’ll be picking his brains and hopefully we can gel really together and work well as a combination.”
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