Why Leeds Rhinos icon Danny McGuire can hold head high & what next for Castleford Tigers after coach's exit

Last October, Castleford Tigers announced the end of Craig Lingard’s spell as coach. Chairman Martin Jepson said then it was “time for a different direction”. Yesterday (Monday), when Lingard’s successor Danny McGuire was axed, Jepson was quoted in the club’s statement saying “a change of direction” was needed following the heavy home loss to Huddersfield Giants four days earlier.

Director of rugby Chris Chester, the former Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity team boss, has been appointed interim-coach as the search begins for someone to replace McGuire. Since Daryl Powell left at the end of 2021, Lee Radford (2022-23), Andy Last (2023), Danny Ward (2023) and Lingard (2024) have also occupied the hot seat, making Chester Tigers’ sixth coach in three seasons.

Clearly coaching isn’t the only factor holding the club back. What they need now is some stability - McGuire was 18 games into a three-year contract and paying off coaches is an expensive business - and better players. Coaches can improve players and teams, but generally the ones with the best individuals rise to the top. Salford Red Devils, until this year, have been a rare exception.

Castleford are third from bottom in Super League and have won only five games this season, but there were some encouraging signs over the past couple of months, including an excellent performance at home to Wigan Warriors two weeks ago. Chester has been brought in to improve recruitment and it’s a shame for McGuire he wasn’t given an opportunity to show what he could do with a stronger squad at his disposal.

Realistically, Tigers’ current position reflects the squad McGuire was working with and it’s doubtful anyone could have done much better. Until they can match the spending power of other clubs, Castleford will struggle to compete, whoever’s at the helm. They are limited in what they can do at their current stadium, in its present state and while Jepson’s takeover has helped, they still have a lot of ground to make up on teams above them.

Steve McNamara, recently sacked by Catalans Dragons, could be a contender to replace McGuire in the long-term and the likes of ex-Salford and Huddersfield chief Ian Watson, Ryan Carr, who coached Featherstone Rovers and veteran Tony Smith are also likely to be linked with the role. As for McGuire, one of the best and most successful players of the Super League era, he is well regarded in the game and did a good job as assistant- and interim-coach at his previous club Hull KR.

A return to Leeds Rhinos would be hugely popular among the fans, but Leeds have a strong backroom staff in place under Brad Arthur - with Kallum Watkins and Ryan Hall both set to join that after they hang up their boots - so there doesn’t seem to be an opening at the moment. He would be an excellent media pundit, but talented, young and home-grown coaches are precious and hopefully McGuire will stick at it. Despite the circumstances, he can move on to the next chapter with his pride intact.