Sean Long sacked by Featherstone Rovers with head coach replacement confirmed

[josie andrews]

Rovers are top of the Championship but lost to Halifax Panthers on Sunday.

Sean Long has been sacked by Featherstone Rovers. The former Great Britain international has been relieved of his duties after ten months in charge and is replaced on an interim basis by James Ford, the former York Knights head coach who was recently appointed as the club's director of rugby.

Long leaves with Rovers top of the Championship, eight points clear as leaders with seven rounds of the season remaining. His last game was on Sunday as his side went down 25-22 to Halifax Panthers. He departs with a record of 19 wins from 22 matches in charge.

Long, who has falsely been linked with a coaching role at Super League outfit Warrington Wolves, arrived at Rovers after a spell as Leeds Rhinos' assistant coach. He also spent time with St Helens as part of their coaching setup.

Ford is now tasked with steering them to Super League for the first time in the club's history. Rovers have fallen just short on a number of occasions recently, now Ford, who started the season as an assistant coach with Wakefield Trinity, will be expected to lead them to promotion.

A club statement read: "The club has invested significantly this year to ensure that we give ourselves the best possible chance of promotion to Super League in 2023. The changes in rules that come into effect from 2024 make it extremely difficult to reach this goal in future years so we are committed to ensure that we leave no stone unturned in delivering this objective. The Board have backed this ambition by investing in a playing squad of Super League quality and have been disappointed therefore in this season’s team performance against some of our promotion rivals.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... d-27475115

[fozzieskem]

Always going to end in tears I fear

[PoppaG]

You've got to wonder, being 8 points clear and only losing 2 games (Both to Halifax I think?), what more the guys has to do.... Not that I like him, but getting sacked with those comments, after that record....

"Long, who has falsely been linked with a coaching role at Super League outfit Warrington Wolves, arrived at Rovers after a spell as Leeds Rhinos' assistant coach." is interesting.... Only thing I've seen is a comment that his agent said no contact had been made (to another publication), but that was hours before he was released by Fev, so could have been a last minute ploy to try and keep him there till the end of the season?