BRADFORD BULLS are in need of a new head coach following Eamon O’Carroll’s exit last week from the club.
O’Carroll left Odsal after two years at the club, with St Helens his much-anticipated destination following a previous assistant coaching role at Catalans Dragons.
That has, however, left the Bulls with a vacancy that needs to be filled. So which four candidates could Bradford look to?
Andrew Henderson
Linked by Rugby League Live to the vacant Bradford head coach role, Andrew Henderson has an impressive CV, helping both London Broncos and York Knights to more consistent seasons under his tutelage. The 45-year-old is currently without a coaching role – though he is currently on York’s books as head of rugby following a reshuffle earlier this year which saw Mark Applegarth come in as head coach.
Craig Lingard
Removed as head coach of Castleford Tigers earlier today, Craig Lingard won’t rest on his laurels too long. Lingard was dealt a difficult hand at The Jungle, overachieving on a shoestring budget in what was supposed to be the first year of a three-year plan under his stewardship. Lingard was never a fancy appointment for the Tigers, but his sacking certainly came as a surprise, which could well be Bradford’s gain.
Paul Anderson
Currently head of pathways at England Rugby League, it would be a surprise to see Paul Anderson leave that job to take over at Bradford Bulls. But, could the lure of returning to a club where he made his name be too great to turn down? Anderson hasn’t coached at a domestic level since being dismissed by Huddersfield Giants in 2016, but that exit paved the way for the former hulking forward to join the England set-up.
Ian Watson
Would Ian Watson drop down a league to coach? It would have looked scarcely realistic a number of years ago following his triumphs with the Salford Red Devils, but, after his less-than-successful spell at Huddersfield Giants, it could be a way for Watson to rejuvenate himself and his coaching ethos. Bradford are a big club and could attract a number of big names so it doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
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