Wolves getting psyched up
ENGLAND legend Stuart Pearce will present Warrington’s players with their jerseys ahead of Saturday’s Challenge Cup final against Hull FC.
The former footballer, famously nicknamed Psycho during his playing days, is close friends with Wolves coach Tony Smith and a regular at club matches.
They met at a coaching seminar several years ago and have enjoyed a burgeoning relationship since then.
Pearce, capped 78 times by England, will be watching at Wembley and Smith said: “Stuart is one of our biggest fans, he really is hooked on it.
“In his phone conversations or text messages, he asks how ‘we’ did or gives his opinion on how ‘we’ did.
“He’ll have the floor on Friday, he’ll have an opportunity to speak about maybe of some of his experiences at Wembley or his career. When he comes to games, sometimes he pops in the changing room, the players know he’s a supporter.
“It’s a great honour for somebody like him to come and present the jerseys for us. We’re delighted. It’s a big occasion for our players and it’s great for our sport to have someone such as Stuart involved.”
Pearce has been out of football management since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in February last year.
Pearce said: “I went to watch Warrington train a few years ago and from there Tony and I became good friends.
“I like going into other sporting teams to see the different dynamics at play and Tony has certainly created a fantastic environment at Warrington.
“Management is about trying to inspire people and galvanise teams and the thing is with Tony, he’s bloody honest. He’s one of the modern-day coaches who opens his door to others.
“It’s good just being around successful people who have an open mind and a thirst for knowledge.
“I played rugby union at school and I never really knew a great deal about league.
“Team sports are very similar but the one thing rugby league players have to get right is their recovery because the hits are so big.
“It’s full of action, drive, people getting clattered but just carrying on, so that’s something which appeals to me greatly. It’s a really untapped sport in this country and I think it’s fantastic.”
Smith, who has won three Challenge Cups with Wolves since 2009, is sweating on the fitness of forward Joe Westerman, who is struggling with an ankle injury.