“Chaotic” – Interim coach Simon Grix speaks on whirlwind week at Hull FC

Interim head coach of Hull FC, Simon Grix, has spoken to the media for the first time since his appointment after a whirlwind week at the club.

Grix had joined the Hull FC coaching staff ahead of the 2024 Super League season but after the sacking of Tony Smith, it’s now down to the former Halifax Panthers head coach to get a tune of the under-performing Black and Whites.

In seven Super League games, Hull FC have shipped a whopping 252 points with the last four games in all competitions seeing them concede 36 tries.

With the appointment of Richie Myler as the club’s new Director of Rugby, the search for a new head coach has begun but until then it’s up to Grix to lead the side.

One of his first tasks was media duties with Grix speaking to BBC Humberside, first asked about how the last week had been.

Grix responded: “Chaotic, surprising, a bit uncomfortable to be honest. One man obviously loses his job in these scenarios, but we’re all part of it, so I feel a little bit guilty about the scenario, as everyone else should.

“We can’t look back for too long, we’ve got to get on with things.”

Hull FC situation “disappointing”

Grix will have the tough task of taking on St Helens in his first game in charge with the Red Vee reeling after back-t0-back losses but the interim coach took time to address questions on his predecessor.

Asked if he was surprised by the sacking, he responded: “I mean, it’s not uncommon. It’s not only the coach that feels it in the end, the buck stops with them, but I think, as I say, there are a lot of factors in play as to the position we find ourselves in.

“For mine, I came here to work with an experienced coach in Tony, and I thought he was doing a good job of it. There’s a long way to go in getting this club back to where everyone would like it to be. There’s obviously hard yards to go through that, and we’re in them at the moment.”

He added: “It’s disappointing, he was obviously a coach and mentor to me, a friend as well. Pretty gutted for him, but as I say, we have to get on with things.

“You take a couple of days there to get over what was a bit of a shock for us and then we’re getting on with the next part which is preparing for the next game.”