What’s at the top of new DOR Myler’s Hull in-tray?
THE cat is out of the bag with Hull FC confirming Richie Myler as their new Director of Rugby.
The 33-year-old has signed a three-year contract and is now tasked with overseeing and improving all performance related aspects of the club.
It’s a huge task ahead, and one Myler, who has full power to appoint a new head coach and bring in new players, has already been cracking on with behind the scenes.
Here, the Mail looks at his most pressing responsibilities.
Appoint a new head coach
With Tony Smith departing, Hull are searching for a new head coach. Adam Pearson has already confirmed the process started last week with Myler coming up with a three-man shortlist.
In the meantime, Simon Grix, appointed last autumn as Smith’s new assistant, will take charge of the side on an interim basis. The Halifax-born coach played with Myler for over five years in their Warrington days and he hasn’t been ruled out of getting the job permanently.
But getting the right appointment who knows all the ins and outs of Super League and is ready to take on a huge job like Hull is crucial. There can be no more room for error with Hull now parting ways with Smith and Brett Hodgson inside the last two years, two coaches who were brought in to oversee a long-term rebuild.
Sign new players and build a team
Hull are recruiting on two strands: the here and now and next season. It means who they sign right now might not necessarily be for next season, and vice versa. But what is no secret is that Myler is looking for players to bring in imminently.
After Tex Hoy and Fa’amanu
Brown’s exits, Hull have two quota spots and they intend to fill them; with a half-back and a back rower their top targets. They are also active for domestic acquisitions, whether loan signings, end-ofseason deals, or more.
Signing the right type of player on the right deal here is so important, and that’s where strategy comes into place. Hull haven’t got all facets of their recruitment right in recent cycles, something Pearson conceded on the BBC last week. They have to now. Whatever they bring in, both for this season and for the future, has to be the right fit, adding the right qualities and balances.
They have to identify the right players in the key positions to build around. That all ties in with the head coach role, and it shows why appointing the right candidate, with recruitment stepping up over the next month, is so important.
Get that right, and they can start to build a squad with an identity, and then grow and nurture it with what they will retain, and what comes through the academy.
The plan
It’s not just about appointing a head coach and signing players, Hull need to get their house in order, with every facet of performance reviewed. The club are open to bringing in more backroom staff to aid existing members from medical, conditioning and analysts. The hope will be to reduce injury counts, and recovery periods, and keep players available for selection and give them the best preparation they can. Getting those areas right, and in tandem with a new club hub at the university, which will help, is so important.
This is still a long-term thing at Hull, nothing has changed there and there is no overnight fix, but improvement can become much quicker with the right strategy and backing. That’s the desired goals, with Myler’s challenge now to make it all a reality.