LEEDS RHINOS’ sporting director Ian Blease has revealed that he is “shocked” at the state of his former club Salford Red Devils.
Blease held numerous roles at Salford from being a first-team player to head of rugby before leaving the club in summer 2024.
Since then, the 60-year-old has made the move to Headingley to head up the club’s revolution under Brad Arthur.
And now Blease has reflected on that decision to leave his boyhood club.
“It was such a difficult decision. I think I took the club on the rugby side where I could get it to and Leeds came in,” Blease told Sky Sports’ The Bench podcast.
“I had always wanted to play for Leeds as a player but I wasn’t that good enough if I’m being honest and when the chance came to join this club, I couldn’t turn it down especially at my age and my ambition to win something.
“We chatted about it as a family with my mum and brothers. I met the old chairman John Wilkinson before I did it.
“I think I made the right decision at the right time for me and for Salford.”
Blease reveals that the club took gambles on a few players at the Red Devils – and they paid off.
“We never obviously played to salary cap. We used to get the budget and try and spend to it.
“Some of the signings were pretty astute and tight. I don’t think we ever over spent. We might have pushed the boundaries a bit as a club but I don’t know what happened since.
“You take a gamble on one or two players which is what we did. I look back at my time there with fondness.”
Blease did reveal that he is surprised by how quickly the issues have compounded at Salford.
“It’s a shame where they are at now. I am shocked at what’s happened. I am surprised.
“I don’t know the inside of it because it’s none of my business now, but it surprised me they got the owners in and how quickly that fell away.
“Now it appears there’s some money coming back in. We don’t want them to drop out of any league never mind Super League.
“We are trying to strengthen the league. It’s a big city and deserves a good rugby league team.”