Ian Watson reveals interesting conversation with Shaun Wane about assistant role

Ian Watson is one of, if not the, best coaches in Super League.

In the minds of many he is a future England coach and in the past, after guiding Salford Red Devils to a first ever Grand Final in 2019, worked on Great Britain’s tour down under.

Now England boss Shaun Wane is looking for a new assistant and today Watson was asked if he was interested in the role.

Watson said: “Probably not, my main job is just focusing on Huddersfield and what we’re doing here.”

He went on to reveal a conversation with Wane about the assistant coach role where the former Wigan Warriors boss said that he wanted an out and out assistant to be his assistant at England.

He said: “Shaun has spoken to me before about he wanted an assistant to be his assistant.

“I don’t know whether he has changed his stance on that but that was the last conversation we had around that but for me Huddersfield is what I need to focus on this year.”

Watson meanwhile named Huddersfield players he feels should be in the mix for England:

“They’re in the shop window, it is up to Shaun to decide whether to pick them or feel that they’re right for him but I’d be pushing names like Olly Wilson, Will Pryce for sure and there’s other guys to be fair,” Watson said.

“I think Harry Rushton is going to be an international down the line and we have Matty English who played England Knights and Olly Russell who also played England Knights so these guys are all going to start competing.

“There are other guys in the squad who won’t have given up on playing for England even though they’re getting a bit older.

“It is good for us, it is good if they’re recognising our players to be able to be in that position but it is up to our players to perform week in and week out to catch Shaun’s eye and then step up and get into the international set up and take it from there.”