Richard Agar has spoken openly and honestly about his departure from the head coach role at Leeds Rhinos after making the decision to step down.
It was announced on Monday that he would stand aside with immediate effect after starting the season with five defeats from their opening six matches, with Jamie Jones-Buchanan in interim charge of the team.
Agar explained why he had made the decision: “Plain and simply, I feel I’ve not had a big enough impact on the team as head coach.
“Looking at performances I feel I needed to have a stronger impact. Perhaps I’ve taken the team as far as I can. They need a fresh voice at this moment in time.”
He also reflected on his three years in charge, having taken over during the 2019 season from David Furner and led Leeds to the Challenge Cup in his first full season and the play-off semi-finals last term.
“It’s made harder because I’m walking out on what is the best job and the best club in the game,” said Agar.
“When I got the job it’s fair to say the club were in a very difficult period after Dave left. We got out of that difficult situation and climbed up the table.
“The year after, the impact Covid had on the game, the pay cuts behind the scenes and the uncertainty, we managed to get back into the play-off spots and win the Challenge Cup that year. The end of the season was carnage with the fixture list and the impact that had on the squad.
“Then last year, from start to finish it was a season that I’ve never experienced in terms of the amount of injuries.
“It’s been a very attritional three years. It’s always been a fight to get through. That’s probably had a little bit of an effect on me.”
Leeds’ statement announcing the coaching change said that the departing head coach “will have a future role at the club”, however Agar said that there has been few discussions on this yet and hinted he might look elsewhere for a role.
“I’ve had very loose conversations but that’s as far as it’s gone,” he said of a new Rhinos position. “I need some space, the players need some space from it as well to get on with their jobs.
“If those conversations pick up further down the track we’ll see where they go but at this moment in time there’s not much meat on the bones.”
Of the prospect of returning as a head coach, Agar added: “You never say never to anything but stepping out of a Leeds head coaching role, I think it’s very unlikely in the short or medium term I will look at other head coach roles and applying for jobs.
“I’d love to keep working in the game. I think I’ve still got plenty to offer. But head coaching right now I’m not really sure.”