Just when it looked like the coaching saga at the New Zealand Warriors had come to an end, we find out that it has not – with David Kidwell withdrawing from contention on the role, as speculation increases that Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy will take over the reigns in 2014.
With the withdrawal of Kidwell, the current assistant at Melbourne under Bellamy, it now seems more and more likely that the club will have a caretaker coach for 2013, on the proviso that Bellamy agrees to a deal from 2014 at the club.
Despite all the speculation, however, Craig Fordham, Bellamy’s manager, refused to comment on the ongoing talk, and simply said that the Storm coach will see out his deal with the club.
“Any discussions we have with any party concerning any of our clients are confidential,” Fordham said.
“On that basis I am unable to throw any light on Craig Bellamy’s future other than to say he will be coaching the Storm in 2013.”
Whilst Kidwell did not wish to talk on the matter, a friend of the Melbourne assistant, said that the former NRL hard-man found that there would have been inadequate time in which to prepare a squad, given pre-season starts on November 5.
“It was a prolonged process of negotiations with the Warriors, and David felt it was just not feasible to pursue the coaching role,” said the friend, who did not wish to be named.
“He has no doubt that he is ready to be a head coach, but with that comes structures that need to be put in place, staff that have to be assessed or brought on board, and this drawn out process doesn’t leave him enough time.
“The Warriors begin pre-season training in less than four weeks.
“His decision has been taken purely because he doesn’t have the time and resources to do the job in the way he pictured it during the interview process.”