This has been rumoured a while and what do you mean "more choice over his squad"?????????

maybe his choice of players?

Doesn't he have that already???????
I'm sure he said when he joined the 1 player he wanted was buderus and look what happened.
When ellis decided he wanted out he chose eastwood and barring the new visa regulations would of got him.
He was also instrumental in targetting soliola and pritchard and the club tried to sign them so i don't know what "more choice" he needs or requires.
I'm sure he has a say on who to retain aswell within the wage structure.

it was a comment which came up in conversation with people far more in the know than me?

I'm not knocking yer mate it just seems a strange thing to say about a head coach!!

if i was any coach i'd like to have the full salary cap at my disposal, suppose this was the line of the conversation.

Even though it's his testimonial next season.

He has the full cap available

now whether GH is prepared to spend it on just anyone is another matter.

just a conversation, the quote was "maclellan will have an open cheque book next year" not my words.... was also said diskin is on his way and smith will be at wasps, apparently was a good RU fullback when younger.

I don't think its that uncommon for coaches not to be given the choice of who to sign.

We tend to think the coach draws up a shortlist and the CEO/Chairman does his best to get them, but there's many a signing - and not just in RL - that is made by the boss and not the coach. Coaches are short term appointments - maybe no longer than a player - and CEOs have egos and half an eye on signings impacts for ticket sales and marketing as well as on field contributions.

In the case of Hetherington you've got an ex-player and ex-head coach so it would be very tempting for him to have more say in who is targeted than we might expect.

Why should someone who doesnt work for Leeds have any say in team affairs?

That makes logical sense to me - Diskin was unhappy at having the 9 taken away, his agent represents several players at Hull KR, and Leeds have in McShane a player with serious potential