WAKEFIELD coach Richard Agar has confirmed the Wildcats have rejected an approach from Hull KR to sign former player Ben Cockayne.
As first revealed by the Mail yesterday, the Robins have made moves to bring back the terrace hero they sacked back in 2011.
Agar this morning admitted he had been approached by Rovers assistant Chris Chester over a deal, in which the Robins offered players in exchange.
However, he said he had not considered that approach a 'serious' offer, insisting Cockayne was happy at the Wildcats.
He said: "Chris Chester approached me and offered a deal involving players we were not interested in, so I didn't view it as a serious offer," Agar told the Mail.
"Obviously, as coach, Ben is a player I want to keep at the club and would not want to leave. Obviously, if a serious offer came in, that would be out of my hands and something for the board to consider."At the club's press day today, Agar indicated Rovers had returned to the table with a "cash offer" for Cockayne, 29, but said it was still some way off being considered by the Wildcats.
"They offered us a player that was overpaid in their camp and surplus to requirements and we turned it down as a flat no. It wasn't a serious offer in my opinion and I believe that they have spoken at board level and come in with some sort of offer, but we didn't judge it to be a serious one.
"It might be serious on their part but it wasn't serious enough for us to consider letting Ben go. I think it is great that we are attracting cash offers for our players, but at the moment it is a flat no. I don't want to release him.
"Somehow it has managed to find its way into the Hull Daily Mail, which I wouldn't say causes us a problem or unrest but naturally you get asked questions, so I have told Benny the truth and he is fine.
"He has said if the position changes then let me know, but he is fine and there is no problem."
Agar chose to hit out at yesterday's story in the Mail, which first revealed the KR approach, taking issue with a suggestion Cockayne may wish to move back to East Yorkshire.
"You can't get caught up over comments in the Hull Daily Mail as some of the stuff they print is laughable, but saying a move from Hull KR may well force their hand, I think that's grossly disrespectful and under-estimating that Ben is happy here and the relationship he has got with the fans," he said.
"It's not an exclusive relationship that Hull KR fans have with Ben Cockayne, I think he has generated that same sort of passion on the terraces through his style of play at this club and also managed to get himself into an England squad playing at this club as well, so if they think are under-estimating it if they think Benny will just jump ship."
Despite this, Agar admitted that should KR make an offer the club wished to accept, it would be out of his hands.
"At the same time, it's a business and I don't think there would be any player in the world that if the right offer came in, a board wouldn't have to listen to it, but I would say it's absolutely not at that stage and I don't know if it ever will be.," he said.
"At the moment it's a flat no and we can put an end to it there unless they come back and I suppose up the ante, in which case it goes out of my hands and becomes a decision for Andrew Glover and James Elston. He is happy here. He is under contract until the end of next year.
"We have spoken about it He is certainly not banging the door down saying he wants to go back to Hull KR. He is happy, his form has been good and he has had a special relationship with both sets of fans, which is good for him."
