Hull Kingston Rovers interim coach Danny McGuire admits he may not yet be ready to take on a head coach role.
But after getting the opportunity sooner than he expected last week after Tony Smith’s departure from the club, McGuire is happy to dip his toe in the water, despite being thrown in at the deep end with his first game in charge a Hull derby at the Magic Weekend.
“I’m going to be totally honest, I’m probably not ready to be a head coach,” McGuire admitted at his first press conference last week.
“I’ve got tonnes and tonnes to learn. It’d be naive of me to think that just because I played for a long time, I can just go and be a head coach.
“You’ve got to earn your stripes. You’ve got to make mistakes and learn from them to try and be better.
“I suppose it’ll give me a good grounding and an understanding of what it takes to be a head coach. In the long run, it’ll give me an idea of whether it’s an avenue I will pursue.”
And McGuire was happy with the response he got from the Hull KR players.
“I’m no coaching guru and don’t have the greatest game plan ever that’s going to make Rugby League stand up and take notice.
“We all play a very similar style across the board; it’s just the teams that do it the best for the longest normally prevail.
“My challenge to the players is whatever we try to do, we commit and do the shirt and badge proud.”
“I’ve got a free rein to have a go and give it my best shot. The players have been great and have bought into it.
“I’ve tried my best to sell them the ideas and they’ve been really responsive.”
“Since Tony took over, we have improved a hell of a lot and we have to grow before the new boss (Willie Peters) comes in next year.
“I really enjoyed working with Tony and I learned a hell of a lot.
“I will always have respect for Tony and he did a hell of a lot for me as a player. I have nothing but good things to say about him but now I will look forward to the challenges ahead.”
On Sunday McGuire gave a Rovers debut on the bench to 17-year-old former Skirlaugh Bulls prop forward Zach Fishwick.
A new face at the Robins will be McGuire’s former Leeds Rhinos colleague Brett Delaney, who will come to the club as its new forwards coach.
“It all happened pretty quickly,” said McGuire.
“I know him really well. When I think about defence, he is the first person I think of. He is one of the toughest players, if not the toughest. He has been coaching at York and he will be a really good fit for us. Willie made the decision and he was keen to bring him in straight away.”
Last week Frankie Halton signed a new two year-extension that keeps the Ireland international at Sewell Group Craven Park until the end of 2025.
The club also signed Huddersfield Giants winger Louis Senior on loan to the end of the season.
He will then join the Robins on a two-year contract from 2023.
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