Simmons sacked

[bill.inger]

And now they(Saints supporters) can have a go at KFC and see if he can get the ship going again. They're all at it on Redvee trying to resurrect all manner of former players and coaches to drop everything and help out in this crisis. Daniel Anderson to return seems favorite at the moment.

[Kiwiseddon]

I think he was on a hiding to nothing this season from the get go.
Saints are in one of those transitional periods and I think they're starting to realise what a player and leader Graham was.

And is it just me or does a new stadium seem to bring a curse with it.
May be I'm making it up but Wigan Warriors, Warrington, Arsenal and now Saints all seemed to have trouble settling in somewhere new. I'm sure there will be someone who can prove me wrong but it seems that way to me.

Mainly though, they're without some serious personnel at the moment and it's always the coach who ends up sucking the mop.

Shame for him really. If it is Anderson who comes back, I think he will transform things but time will tell.

[Kittwazzer]

Shame for him really. If it is Anderson who comes back, I think he will transform things but time will tell.

You really think so? The current squad is a far cry from the one he took over from Millward, and he has been out of coaching for quite some time!

[Fujiman]

If you read the headline it says "Simmons sacked?" Meaning it is asking the question not stating (as of yet) a fact.

Should have been posted in their rumour mill until facts are corroborated

Sorry i forgot to put the ? mark in the tile Mr Pedant

[bourbon_rat]

And now they(Saints supporters) can have a go at KFC and see if he can get the ship going again. They're all at it on Redvee trying to resurrect all manner of former players and coaches to drop everything and help out in this crisis. Daniel Anderson to return seems favorite at the moment.

Like the tail chasing the dog

Head of performance Mike Rush has been appointed as acting head coach, with assistance from former captain Keiron Cunningham, ahead of Sunday's Grand Final re-match with Leeds at Langtree Park while Saints ponder Simmons' successor.

Training will now start at.....The 'other' KFC

[Kiwiseddon]

Shame for him really. If it is Anderson who comes back, I think he will transform things but time will tell.

You really think so? The current squad is a far cry from the one he took over from Millward, and he has been out of coaching for quite some time!

Yeah I reckon. I know their squad is nothing like it used to be but a fresh face with a history at saints and some new ideas might be what they need. Don't think they'll be winning any silverware this season (ahem Leeds) but I think Anderson would certainly improve things.
Much as I hated it at the time, you had to admire the way Saints played during his tenure.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Saint Helen's are in a poor position, long, KFC, sculls gone, graham gone, perry ineffective and their two best youngsters lomax and wheeler are injury prone. They are now solely dependant on roby, I said previously without him they are at 50% trouble for them is roby is too good to be in that team now and nrl will look all the more tempting

[josie andrews]

Rush not interested in permanent head coach role

Newly-appointed acting St Helens head coach Mike Rush insists he has no ambition to take on the role on a permanent basis.

The 36-year-old, who has worked for St Helens since September 1999 largely in a development role, has been put in charge of Saints following the surprise sacking of Australian Royce Simmons and assistant coach Kieron Purtill.

Rush and former captain Keiron Cunningham have been tasked with getting Saints’ Stobart Super League campaign back on track after a run of five games with a win, their worst sequence since 1985 which has seen the club drop out of the top eight.

Their first game will be a Grand Final re-match with Leeds Rhinos at Langtree Park on Sunday, when Rush expects to welcome back England hooker James Roby from a two-match absence with a leg-muscle tear.

Addressing his first press conference at Langtree Park, Rush admitted he was surprised to get the news of Simmons’ departure from St Helens chairman Eammon McManus.

“It was a shock and it’s sad but at the end of the day we’ve got a game on Sunday and myself, Keiron, Paul Wellens and the other senior players have to get on and try and win a game,” he said.

“Eamonn asked me to do what’s right for the club at this moment in time and, with Eamonn, you don’t get a choice.

“It’s temporary. It could be one game, it could be two or three games, it depends on how long it takes the club to the position of appointing the next head coach.”

The appointment is open-ended as Saints begin their search for a long-term successor to Simmons but Rush, who is credited with helping bring through the ranks players such as Roby, James Graham and Jonny Lomax, is hoping to return to his day job as quickly as possible.

“My role is developing players, it’s with the kids and that’s what I want to do,” said Rush, a one-time teacher who was assistant to head coach Daniel Anderson in 2008.

“That’s where I believe my strengths are and where my ambitions lie.

“I’ve got my own career pathway. My passion is in trying to develop the next generation of Saints players and I’ll be returning to that once Eamonn and the board appoint a new head coach.

“I’ve always helped any head coach we’ve had here. I ended up helping Daniel Anderson for a full year when Alan Wilson went home.

“I didn’t give up my other job, much to the wife’s moaning, I tried to juggle two things and get it done to the best of my ability.

“That’s what I’ll do now. I’m going to watch the Under-15s and Under-16s play at Warrington tomorrow.”

http://www.superleague.co.uk/article/ru ... ole/24639?

[Panchitta Marra]

Stains are definitely missing Graham and Robey, but, IMO in their game against the Bulls the players didnt look like they wanted to play for their coach.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I've heard a strong rumour that Johnny Vegas is taking over,McManus is not expecting results to improve but he has said that Langtree Park will be a happier place.