IT’S finally been announced – Castleford Tigers have a new head coach in Craig Lingard and a new assistant coach in Danny McGuire.

It’s a surreal move for McGuire, who was used to tormenting the Tigers as a player through two decades as a Leeds Rhinos star.

The ex-halfback turned his hand to coaching after hanging up his boots with Hull KR in 2019, with McGuire helping Rovers to a Challenge Cup Final in 2023.

Now, he is tasked with aiding Lingard to improve on a disastrous 2023 Super League campaign for Castleford.

“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,” McGuire said.

“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 has achieved so much in the game. I’ll be picking his brains and hopefully we can gel together and work really well as a combination.”

McGuire spoke about why Castleford excites him as a project.

“I think experience always helps whether that is playing or coaching and I am unbelievably fortunate to achieve what I did at the Rhinos, though you can’t say Rhinos too loud around here!

“I was really lucky and had some great experiences at KR. I started with tough times at KR but left the club in a great place. It’s almost like a blank canvas here now, it’s a real chance to work with some hungry young players that want to make a name for themselves.

“That’s what really excites me as a coach, players that want to improve and get better and compete on a daily basis. That’s what we will be trying to bring to the club as well as results and then success takes care of itself.

“There is a really nice mix with senior players who we can challenge and improve and that will be the challenge of the coaches.

“Combine that with younger players who I already know like Rowan (Milnes) and Sam (Wood) and they will be outstanding players for the club. They are both great people but can play as well.

“It is an exciting time, it is a challenge and I think everybody involved with Cas will have been disappointed last year but it is a fresh start. And I think people of Cas just want a team they can be proud of, going to the pub on a weekend andd speak of the lads’ efforts.

Of course, being such a key player for Leeds, McGuire has experienced The Jungle numerous times – and he loves it.

“I used to love playing here, after Headingley it was my favourite place to play. I only live ten minutes away so there is a fair bit of crossover and my lad plays rugby at Kippax. A lot of the dads there are all staunch Cas fans so that will be interesting on a Sunday morning after a win or a loss!

“I think the history and the prestige and what the badge carries is really powerful for me, you need to do the badge justice whether you are coaching or playing. I think the atmosphere is as good as anywhere.”

McGuire was keen to stress that he wants players to express themselves as his coaching philosophy.

“I am a coach that likes players to express themselves. I think you can focus on the negatives of the players and see what they can do better but you have to encourage them to work on what they are good at.

“They are in a full-time Super League environment because they are great players, it’s almost giving them the confidence to go out and execute what they are good at and buying into a certain way and believing it will work.”

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