Zak Hardaker claims Castleford Tigers should have appointed this coach

Zak Hardaker has played on the biggest stages with Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Castleford Tigers and Leigh Leopards.

At Leigh things are going incredibly well with Hardaker playing in a fourth Challenge Cup Final recently and with the club fighting for a home Super League semi-final and a spot in the top two.

It seems where he goes things pick up and where he leaves behind start to struggle and Castleford and Leeds are perhaps examples of this with neither club in great shape at the moment.

Castleford have even appointed a new coach in the shape of Danny Ward.

However, Hardaker believes John Kear would have been the right appointment saying on the Fully Game podcast:

“I’ve never been under John Kear but I’ve heard that he’s a great man management and a great motivator. I think that’s probably what the club needs.

“I don’t think you can turn around and change the playing style or you can’t get anyone in now that the transfer window’s gone.

“So when you say someone who needs to go in, look at what they’ve got, play to their strengths and be like, look lads, you’ve been there, done it, there’s no 40-year-olds in there, they’re all 31, 32. Some of them are great players.”

Another former club in the shape of Leeds aren’t in great shape at the moment who ironically left Leeds for Castleford.

On this, Hardaker said:

“I think he can do it on his day, yeah. To be fair, he was the best player for Leeds for the last 6 or 8 weeks.

“Funny enough, before we played Leeds we previewed Blake Austin and Richie Myler’s as their two main threats. Richie Myler broke his toe and Blake Austin got let go or whatever happened there.

“Funny enough he did a podcast with someone and he kind spilt some beans that you probably shouldn’t have spilt. I thought it might bite him on the arse.

“Whether they come to a mutual agreement or what? I really don’t know. But yeah, he said some things about the owner Gary Hetherington.

“I think he just said what he might have done right or might have done wrong. I know Gary from, I’ve been at Leeds for years so I was like, I don’t think Gary will like that. A week later and he’s not there so take that for what you will.”