Lee Radford's Hull FC investment wish as former coach puts onus on playing group

Former Hull FC head coach Lee Radford is keeping a keen eye on events in rugby league - and hopes the Black and Whites players back up their new coach's arrival with a strong pre-season.

Radford has been enjoying life in his role as Northampton Saints assistant coach in rugby union, having won the Premiership final this year. His views were sought out when American rugby union club Seattle Seawolves were looking to appoint an assistant coach - and Ian Watson landed that role after being recommended by the former Hull FC head coach.

In an interview with Hull Live about Watson following him in going from head coaching in rugby league to assistant coaching in rugby union, Radford was asked about how closely he is following what is happening in rugby league and his views on the Black and Whites, as they prepare for life under new head coach John Cartwright.

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Asked if he is still keeping an eye on what is going on in Hull, former FC captain Radford replied: "Massively. When it's on, I watch it. I won't lie, I probably watch the NRL more than I do Super League. But I do take a keen interest in what's going on."

Questioned about Hull FC, Radford said: "A new coach is coming in and with a new coach comes optimism. They have got to have a great pre-season. He'll be coming in with new ideas I think but ultimately, like any team, how they go next year is down to the playing group ultimately. Any successful team, the playing group have had a real ownership of how they conduct themselves and how they are as professionals.

"It's been a horrendous couple of seasons. I think for the Hull fans in particular it's probably not made it any better the fact that across the river the team in red and white are flying. There's some work to be done off the field without a doubt and hopefully the whispers are true that there's going to be some financial input into the club. But the playing group will dictate obviously where the team goes next year. I think probably one of the only benefits for finishing second to bottom in the league is that you can only look up and hopefully they are looking to get better in every department."

Hull FC's final game of last season saw the exits of long-serving pair Carlos Tuimavave and Danny Houghton. Having won back-to-back Challenge Cups in 2016 and 2017 together, under Radford, their former head coach spoke about both men.

On Tuimavave, he said: "As a young lad he came over and he was very quiet. He was playing in the halves and we asked him to jump in the centres and he did a great job for us there. He was unbelievable on his day. I think injuries probably held his career back slightly over his time at Hull but arguably when on form and fit one of the best centres in the competition whatever year he was in. And a great bloke off the field as well. He was part of the Polynesian contingent we had at the club at the time and brought some fantastic values to the club."

Discussing Houghton, Radford said: "I think he is a generational player. I don't think in my lifetime there'll be a 9 that has played as many games as he has, and been as consistent as he has, for one club, and arguably probably the greatest 9 in Super League not to get an international cap. I think if he'd been playing at another club for example who had more success for longer periods I think that he would have definitely been selected in that arena."

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