Leeds Rhinos legend Barrie McDermott has named the man he believes “has to be the next England coach” after Shaun Wane’s resignation.
McDermott, who played once for England and 15 times for Great Britain between 1994 and 2003, has called on his namesake and fellow former Leeds Rhinos man Brian McDermott to take charge of England ahead of the upcoming Rugby League World Cup.
It’s not the first instance of Brian McDermott being backed for the gig with James Graham, who Wayne Bennett had suggested should coach England alongside Sam Burgess, also backing McDermott to lead England.
Brian McDermott left Leeds Rhinos in 2018 and made the switch to coach in the NRL after a spell with Toronto and Featherstone, recently making the switch from Newcastle Knights to Gold Coast Titans where he will be an assistant to Josh Hannay.
Despite recently securing that role, Barrie McDermott has now backed Brian McDermott to be England’s next head coach, setting out his argument in a post on LinkedIn.
Ex-Leeds Rhinos boss Brian McDermott backed for England job
After paying credit to Shaun Wane, Barrie McDermott quickly set his stall for Brian McDermott to lead England at this year’s World Cup.
“Brian McDermott has to be the next England coach,” the Sky Sports pundit posted, noting his playing experience against him as well as work alongside him at Leeds as testament to forming his opinion.
Continuing, he said: His CV speaks for itself. NRL experience. Super League success. Trophies. Respected across the game but it’s what sits behind that which really matters.
“He understands the NRL players and the southern hemisphere mentality. He can pull their game apart, but more importantly, he can shape a clear identity for an England team that badly needs one.”
The pundit hailed McDermott as a man motivator whose players want to play for him, concluding: “England need a fresh edge and a stronger sense of who they are. One coach won’t fix everything overnight, but this would be a proper start.
“In my opinion, Brian McDermott is the best man for the job.”
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