One Super League owner has sent a warning to his team’s head coach after announcing to the media that they ‘must change habits’ for 2025.
Naturally, that’s a very ominous statement and it’s been made regarding Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara with owner Bernard Guasch taking aim at the Englishman once again.
Guasch spoke publicly earlier in the season to criticise McNamara following Catalans’ loss to London Broncos, with the Frenchman’s comments leading to speculation about the future of the longest-serving coach in Super League.
After Catalans were upset 12-10 by the Broncos, Guasch released a statement via L’Independant in which he claimed that he had “never been so ashamed in 25 years of presidency”.
In relation to McNamara, he said: “I’ll think about the decisions to be made on Friday night depending on the performance at Huddersfield, or at the end of August. And I’m talking about the coaching staff, but also the players. I’m very angry and I won’t say more for the moment.”
He has now spoken again to French radio as he assessed the season and opened up on the future of McNamara, whilst also confirming that Sam Tomkins will “probably” play on in 2025.
Super League coach ‘missed it a little bit’ as owner confirms need for ‘change’
As reported by France Bleu Roussillon, Guasch said of McNamara that he had: “missed it a little bit this year.”
He would clarify: “I’m not going to kill a coach because he missed it a little bit, it’s still the players who play. He (Steve McNamara) tried to change things but it didn’t work.”
Catalans were nowhere near the force of 2023 this past year with Tom Johnstone’s personal try tally dropping from 27 to just nine, however, he still was tied with Tom Davies for most tries for the club.
Both of those wingers will depart now and that’s led to worries among fans with questions being asked of the team’s attack in 2024, particularly given the fact that Catalans have so often been associated with more glamorous rugby.
On that, Guasch explained: “I understand all that, I listen to the supporters, I listen to all my friends, I listen to all my elders who talk to me and who every week tell me more or less the same thing. They want to come to Brutus to enjoy themselves but the players on the pitch also have to want to enjoy themselves.”
He would then add: “Some things are going to change, Steve McNamara’s entourage is going to change with a little more skills, with a little more technique and with a little more ambition. The staff is going to expand.”
Guasch would confirm that McNamara will remain in charge for the 2025 Super League season, noting he wants him to learn from 2024 and make changes.
“Steve McNamara will stay next season, I hope he will be able to learn from this season by changing his plans a little. His entourage is going to be considerably modified with a performance manager arriving from the Sydney Roosters, who is going to change the situation and change habits and McNamara must agree to change habits. He will perhaps have two new assistants.”
Andy Last has been confirmed as departing to join Hull FC and with Laurent Frayssinous’ exit from St Helens being confirmed, perhaps the France national team manager will link up with McNamara.