Monday 20 October 2014 13:13, UK
Keiron Cunningham struggled to put into words what it meant to take over in charge of his home-town club after being confirmed as the new head coach at St Helens.
The 37-year-old – who spent his entire playing career at Saints – was confirmed on Monday as the man to replace Nathan Brown, the Australian having stood down at the end of the season to return home for personal reasons.
Cunningham makes the step up from assistant coach and takes over a squad that was crowned Super League champions this year, having also lifted the League Leaders’ Shield at the end of the regular season.
“I’m immensely proud,” he told Sky Sports.
“As a young St Helens lad, who has watched this town play rugby since I was seven years old, to play here was an honour. To get given this role, I can’t really put it into words.
“Nothing is going to change, I’d be a fool if I tried to change anything at all.
“We finished first last year and won the Grand Final – if we can replicate what we did this year then I’ll be a very happy person.
Nothing is going to change, I’d be a fool if I tried to change anything at all.
“We have bought in some great additions and we will be looking to move forward as a team.”
Despite Saints enjoying so much success, Cunningham insists he doesn’t feel any extra burden in his new role, adding: “I’d much rather be taking over the reigning champions than a team that were facing a relegation battle.
“There is no pressure. We’ve got a great squad, a young squad, and I’ve some good coaches around me. I’m more than happy we can go forward.”
Brown was released by St Helens from the final year of his contract to allow him to head back Down Under.
Cunningham praised his former boss, having worked as his right-hand man for the past two seasons, after the ex-Huddersfield coach helped turn the club’s fortunes around after a lean time of it in 2013.
“We went through a lot of pain last year as a team, because we made some big decisions as a club and as a coaching staff to move people on and bring people in,” Cunningham – who made 419 appearances for Saints from 1993 to 2010 - said.
“It was a tough year for us, but we’ve got our rewards from that.
“I think Nathan has rebuilt this team for me. We need to go forward with it.
"Nathan and I are good friends and we are always going to be in touch with each other."
Cunningham will be assisted by former New Zealand Test centre Jamahl Lolesi, who worked alongside him after following Brown from Huddersfield two years ago.
