Long links up with Featherstone
Former Great Britain international, Sean Long has been appointed as Featherstone Rovers‘ Football Manger, the Yorkshire outfit have revealed.
The former Wigan, Saints and Hull half-back will work with the club for the remainder of the season before linking up with Matt Parish to coach Samoa at the World Cup.
Rovers interim coach, Ryan Sheridan who was set to leave the club at the end of the season to be replaced by John Bastian, has left the club according to the Pontefract and Castleford Express.
“Featherstone Rovers have been the best side outside Super League for three to four years now and we expect them to push on into the Super League,” he told the official Featherstone Rovers website.
“Under the guidance and resources of the board of directors, I can see the club progressing and competing with the leading Super League clubs and I’m proud to be part of that initial impetus.
“I’ve joined the club at the business side of the season and I will work with the squad and officials to ensure we maximise our chances of silverware this year.
“I believe our play can be more effective and I will bring my wealth of experience and knowledge from St Helens, Wigan, Hull FC and Great Britain to Featherstone Rovers. The club has masses of potential and I’m excited to get going.”
Long actually started the year as an assistant to Phil Vievers at Salford but parted company with the club just weeks after former Great Britain boss, Brian Noble was brought in as head-coach.
Upon exit he denied that an infamous fall out whilst touring with Great Britain in 2006 was the reason for his departure and the City Reds were understood to have asked him to stay.
He immediately linked up with boyhood club, Wigan again in an assistant coach capacity but after three months, the Warriors told they had parted company by mutual consent.
A statement at the time read that “he has found it difficult as a new staff member to integrate into the disciplined and already high-performing culture at the Wigan club.”
