If a week is a long time in politics, then it must be a lifetime for a rugby league coach.
Less than a week after Marwan Koukash announced that Iestyn Harris was safe in his job, the former Welsh international was home.
The Salford Red Devils official position is that Harris is “off sick”.
The rest of the rugby league world, most of us being of the cynical persuasion, felt that despite the protestations of club CEO Martin Vickers, Iestyn has coached his last game at Salford.
Tim Sheens is on his way to the AJ Bell as the new Director of Rugby but at an explosive recent press conference, owner Marwan Koukash was at pains to express that Harris’ position was safe.
I actually took the time to go to the stadium to see if I could find out what was going on at Salford’s only top-flight team, only to be told the party line from sources inside the club.
Salford Red Devils play Catalan Dragons this Sunday 5 July with free entry for all, so if anything we should get an indication of the real appetite for rugby league in this city.
Harris was thrust into the role after the club fired incumbent Brian Noble, who had only been in the job himself for just under 12 months.
Harris had been assistant to Wigan Warriors head coach Shaun Wane, and despite the thanks of the club when he left, the frosty post-match press conference when the two clubs met recently left the assembled press pack in no doubt as to the relationship between the two.
With his glittering playing career which included Challenge Cup and Grand Final wins, as well as representing both Great Britain and as a dual-code Welsh international, Harris looked to be the perfect man to lead Salford into the next phase of development, and oversaw a mass influx of talent at the start of his first full season in charge.
With only six wins and a draw all season, the writing has probably been on the wall for a while now, indeed, after most games, the talk in the stands has been: “Is this the last time we see Harris?”
Rugby league like all sports is business driven by results, and with Salford languishing one spot above the bottom of the Super League, the outcomes from this expensively-assembled squad just haven’t lived up to expectations.
With big players such as Rangi Chase and Gareth Hock both picking up big suspensions, the latter also leaving part way through, as well as lengthy injuries to a host of key players and then full back Kevin Locke resigning, no one can say it’s been easy for Harris in his first full-time top flight role.
If Harris is ill, then I hope to see him back, fit and well as soon as possible, but if as I and many others both within the club and without suspect, he has been placed on gardening leave, then I hope he isn’t lost to the sport like so many before him, and returns, perhaps at a lower level to rebuild his coaching reputation.
It worked for Daryl Powell…
