Wigan coach Matt Peet paid a classy tribute to Lee Radford, who left his role as head coach of Castleford by mutual consent.
On Monday morning, Castleford announced that Radford had been relieved of his duties as head coach by mutual consent.
The Tigers have lost their first three games of the season, with their latest coming in a 36-0 defeat to Peet’s Wigan on Friday night.
Speaking in his weekly press conference on Monday afternoon, Peet paid a nice tribute to his opposite number.
Peet said: “I was surprised. It’s not my place to speculate but I just know he is a quality coach.
“He is a well-respected coach and he has built numerous teams over the years now and he’s not someone you expect to be out of a job for long unless he wants to be.
“I certainly wish him all the best and I just hope he’s alright. It’s Castleford and Lee’s prerogative, I just hope he is alright as a fella, which I’m sure he will be.
“I think he will find another role and will apply himself the same as he always has. As coaches, we’ve got a job to do and a certain skill set in how we apply ourselves, there’s also other things that have to fall in line like a bit of luck or timing. I’m sure Lee will prove a success elsewhere and I wish him all the best.”
Matt Peet: Coaches support each other despite rivalry
They may be enemies on the field for 80 minutes, but coaches support each other away from the field.
Peet became Super League’s youngest coach when he took the reins at hometown club Wigan last season, and received plenty of support from the veterans in doing so.
He added: “My experience has been pretty positive. Most of us enjoy a good chat and swap messages. We are very supportive of one another.
“Although there’s a rivalry, there is an understanding of the pressures of the job. Certainly when I started last year, the senior and more experienced coaches reached out to me and offered me support.
“I’ve met the likes of Daryl Powell and Tony Smith away from formal meetings. I’ve met up with them and shared ideas and I think its nice to know behind the coach that there’s a person and a family, and I suppose you get more empathy when people are going through tough times.
“I know all the other coaches at the moment will just be hoping that Lee is alight, I won’t be the only one.
“We probably all know that it is coming at some point when you get the knock at the door or the phone call. I guess it goes with the territory. The job has got a lot of good things about it but its also got some pressures and a lifespan, so as much as we can support one another, (the better).
“John Kear and Denis Betts have reached out to me and offered support in the past, so hopefully one day I can do that as well.”
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