This was published 8 years ago
Steve McNamara opens up about axing as England coach for Wayne Bennett
A shattered Steve McNamara has broken his silence after being dumped as coach by his native England and replaced by veteran mentor Wayne Bennett.
McNamara is slowly coming to terms with England's decision to axe him as coach before next year's World Cup despite beating No.1-ranked New Zealand in a three-game series at the end of last year.
The decision rocked McNamara, who had overseen England's fortunes since 2010. Now the Sydney Roosters assistant coach, he has not ruled out chasing a head coaching job in the NRL or returning to England when his contract with the Roosters expires at the end of next year.
While McNamara holds no ill will towards Bennett he does not hide his disappointment in his first interview since reading about Bennett's appointment through the media before being told officially.
Speared: England coach Steve McNamara.Credit: David Rogers
"I was really disappointed and very frustrated," McNamara said. "I am a very proud Englishman and really proud and privileged to coach my country. I really enjoyed the whole process of it. I was extremely disappointed but probably not too surprised. I was half ready for it.
"I invested so much into the team and program to get it to a stage where it was at, but you've got to move on. The disappointment was huge but I look back on that and it's been an incredible journey."
Bennett applied for the England role after being overlooked for the Australian position when the Kangaroos appointed their first full-time head coach in Mal Meninga. McNamara said the desire of arguably the best coach in rugby league history to take over his England set-up was a compliment.
"I think it's a great job," McNamara said. "It's just had success and it's set up ready for more success. The team is comfortable and ready to continue winning. Any coach would want to coach that group right now
"That's what we do as coaches. We're always taking somebody else's coach and someone is taking ours. That's the nature of the industry we're in."
Bennett became the second high-profile Australian to take over an English side after former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones was appointed national rugby coach.
"That's not my decision," McNamara said when asked about Australians coaching England. "I am proud to have played and coached my country. There is no bigger honour."
The tournament win against the Kiwis last year was a standout performance in McNamara's six-year reign. But after being appointed full-time coach in 2010 following a stint at Bradford, McNamara set about revamping the English culture. That culminated in a last-minute World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand in 2013.
"There was no connection between our programs," McNamara said. "We'd play against France and turn up for that week and then you'd get called for a tournament at the end of the year. It didn't feel like a team as such.
"We created a two-team mentality. We wanted them to feel like they played for their club side and England was their other team. It wasn't something that you did twice a year."
McNamara stepped down from full-time coaching duties after the 2013 World Cup and has been part of Trent Robinson's coaching staff at the Roosters since 2014. McNamara said, like any coach, he held aspirations to lead an NRL team.
"I can't speak highly enough of the Roosters and the Eastern Suburbs as an area which has been great for myself professionally and my family," McNamara said. "I'm really happy and comfortable with where we are at. An NRL coaching position is something every coach would be interested in."