The issue is that expectations are high now so its not the time to take a gamble. Last year we finished 1st and made two Grand Finals so the only way you can improve on that is winning a title and anything less would be deemed a failure otherwise we may as well have kept Smith.

Appointing an ex player like Hodgson, Monaghan would be the equivalent of Man U hiring Giggs as manager or Arsenal replacing Wenger with Patrick Vieira. You could make an argument for it but it would be a very risky option.

Shane Wane did very well as a new coach and I would have him at Warrington I just don't think its very likely he would leave Wigan for us. To be fair though most years he gets as much stick from the Wigan fans as Smith gets from ours. So does Brian McDermott at Leeds.

Lee Radford is another who came in inexperienced and people thought he was the cheap yes man option but he has improved Hull, although it took a few years and expectations at Hull were lower at the time.

But there are lots of other examples of inexperienced coaches that have crashed and burned in SL. Look at James Lowes with us, or Iestyn Harris or the other Tony Smith that was at Wakefield.

The other problem with bringing in an inexperienced coach is that the way the fans will accept them will depend on how they viewed them as a player, rather than any objective opinion about their coaching experience. For instance the likes of Willie Poching, Allan Hunte, Gary Chambers are more experienced coaches than Hodgson or Monaghan but I bet our fans would react with disappointment if any of those three were brought in to replace Smith.

Another practical issue with Hodgson or Monaghan would be getting a work permit to be head coach, a quick scan through the criteria for RFL endorsement of a work permit suggests they might struggle to meet it. If they leave their current positions they will need to apply for a new work permit and Theresa May is making sure that we get net migration down to controllable levels.

media.therfl.co.uk/docs/Governin ... 0FINAL.pdf

The issue is that expectations are high now so its not the time to take a gamble. Last year we finished 1st and made two Grand Finals so the only way you can improve on that is winning a title and anything less would be deemed a failure otherwise we may as well have kept Smith.

Appointing an ex player like Hodgson, Monaghan would be the equivalent of Man U hiring Giggs as manager or Arsenal replacing Wenger with Patrick Vieira. You could make an argument for it but it would be a very risky option.

Shane Wane did very well as a new coach and I would have him at Warrington I just don't think its very likely he would leave Wigan for us. To be fair though most years he gets as much stick from the Wigan fans as Smith gets from ours. So does Brian McDermott at Leeds.

Lee Radford is another who came in inexperienced and people thought he was the cheap yes man option but he has improved Hull, although it took a few years and expectations at Hull were lower at the time.

But there are lots of other examples of inexperienced coaches that have crashed and burned in SL. Look at James Lowes with us, or Iestyn Harris or the other Tony Smith that was at Wakefield.

The other problem with bringing in an inexperienced coach is that the way the fans will accept them will depend on how they viewed them as a player, rather than any objective opinion about their coaching experience. For instance the likes of Willie Poching, Allan Hunte, Gary Chambers are more experienced coaches than Hodgson or Monaghan but I bet our fans would react with disappointment if any of those three were brought in to replace Smith.

Another practical issue with Hodgson or Monaghan would be getting a work permit to be head coach, a quick scan through the criteria for RFL endorsement of a work permit suggests they might struggle to meet it. If they leave their current positions they will need to apply for a new work permit and Theresa May is making sure that we get net migration down to controllable levels.

media.therfl.co.uk/docs/Governin ... 0FINAL.pdf