New St Helens head coach Paul Wellens is determined to not let complacency creep into the club after landing his dream role.
The 42-year-old, who has been with the club since he was schoolboy, has signed a two-year deal to be the head coach, with an option for a further 12 months, while France coach Laurent Frayssinous has joined Saints as his assistant.
Wellens, who won five Super League titles, five Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges as a player, has been a part of the coaching staff since he retired in 2015.
He started off as Player Performance Manager, working with the Academy and then the Reserves, before stepping up to be assistant coach at first-team level.
“I am immensely proud,” said Wellens.
“To be associated with this club for as long as I have, I have always been proud. To get this position and to get the opportunity to be the head coach is something that is not lost on me.
“When I started coaching, pretty much like I did when I was playing, I wanted to go as far as I could. I wanted to be the head coach of this club at one point.
“At the same time, I understood there was a journey to go on as a coach. Working in the junior system with Derek Traynor initially and then working with the reserves up towards the first team, having those different experiences was important.
“The work I have done with England internationally for the last six or seven years has given me another great wealth of experience to equip me to move into this role.
“I am not coming into this in the unknown like Kristian (Woolf) did a few years ago. I know the group of players and I know what they are about. I know what motivates and drives them.
“I have a fantastic group around me in terms of the support staff. Together we are going to put the players in the best position possible to continue that success.
“A lot of the players have already spoken to me about wanting to win again and wanting to achieve more success.
“I want the players to have time off and be sat on a beach and relaxing, and the players that are in the World Cup to really enjoy their experience of representing their country, but also being mindful that when we do come back there is a change in focus and we want to continue the success we have had at this club in recent years.
“There is a saying, if you stand still then people will go past you. As a club we are in a fantastic position.
“I am proud of what the groups have achieved, what Kristian did when he was here, but at the same time, I see that we can get better.
“That is what excites me about taking up this opportunity. To work with a group of players who are determined to improve is fantastic for me.”
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