By STEVE MASCORD NEW chief executive Richie Myler has directly addressed critics of his appointments at Hull FC - where he was previously rugby director - claiming: "we could have been Salford". Myler was speaking to reporters today at the University of Hull ahead of the annual open media sessions for the black-and-whites, who finished second last in 2024. The term nepotism has never been far from discussions about Myler, whose partner's father is one of the club's two new owners, Andrew Thurkill. The other is fellow businessman David Hood. "The reality is: we could have been Salford," the 34-year-old said. "That's as harsh as it was about to get, we could have been in Salford's situation right now. "We're not because we're very thankful for Andrew and David." Asked about derision of his appointment straight from playing to managing Hull FC's recruitment, retention and daily team admin, Myler said: "I did hear all those comments and I found them quite funny. "I enjoyed them. "I love proving people wrong. I get satisfaction out of it. "i quite like being underestimated and I quite like being challenged. I think in my rugby career, I was a good rugby player - I managed to play over 400-odd games - but what I was clever at in my career was getting everyone else to perform doing their jobs. "I feel this role is literally just getting everybody on the same page and we're all delivering on my areas and I think that we are. "We've under-performed as a club in the last five, six years. That's been the reality. I'm coming in on the back of the club not going so well anyway. "We're doing a dinner on the fourth and everyone's asked me what's my song going to be. "I think 'The Only Way Is Up'." Myler made no bones about the fact he is an agent for the owners - but reckoned most fans did not understand who Thurkill and Hood were and what they represented. "I've got two really experienced people in Andrew and David who know how business should be run," he said. "We have board meetings monthly and we go through everything in every bit of detail. "The two owners who are putting large, large sums of money into this club are doing that and not taking a penny out. "That message is a really strong one for anyone who loves Hull FC because if I was a fan I'd be thinking 'well hang on a minute, I can directly impact that field by buying my ticket'. "David very much doesn't want the limelight. You'll get to know Andrew and he's a very, very, extremely passionate rugby league man. "They both run business tremendously well and everything that both those people have touched has turned to - cliche - gold and has been a success. "I don't think people in the rugby league community have fully understood the impact that those two individuals will have on Hull FC, not just through a financial aid but the vision and drive and what they actually want for Hull FC as a rugby league club. "I don't think people have fully grasped it yet because we're only just starting out. "It's all about being a rugby club. It's not about anything else. There's no other agenda. There's no making money because ... they don't need the money in the sense is they don't want money to profit. "We all want to go to Wembley, we all want to go and experience that as owners of rugby clubs - not make money and have nice things."

[quote="Marcus's Bicycle":u3qlpqt5]Wouldn't that put us in a better position if we decided to make a move for Lafai, McDonald or Marsters? We need a centre and have cap space unlike a few other clubs. The dispensation allows an extra quota signing on a 1 year contract. Lafai is only on a 1 year deal at Salford so I guess he might accept a similar contract if we offered him one. All hypothetical. I'd rather Salford secure the investment sort the mess out and avoid a fire sale.[/quote:u3qlpqt5] Like you say it’s all hypothetical and nobody knows. If I had to make a guess I’d say Salford will push for quota and cap dispensation and force a bidding war for Macdonald for a five figure fee that Rovers would eventually win. They get a big fee and possibly the biggest earner off the books but still maintain a decent squad and steady the ship, like they did with Croft and Ackers the year before. Marsters was on the open market a few months ago when we had quota spots and we didn’t seem to make a play, nobody knows for certain that we didn’t but I’d have expected noise if we did. Lafai like you say is supposed to be heading home next year so could be an option. Nobody really knows what’s happening at Salford but I don’t think they’ll be losing lots of players now it looks like they’ll get a takeover sorted soon.

Pleased for Balmforth,like people say..he is still raw but there is a player in there…I wonder how Grix feels seeing that he used to criticise him and if he had his way,he would have gone.

Echo the thoughts of many, pleased to see Balmforth given a deal.

[quote="The games afoot":ielfa6mf]Pleased for Balmforth,like people say..he is still raw but there is a player in there…I wonder how Grix feels seeing that he used to criticise him and if he had his way,he would have gone.[/quote:ielfa6mf] You say he is still raw and then have a rant about a coach because he publicly said the same? Wasn’t the quote something like “Denvine had a solid game but still needs to work on a few things off the ball and in defence” sounds like good advice for a player that’s raw. Not only that some very wise coaches have always liked to keep young players feet on the ground. I have no particular feelings on Grix, he was an assistant coach thrust into a job that he didn’t ask for managing one of the worst squads assembled in SL history. Think it’s a bit strange that some of our fans have a bit of an obsession with him. Myler and Cartwright have been absolutely ruthless with contracted players like Adbull, Morgan Smith, Walker etc if Grix was really upsetting the players I’m sure they’d have let him go, all evidence points to people in the game thinking that he’s maybe a decent coach.

Grix was absolute garbage He allowed the poorest discipline ever seen and never corrected it End of story ! Garbage and garbage is what we watched under him Balmforth epitomised the same garbage Totally unfit and never once changed that and his coach didn’t make him get fit bit just critiscised him Both needed to leave at the end of the season