SALFORD coach Paul Rowley says he’s had no contact from Leeds and reiterated his “fulfilment” at the Red Devils amid rumours he could switch clubs.
Rowley has done a hugely impressive job in his two-and-a-half years at the Red Devils so far, leading them to the Super League play-off semi-finals in 2022 and to a top-six berth at this stage of the current season despite an inferior budget to most of their rivals.
Leeds are searching for a new coach following the departure last week of Rohan Smith, days after former Salford director of rugby Ian Blease started work at Headingley as sporting director.
Blease said on Thursday: “Talented coaches interest me and Paul would be one of those. His name has been bandied about but nothing has happened yet.”
And Rowley, working for Sky Sports that night, was pressed on whether he would be interesting in taking the role.
“There’s been absolutely no contact with myself at all,” he said.
“I don’t expect anything. It’s nice that I’m linked with any job, it’s a great privilege and an honour, but I don’t expect anything.”
He suggested he expects to be Salford’s coach for the rest of the season: “I’ve got no reason not to say it, it would be a strange thing not to be able to say that.
“Tomorrow’s a different day and the day after that’s a different day.
“My motivation’s fulfilment, and I’m fulfilled where I am at Salford. I’ve got no dramas with that.”
Rowley was approached by Hull FC earlier this season but turned them down.
“A fair reflection would be that I had a sensible decision and came to a sensible conclusion,” he said of those talks.
“I had a discussion. Hull were really professional, and so was I. It’s like any other walk of life when you’re headhunted, you have a discussion and you either do (take the job) or you don’t.”
First published in League Express newspaper, Issue 3,436 (June 24, 2024)
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