HULL FC director of rugby Richie Myler has revealed that he thought Paul Rowley was “almost a deal done” to join the Black and Whites.
Salford Red Devils head coach Rowley was linked heavily with the Hull job last month but decided to turn the vacancy down to remain at the Salford Community Stadium.
Since then, the Black and Whites have been linked with the likes of former South Sydney Rabbitohs boss Jason Demetriou, ex-Leeds Rhinos head coach Brian McDermott and Brisbane Broncos’ attacking coach Lee Briers.
But, Myler has revealed that just one formal offer has been put out there – and that was to Rowley.
“We’ve been linked with every single coach, which says there are a lot of people out of a job. We’ve only formally put an offer in to one coach,” Myler said.
“We have had lots of discussions with people that think they can help or have a vision on how they could help.
“We got pretty close with Paul and he has been very public with that. It was almost a deal done.
“The logistics of the travel and how that would work was always going to be a factor and that was a process we were working through.
“I thought we had got to a comfortable position where both parties would be happy but that’s a prerogative he decided not to do do that for family reasons.
“We were pretty adamant that we had a guy that would give us what we are looking for and ultimately that’s not worked out.
“We are in that process now of looking at who is going to add to our environment.”
One man that has been linked with the job at the MKM Stadium has been Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam, but Myler revealed that conversations haven’t turned into a formal offer.
“I have had a brief conversation with Adrian but like I’ve had with most coaches we haven’t formally got to anything. That’s my honest answer.
“The only formal contract I’ve put out there was to Paul Rowley. It needs to be the right fit what we want to do and that person has to buy into what we achieve.”
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