Hull relying on Gentle touch to bring back glory days

The former Wests Tigers assistant was welcomed to the KC Stadium by recently-installed director of rugby Shaun McRae, the vibrant partnership that owner Adam Pearson has placed his full faith in to revive the Airlie Birds.

Despite their state-of-the-art stadium, Grade A Super League licence, vast support and rich tradition, Hull FC have struggled to make much impact for a number of years, reaching just one solitary Grand Final in 2006 which they lost to St Helens.

But Gentle, who also resigned his position as Australia assistant to take up his first head coach role, believes everything is in place to start challenging the likes of Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors.

“We need to lose this ‘sleeping giant’ tag everyone keeps telling me about,” said the Australian, who was named as Richard Agar’s successor in September but only started work officially yesterday and meets his squad for the first time on Thursday.

“That’s my major priority. We need to get rid of that, realise our potential here and push for trophies. I’ve had opportunities to take a few head coaching roles earlier in my career but now I’m really ready for this.

“It hasn’t been a rushed apprenticeship. I waited for a decent job to come along and I believe this is more than a decent job. I can’t wait for the first home game at KC Stadium and everything the city and fans have to offer.”

Hull have not won the championship since 1983 and their last major success was the 2005 Challenge Cup final win over Leeds Rhinos.

But in Gentle they have a coach with genuine pedigree. The apprenticeship he mentions comes from current Australia coach Tim Sheens – one of the most respected in the game – and lasted six years at Wests where he was being groomed as his eventual successor.

Current St Helens coach Royce Simmons was another assistant who came from the Wests nursery, benefiting from Sheens’s tutelage, and Gentle has suggested he would like to help his new assistants at Hull – former England forwards Andy Hay and Lee Radford – in the same way.

There has been plenty of controversy surrounding the Australian’s appointment at the expense of upcoming English coaches but he hopes to add value to those aspiring around him at KC.

However, Gentle insisted neither is he here for a short-term fix like former Melbourne assistant Michael Maguire, who secured the South Sydney job after a prolific two years with Wigan.

“I came to England initially as a 23-year-old to play for Mansfield,” he recalled. “It was only for a few months and we got booed coming on to the field and off it! But even back then I harboured a desire to come back here and it’s not like I want to do it so just so I can return to the NRL.

“(Hull KR’s) Justin Morgan and (Castleford’s) Terry Matterson have just gone home as number twos in the NRL but I’ve done all that.

“I’ve signed here for three years but me and my family come with an open mind – it could extend into five or 10.”

Given Wests Tigers, with Kiwi superstar Benji Marshall as their creative genius, are one of the most exciting teams in the NRL, Gentle has promised Hull supporters they can expect more expansive play in 2012 as they go in pursuit of those glories.

Fans irked by the paltry number of Hull-born players forcing their way into the first team recently will also be pleased to hear he and McRae are busy trying to remedy that issue, too.

“There’s been a restructuring of staff at the Academy and scholarship set-up,” said McRae, in his second spell with the Black and Whites, having coached them between 2000 and 2004.

“We felt that could be improved. Over the years, Hull FC have had plenty of players come through but it’s fair to say probably not enough of late.

“I don’t think that rule about having eight home-grown players in your 25-man squad is going away.

“There’s more importance being placed on it here now.We’re going to have a first team squad of around 32 players with a lot of youngsters who we feel can go on and play in Super League as early as 2012.”

McRae says half-back Sam Obst could soon leave Hull as they to strive to get the surplus player, who has a year left to run of his two-year contract, a new club and free space on their salary cap.

“I would hope this week Sam could be released from us to sign for another club and, within 24 hours, I believe we’d be in a position to sign someone else,” he said, adding it would not be another half-back.