Smith hoping chance is taken
FORMER Huddersfield Giants and England coach Tony Smith believes the vacancy at the top of the Rugby Football League gives the sport a great opportunity to grow but insists he is not the man for the job.
Indeed, when the new season kicked off at the weekend, Smith, 51, was busy cultivating his new links in football with Premier League leaders Manchester City before relaxing with his family at their home in the Yorkshire countryside.
The former Super League Grand Final-winning coach, who was in charge of the national side from 2006-09, saw his three decades of involvement in rugby league come to an end in September after parting company with Warrington and he has no intention of returning.
Instead, the New South Wales-born Smith has set up his own consultancy business which is currently centred on a mentoring role with both the Premier League and the League Managers’ Association and he has also taken on public and corporate speaking engagements.
“Something I’ve had a passion for some time is welfare, managerial and staff welfare as well as player welfare,” Smith told Press Association Sport.
“Last week I spoke to about 30 or 40 managers and coaches in Bristol and I’ve had various programmes and seminars around the country. I’ve had a few meetings with Richard Bevan regarding manager welfare.
“There’s a lot of focus within all sports nowadays on player welfare but I think, because of some of my experiences, it gives me an insight into some of pressures and the pitfalls of being in the public eye as a manager.”
Smith, who guided Leeds to two league titles and Warrington to three Challenge Cup triumphs, includes former England international Stuart Pearce among his friends in the football world.
“He’s now on David Moyes’s staff at West Ham,” Smith said. “As I left coaching, he got back into it and we joke about swapping roles.
“This year I’ve probably been to more games of football than I’ve been to in the last 17 years and I’m really enjoying learning about different cultures.
“I’m no expert on the sport and I don’t intend to be. What I’m interested in is the culture and the pressures that are involved.
“I won’t limit it to football and at some stage I will go talk to the Rugby Union, certainly cricket. I’m enjoying it and learning lots.”
Smith demonstrated his concern for player welfare by serving as the rugby league patron for Sporting Chance and was the coaches’ representative on the RFL’s independent welfare committee but those roles ended with his departure from Warrington.
He had become increasingly critical of the governing body in recent years but insists he left the sport on good terms and would love to see it thrive. He believes the recent departure of Nigel Wood as chief executive provides an opportunity for just that.
“Because of how it’s been run for the last 10 years or so is probably why I needed to get away from it, but it’s a great opportunity now for rugby league to kick on and become healthier, strong and vibrant again,” he said.
“It needs the right person to take it to some good levels again and I’m really hopeful of that. I hope it’s a really good appointment because it’s crucial. I’m not bitter and twisted, I’m just enjoying doing something different. I’ll always have an interest in rugby league and I’m grateful for the time that I was involved.”