Keighley Cougars boss Danny Burton has given his first words after being announced as the new interim boss of the Championship club.
Burton, who was the assistant coach to Alan Kilshaw, has been handed the role following Kilshaw’s exit from the West Yorkshire outfit.
Leaving the side to join Oldham, with just two weeks to go it leaves the Cougars with work to do, but Burton is sure they will be able to manage the situation well.
Giving an interview to BBC Radio Leeds, the new man at the helm explained how Kilshaw’s exit came about.
After an opposed training session with the Roughyeds over the weekend, he announced his exit to Burton prior to a review meeting of the session, saying that things were moving quickly with the Championship side, and that he wanted to let him know as soon as possible.
He said: “I was a little bit taken aback at first. The pre-season we have had, we have really squeezed as much as we can out of this group.
“I was taken aback initially, but obviously, with rugby, I appreciate that he’s got an opportunity to be nearer to his home… and with all the travelling that he’s got to do, across the M62, it would be better for his home life.
Kilshaw had already recommended Burton as a potential replacement to the Cougars owners, and whilst he is more than happy to take on the role, he is willing to step back and return to being an assistant if the right coach comes in, and that they fit the direction that the club is going.
“We [Burton and the owners] came to an agreement about it being an interim role. That was weighted on both sides. That was me wanting to make sure that the due diligence is done, and that we are not making a knee-jerk reaction.
“The club have had, over the past two years, a lot of instability. We were brought in last year to have that stability and make sure that the pathway was right.”
He later added: “I’ll be honest, the timing’s not great. You’re two weeks before the first game against Goole. You’ve already got everything in place. In terms of where you are at, you’re also trying to make sure that [players] don’t feel let down.
“They put their heart and soul into something, following a vision, only for part of the picture in their mind to change. It’s how we react to that, that’s the main thing for us.”
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