Of course the overall pack taken into account but the guy ringing you everyday holds the keys.

It's amazing how the assistant coach for the last 2 years didn't get any praise but now the boots on the other foot ....... Laughable

It's a much bigger role than just first team coach. We are employing a General Manager, similar to the role that Paul Terzis used to do. If we appointed Rowley as first team coach, we would still need someone to fulfill the other duties. The board have got it right. Our reputation in the rugby world would be shot if we gave back word to Richie Blackmore. The board are trying to be honest in their dealings and hope to build up a good professional reputation with the Leigh public, but to do that to Blackmore would undo that at the first hurdle.

I think Jukesy is doing a fantastic job. And it must be very rewarding for him seeing as so many of our 1st team squad have come through the reserves under jukes's guidance and have developed into 1st team players. Now he is taking them to the next level. If Paul and Jukes get the job(s) I will be very happy with that.

If a foreign coach had won the first 3 games like what leigh have done he would have been hailed a god and a statue errected,but it local english lad so therfore it does not count.


Please tell me what these magical duties our general manager would need to do which anyone off here could not do?

If we can afford both then why not have both. Let Paul, Neil and the rest concentrate on the fantastic job they are doing now and lets get on with winning and getting more people through the turnstyles. As a club we have to decide the best role for anyone in the structure of the club for us to prosper. If giving Paul the job it takes him away from the great work he has been doing and the tream suffer then it will have been a totaly wrong decision. If Paul pushes for the job and it goes pear shaped there will be right royal outcry. Personally I don't want that because the lad is nothing but Leigh through anf through and he doesn't deserve another bad trip like before.

I don't think anyone is doubting the current good work being undertaken by Rowley and Jukes, but let's be honest there would have been uproar if Rowley had got the job straight away after what happened last time. Fair play to him, he's obviously proving us doubters wrong and I would be very happy if it does turn out he becomes head coach on a permanent basis, but I think the board are fully justified in sticking to their current course - as mentioned, if we pull out of the Blackmore deal now then our reputation would be in absolute tatters.

Can't say I'd be disappointed if his visa application is refused, but the board are spot on for doing things by the book.

So is Richie Blackmore to be head coach or GM?? You can't be both!!

A very difficult decision to make by those running our club.
I agree with the doing the honourable thing line to a certain extent - but we shouldn't keep waiting just to be seen as doing the 'right thing'.
If the guys running the club think they have unearthed something that benefits the club long term now then they have to act on it and appoint from within.

Regarding the current coaching team , they are doing a brilliant job (as are the players) , but its still early days......non competitive games , but in fairness you can only play what's in front of you and for Rowls and Jukesey its one hell of a start !

I suppose the little nagging worry I have is if we get our officially unknown coach (or whatever the description will be) and our form dips.......and continues to dip for a while (which can happen when you look what's been going on off the field) will our board stick with the guy or panic.

Some tough decisions to be made, its never dull at Leigh Centurions !

He can be be both - the position is a full-time one but the head coach role is only part time, so the rest of the work would be admin based etc. As mentioned, Paul Terzis had a very similar role back in t'day.

Rowley deserves to be coach after those three performances - I don't think there can be much doubt about that. HOWEVER - due process has to be followed and if the board (quite rightly) have made an offer to someone else then that must be honoured, surely. Hopefully there will be enough funds to find roles for all three.

In the words of a current SL coach and RFL official I met this week,

'it's laughable Leigh are trying to 'create' a position to get Blackmore in has head coach when they have a ready made coach who's built the squad'

So maybe the RL word is already laughing at us!

Oh and the entire playing staff want Paul to get the job

Got to be Paul Rowley, the team is doing brilliantly - and why waste money (ahem) on an overseas 'director of rugby/coach' when there is no promotion and neither relegation this season. If they don't appoint Paul, then the board are clueless.

If the playing staff and indeed Paul had made that clear much earlier in the process then I'm sure it would have been done and dusted already.

look when Ian left we asked for applicants for the job, Paul didnt apply.

Blackmore and Adamson did

Now Paul does want the job

Leigh have to be seen as doing things through the right channels and not looking unprofessional which a lot of people have slagged them off for in the past, so let see what happens.

Whoever gets the 1 st team coaches job on a permenant basis will eventually either be sacked, or will leave to further their career, that is how sport works

At that point Leigh Centurions will have to find another coach, and how we behave now, will have a bearing on the calibre of applicant we get next time

So we stick to what we have agreed to do, if you expect to be treated honorably, you need to behave honorably

The various managements have over the years been criticised ( sometimes fairly and sometimes unfairly ) for behaving unproffessionally , we now have some suggesting we do exactly that, they are wrong