WARRINGTON Wolves have appointed England Knights head coach Paul Anderson as the club’s Under 19s Academy coach for next season.
Anderson, 46, is a former Great Britain and England international prop, who won Super League and Challenge Cup titles with St Helens and Bradford, as well as playing for Leeds and Halifax.
He was coach of Huddersfield from 2012 to 2016, winning the League Leaders’ Shield in 2013, and will combine his new role with his current post as England Knights head coach.
Anderson said: “When I spoke to Pete (Riding), Pricey (Steve Price) and Karl Fitzpatrick, they talked through the vision they have for the club with regards to this role and the importance they are placing on it and it got me intrigued. It is a vision I now want to get over the line. The way the club is keen to produce its own players is very exciting.
“We have a lot of fantastic people in our game and what we are trying to achieve with the England Performance Unit (EPU) and England programme is great. I would like to personally thank Ralph Rimmer and Kevin Sinfield for giving me the opportunity to remain as head coach of the England Knights. I’ve been very fortunate to work with a lot of good people at the Rugby Football League and within the EPU, this is a great concept and vital to success in the RLWC2021 and beyond.
“However, I’ve always had the desire to coach day-to-day and the role here at Warrington is truly exciting for me with the investment and infrastructure we are looking to put in and round the young players.
“Working with young players is enjoyable but it can be frustrating as well. The last couple of years have really opened my eyes to this side of the game and the importance of it. We need to put the right things around the players and give them the best opportunities we can. The players then need to buy into what we are looking to achieve at the club. The ultimate aim is to become self-sufficient and to make sure we get players into Super League from within and keep them there.”
Pete Riding, Warrington Wolves’ head of youth, added: “It’s fantastic for all concerned that Paul has decided to join us here at Warrington. Having worked closely with him in the past I know that everything he will bring to the role will be of the very highest standard. He has worked across all levels of the game, both domestically and internationally, and he has a proven track record in developing young players. I am looking forward to working closely with him over the next three years. When young players join our club I want them to have the best chance of becoming a professional Rugby League player and the appointment of coaches like Paul only further cements how serious we are in our quest to produce players through our own academy.”
Warrington head coach Steve Price said: “Paul is a fantastic appointment for the club. I watched his coaching career very closely at Huddersfield and he had some tremendous years there. I’d like to think that this experience as assistant and head coach, and his time within the England set-up, will now transfer over to his role within our performance team here at Warrington. His work ethic is fantastic. He’s a genuine guy and has a strong understanding of the academy systems within our game, and what we are trying to achieve at the club. I’m a big believer that Paul is a great coup for our club.”
