CRAIG LINGARD has admitted that he had “an inkling” that he was set to lose his job as head coach of Castleford Tigers.
The Tigers announced the departure of Lingard after just one season in charge yesterday afternoon, in a news story that took a lot of people by surprise.
Lingard, however, who won eight games from 29 during the 2024 season, has admitted it “wasn’t a massive shock” and had no qualms about new owner Martin Jepson’s decision.
“I had got an inkling that something was bubbling,” Lingard told League Express.
“Once the takeover was announced then it happened fairly quickly after that. It wasn’t a massive shock let’s just say that.
“I’m quite pragmatic about it, I’ve been there before at Keighley when a new owner comes in and wants to make changes that suits the way he wants to do things.
“If I agreed with the decision or not, it makes no difference as it’s his business and he makes the decisions. I’m quite at peace with it and it hasn’t affected me too much.
“It’s happened before and I’m a bit more long in the tooth to know that it is just business and not personal.”
Does Lingard feel hard done by at all considering the hand he was dealt in 2024?
“I don’t feel hard done by because I knew the situation before I went in. I knew the spend was down and the experience of the squad was down. I went in it with my eyes open.
“I didn’t expect it to be anything other than it was. We put a three-year plan together that we had all committed to at the club.
“With the IMG situation, the club needed to make sure they secured the future of the club off the field which was the right decision.
“It’s disappointing not to progress on that journey to go into at least year two of that three-year plan but things have happened since the start of last year with the new owner and it’s his choice to make the decisions.”
So would the former Batley Bulldogs boss change anything about his time in charge at The Jungle?
“I’ve loved it, I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. It’s a club that has got a lot of genuine rugby people out there.
“The supporters have been first-class, they have made me feel really welcome. I’ve learnt a lot during my time there.
“It was my first time in full-time rugby so I wouldn’t change anything. It didn’t end how I wanted it to end but it has been a great experience and I wish them all the best for the future.”
Lingard did have one last message for Castleford supporters with whom he struck up a great relationship.
“I have always tried to connect with the fans and it’s important you do that because you have got to understand what it represents to those supporters.
“I think I did that and I think I struck up a decent bond with the vast majority of fans. They were really understand of the situation we were in.
“Even when we suffered bad defeats, the conversations I had with supporters was that they were comfortable with where they were on the journey.
“That helped take pressure off me as my first Super League job because they were so understanding and so welcoming towards me.
“I have to give them a massive thanks and I hope to get down to a few games in the future to have more interactions with them on the same basis.”
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