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Radford opens up on relationship with Liam Watts and slams forums

Lee Radford has been appointed the new Castleford head coach and the former Hull boss couldn’t be happier.

“I’m excited for the opportunity; its a fantastic club and one I’m really looking forward to taking up the challenge,” Radford told Tigers TV.

“I like what the club is about, from the outset it’s a hard-working, honest and hard-faced club – you know what you’re getting when you come here.”

Radford has been criticised in the past for his style of play, but that’s something he quickly dismissed.

“I think that’s what being said on forums without any substance behind it.

“This club plays a certain way; the dimension of the field encourages Cas to play a certain way – you’re in good ball quicker than in any other ground in the competition which allows you to play a bit more.

“The brand of rugby they play, I’ve always enjoyed watching them and trying to stop them.

“They’ve been in that tier of the ‘best of the rest’ behind Wigan and Saints and breaking that ceiling is what the challenge is.

“I wouldn’t be coming here if I didn’t have aspirations to break that ceiling with the top couple of sides of the moment – that’s something we will be working tirelessly towards as a group and a club.”

The former Bradford and Hull prop was meant to be joining rugby union side Dallas Jackals as defensive coach in September, but opened up about the impact of lockdown.

“Being at home with the family and wife, my kids are 16 and 18 and they’re at an age where they need their dad around them more now than they ever have.

“I didn’t think lockdown would have such an impact, but it’s played a massive part in the decision and a club with such history doesn’t come around very often.”

Radford will be wanting to put his own stamp on the club, but he was keen to stress that the Tigers’ squad doesn’t need that much tweaking.

“I don’t think the squad needs wholesale changes; I’m really looking forward to working with some of the younger blokes in the squad and hopefully making them more established first-teamers.

“I’ve worked with Wattsy and Jordan Turner and we have good relationships and Liam cant speak highly enough of the club.

“Anyone who comes in will be coming in add to something and contribute to what we want to achieve.”

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