CASTLEFORD TIGERS began the 2023 Super League season with Lee Radford at the helm.
After just three games, Radford departed the West Yorkshire as assistant coach Andy Last was appointed interim boss.
Two wins in six fixtures earned Last the job on a permanent basis after signing a two-and-a-half year deal at The Jungle in order to take Castleford forward.
In 11th position and with just two wins on the board, however, the Tigers are struggling but for former Hull FC, Wakefield Trinity and Leigh Leopards prop Chris Green, Last is the right man for the job.
Having progressed through the youth ranks at Hull, Green was nurtured through to the first-team by Last – and he doesn’t have a bad word to say about the new Castleford man.
“I can’t sing Andy Last’s praises enough, he introduced me to the first team when I was 19 and the bloke knows the game inside out. I’m glad he got the Castleford job,” Green told League Express.
“It’s a bit of a cliche but it’ll take time for him to get the squad he wants and for them to play his way. He’s very good at holding you to account and he will quickly find out who is on board or not.
“Lasty leaves no stone unturned, he is a proper anorak of the game! He will want certain processes in place and I’d take confidence in his experience of who he’s worked under but nothing is guaranteed.
“If I was a young Cas lad in the academy I would be excited because there now could be a genuine pathway for them.”
Last is also on the England coaching staff with head coach Shaun Wane also hailing the impact of the former on the national set-up, though he certainly has his work cut out in his first head coaching role.
