Sean O'Loughlin makes admission on coaching future after adapting to life off the field

[josie andrews]

O'Loughlin a Wigan Warriors legend following his one-club career, has hung up the boots to focus on life off the field.

Legendary former Wigan Warriors captain Sean O’Loughlin is convinced he made the right decision to embark on a coaching career ahead of Friday’s derby against sworn enemies St Helens.

O’Loughlin made his Wigan debut alongside current Warriors head coach Adrian Lam in 2002 and had captained his hometown club since 2006 until retiring at the end of last season.

He hung up his boots after the heartbreaking 2020 Grand Final defeat to Saints and joined Lam’s first-team coaching team, having spent the previous few years coaching youngsters in the club’s scholarship and academy.

Now he is a full-time coach, the 38-year old ex-Wigan, Great Britain and England loose forward says he is loving life in the coaching ranks.

O’Loughlin told Rugby League Live: “As a player, I had done bits of coaching with the young lads for the past five or six years and had really enjoyed it without being fully immersed in it.

“That was always my concern – with coaching then being my full-time job, would I still enjoy it as much?

When I finished playing, I knew I had a couple of years just to find my feet as a coach and to see if it was something to pursue and kick on with.

“I’d say now, having had the best part of this season under my belt, it’s something I’ve really enjoyed. Yes, I do see coaching as my future now.”

O’Loughlin’s role sees him work under Lam and first-team assistants Matty Peet and John Winder.

“They have been brilliant in taking me under their wing and helping me on a daily basis, so I feel like I’m in a good group to learn,” he said.

“There is a lot to learn, but I’m finding my feet and really enjoying it.

“The schedule is pretty similar to when I was a player, but the hours are a lot more demanding.

“I knew I was in for some hard work on that front because I’ve seen how many hours the coaches here at Wigan put into the job.

“It’s part and parcel of it and one thing I always thought I was good at as a player was switching off after a game.

“But coaching is a lot more continuous, reviewing games and watching opposition, so it’s tough yet at the same time really enjoyable.”

Part of O’Loughlin’s job involves overseeing the younger members of the squad currently in transition – either on the fringe of the first-team squad or out on loan.

“There are eight or nine lads who are classed as transition players, so I keep an eye on them and catch up with them if they are not in the first-team every week,” he explained.

“I make sure they get out what they need from training and how they are travelling if they’re out on loan.”

O’Loughlin, a one-club man who played 459 games and won ten major honours with Wigan, has been touted as a potential head coach of his hometown club one day.

He admitted: “I’d love to be a successful coach and win things like I did as a player.

“But my goal at this point is really just to learn the role because I almost feel like I’m doing an apprenticeship in a new job.

“I try to learn from people away from the club as well and in different sports and from different coaches.

“It’s difficult at the moment due to the pandemic.

“Normally it happens a lot here at Wigan when people from different sports come in to observe and watch training.

“But I think it will start to open up again now that things are improving.

“I want to learn to be a good coach, first and foremost, and everything else will hopefully follow.

“One thing the RFL have done is offer me a place on a course for young coaches making their way in the game.

“It’s done through UK Sport, so you’re involved with coaches from other sports in terms of sharing ideas.

“The majority of it has been done on Zoom, and Jamie Jones-Buchanan is on the course too.

“There are coaches from athletics and the Olympics on the course too, so it’s all part of my development and it runs nicely alongside my practical experience in the job.”

Wigan enjoyed their best start to a Super League season this year before five consecutive defeats shunted them off course.

Injuries have bit hard at times but O’Loughlin feels Lam’s men are ready to hit top form as the play-offs come into focus.

Ahead of Friday’s visit of bitter rivals St Helens, O’Loughlin said: “I’ve not missed playing too much because I felt the time was right to retire.

“I loved the buzz of playing in these big games, but that’s in the past now and I’m looking forward to Friday's game from a coaching perspective now.

“The boys are excited for this week, especially being a home derby against Saints, and the club are working hard to push the game and attract a big crowd.

“The atmosphere at Wigan-Saints game haven’t been the same without crowds, for obvious reasons, but this week should see the fixture revert to type. It should be special.”

O’Loughlin, who won four Grand Finals in the cherry and white, feels the Warriors can challenge for the title again this year.

He said: “There are seven or eight teams pushing for the top six so it’s geared up to be an exciting finish.

“Ultimately, we just need to be in a good position at the end of the year so that we can have a good crack at the play-offs and the Grand Final.

“That period of five losses, on the back of seven wins, was a tough period.

“But the group of players we’ve got have always tried to work hard in the gym, stay positive and try to put it right on the field.

“I always feel that when you’ve got that effort from everyone, eventually things will turn.

“Playing with pressure is part and parcel of playing any sport – you’re going to come in for criticism.

“But when people are patting you on the back, you take it with a pinch of salt and, when people are telling you that you’re not good enough, you do the same again.

“In periods, you get to blood young players, not necessarily because you want to but because you’re forced to, they can be periods equally as important as the strong runs you go on.

“You get some young lads who get games when things aren’t running smoothly then that definitely helps when they’re next called upon.

“It can kickstart their career because they get a taste of first-team football sooner than they maybe expected.

“They know what’s needed and you hope that they improve from there and that, in turn, benefits the team.

“Also, with lads who have missed games, you would hope that they come back with a lot more freshness.

“Batty (John Bateman) missed a few weeks through injury and is an awesome player for us.

“As much as we wanted him in the team when he was sidelined, hopefully he can have a spring in his step going into the back end of the season and drag a few people along with him.”

O’Loughlin pinpointed Oliver Partington as one of the club’s most consistent performers this season, adding: “Oli has been outstanding for us and week in and week out, he’s been one of the best forwards.

“I could name a lot of them who have stood up – Ethan Havard, Liam Byrne, they have all been strong – but consistency-wise, Oli has been terrific.

Kai Pearce-Paul has come in and showed he is a real talent. He’s brought a new dimension to our attack with his offload game.

“Then you look at our more senior guys, the likes of Faz (Liam Farrell) and Willie Isa, who have been rock-solid all year as well.

You want to be winning every game and standing at the top of the league.

“But at the end of the season you just need to be in a position to attack the play-offs.

“When you do that, the hunger and desire within a squad comes to the fore and can hopefully play a massive part for us this year.”

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