Rugby League Hub has reported that former Leeds boss and Bradford prop Brian McDermott could be set for a sensational return to Bradford.

I heard this a few weeks back but didn't think much of it.

JK to move upstairs?

Good decision/bad decision?

I did wonder when Kear would decide to take a back seat or step down. His contract runs until the end of 2022 so maybe there will be a transition?

McDermott obviously did very well indeed at Leeds and has played at the very highest level for us. It's decent appointment if it's true.

He's a complicated character - I bet Mick is bricking it at the thought of trying to do post match interviews.

Sorry but I don't rate him as a coach at all. He'd want big money too.
There's no point spending big on a coach when your playing squad only has the budget that ours has. They aren't miracle workers and even the best coaching tactics in the world can't help.

This division is not decided by coaching tactics and intricacies. It's all about those who have money and those who don't. Look at the gulf between the top two and the rest, it's nothing to do with the coaching setups.

If true, must be Kears choice as I can't see Wood asking him to move upstairs with us currently in the top 4 and the stability he's brought to the club. I wonder if his Wife's recent leg break maybe brought his priorities into focus. Would be a big blow if he decided he wanted to move upstairs or just quit coaching.

On Mcdermott. As Bullseye said he's a complicated character and probably the polar opposite of JK. He'd certainly divide opinon. There's not a huge raft of quality coaches available though. Danny Ward stands out but will surely get the next available SL coaching job.

A real statement of intent. Somebody once said Brian Smith was a s easy to rub along with as a sandpaper jock strap. Everybody loved McNamara and Cummins.

Welcome home Brian (I hope!)

Can't see that, unless Kear's had enough and Niggle's found a few hundred grand down the back of the sofa.

I think the RL hub's been on the crack?

I think you need to look at how he did in London, bringing on the younger players and knitting a decent side together without a great deal of cash. There's nothing whatever to say he wouldn't be a good coach in our set up too.
I agree that money is the only real difference between the top two and the rest, but if JK feels it's time to 'put his feet up' a bit then I'm fine with Maccy D coming back. There again I've always liked the bloke.

I said a few months ago that I didn't expect Kear to start a new contract and was pillaried for it.
I don't say that because I don't like Kear - just the opposite. He was the perfect person to come in and pick us up and steady the ship but I just don't see him as a long term coach at his age.
That doesn't mean I prefer McDermott though.
This story if it came true wouldn't surprise me. If we did end up with McDermott I think it would be important to get a good young assistant in the mold that Macca played under Noble. He did most of the tactical coaching and Nobby got all the credit. The assistant is sometimes more important than the number 1.
If Kear finishes I would let him go and spend the money they would spend on paying him to move up on a good assistant - possibly an ex bull. I doubt Langers would want to be Brians assistant. That for me would be perfect but there are others who would be a good number 2.

I'd love Leon as an assistant. Has so much knowledge of the game and did a superb job at Workington.

In his final year playing for us, although his body had given up on him, he was virtually coaching the side on the field and we looked much better with him there.

I think we could do a lot worse than Brian Mac if Kear decides to call it a day / step upstairs. It would 100% be Kear’s decision though and I can’t see a decision to get rid of Kear before he is ready.

There would need to be some realistic views though as he would likely have one of the smaller budgets he’s worked with. Remember london have a big money backer so he had no annual financial meltdown to deal with.

If anyone could get us solid, consistent and playing for the shirt I think it’s Brian Mac

He didn't achieve anything special with London. The club had absolutely zero expectations and were the underdogs most weeks.
He went to Leeds and inherited a squad that I think even I could have coached to some silverware.
Again with Toronto he had a squad far superior to anyone else in the division.

I just think what little money we have would be better spent elsewhere.

I'm not sure about Leon as a coach. He can also be a difficult character. Ideally you have a head coach who's bad cop and an assistant who's good cop. It's really important to get the chemistry right or it can very easily go wrong.

No truth in this one.

Interview with JK out tomorrow confirming this as nonsense.

Probably too good to be true.

Kear is reputedly the highest paid coach in the league so that boat has sailed.

Its hardly surprising. Don't forget Kear came from an assistant SL job to come for us and was what we've been crying out for. We had to go out and get him whilst the likes of Ford, Houles etc have been at their clubs a long time.

I do agree with Northus to an extent. Fev and Toulouse have both spent colossal amounta of money on their squads that we can't compete with financially. Doesn't meant we don't have to invest decent amounts of money wisely in the right areasa dn I think in Kear we get value for money IMO

Colossal amounts of money? Aren't Fev part time and their best players last week were all career non-SL players. It's a well put together squad which shows some investment but it only looks as solid as it does because ours is paper thin by comparison. The issue McDermott's apparent non arrival throws up is what is the plan going forward. We're back at Odsal - now what?

I wouldn't be surprised if they are second in the league in terms of squad spend. You can't just base it on who played in one specific game. Look at their official squad numbers, there's quality throughout.

I have. And there isn't. There's rock solid Championship level depth running all the way through to number 30. 4 or 5 are at the back end of good SL careers but what stands out is the maturity and the depth.

He wasn`t assistant at Wakefield, he was Director of Rugby.

For this league, it's a very good squad. Better than most.

Brian Mac was pretty good at getting Leeds to perform when it mattered - not so much good at serving up entertainment for season ticket holders Warrington-style with drubbings of the opposition in the weekly rounds. Whether it was his faith in the old men and project signings that brought the glory years to an end, or Hetherington's tight-fistedness when the new ground needed paying for, who knows? We're still recovering from the last years he was in charge, but I'd still rate Brian Mac ahead of McNamara (who has won a lot fewer pots and had a lot more chances to do so) or Wane for that matter. It would be great to see him bring Bradford back to SL.

It won't happen. We don't have two pennies to rub together and the funding for lower leagues is only going to dwindle as time goes by.

No smoke without fire

Yep, no journalist has ever completely made up a story just to sell papers or get clicks ever.