Roden’s massive learning curve

Date published: 09 May 2014


SIX games into his first rugby league coaching job, Neil Roden says the move from player to boss has been an eye opener.

Aged 34 and in charge of the under-20s squad at Whitebank, he says he is experiencing aspects of club life he never knew existed.

He said: “I’m on a massive learning curve, and I do mean massive. I had no idea what was involved when I took it on, but I’m enjoying the job..

“Training nights and match days are the easy bits. On other days my phone never stops ringing. Then there’s always loads of admin and form-signing to do; that was what really took me by surprise.

“I only had myself to worry about when I was a player. Now I have more than 20 players to worry about and I get to know all their problems and all their concerns.”

After losing his first five games as boss, he enjoyed a 48-6 win against Lee Crooks’s North-East Academy side at Whitebank and tomorrow he will drive the team mini-bus to Nottingham in search of another victory against Midlands Academy.

“I’ve got some great lads and we’ve been improving week by week, so I wasn’t surprised when we got our first win. It had been coming.”

The game will be played at Nottingham University’s Highfields Sports Ground, University Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 2PS. Kick-off is 2.30pm.