LEE Radford says he will pull no punches as he sets out to drag Hull FC up to the standards they should consistently be meeting. Having been appointed as Peter Gentle's successor on a three-year contract, the new head coach has already warned his players they face a shock to the system as he pursues a desire to raise standards.
Promising nothing more than an honest approach to how the club is run and the team plays, Super League's youngest coach says the first priority is making sure his squad buy into the new stricter principles he'll be putting in place.
"As a group we have to raise our standards consistently, every week," Radford told the Mail.
"I think that will come as a shock initially to a lot of the players. I think players who have been under strict regimes before are crying out for it in this team and that's what they'll get. It's the first thing to address.
"If the players don't want to buy into our principles, our dedication and our work ethic, then that's fine because I am sure we will find somebody who will."
Radford has set out his plan for a way forward for Hull.
Bold statements of top-four finishes and big promises have been replaced with Radford's desire to first provide a side the fans can be proud of.
Joined by Andy Last as assistant coach, the duo are eager to see Hull returned back to their working class roots in terms of the manner of performances and attitude of players.
Aware of the criticism of the side this year, culminating in the record defeat to Huddersfield where the attitude and application of the players was questioned, Radford insists that is one thing that will change.
"People want a team to be proud of," added Radford.
"We are a working class city and always have been. We are a working class club, with working class supporters who want to be proud of a working class team.
"They pay their money to come through the turnstiles and want value for that. Being up one week and down the next is not right and we need to change that.
"This squad stands up to a lot of the elite teams in the competition.
"Getting the best out of this squad is the golden egg we are chasing."
As previously revealed by the Mail, Radford and Last are joined in a new-look coaching structure that sees Motu Tony come in as football manager.
Tony's responsibilities will lie primarily in recruitment and working with owner Adam Pearson to secure Radford's signings, while also scouting the talent himself.
For Radford it is an ideal structure. He adds: "I will make mistakes, but show me a man that doesn't.
"What I have to do is keep level headed and keep seeking advice from those I respect, and from my staff as well.
"There's nobody else I'd rather have alongside me than Andy Last, while Motu has terrific contacts and we know each other well.
"It's all exciting, there's lots of hard work ahead of us and we know that. For a Hull fan, someone from the city, who has played for this club, to have the opportunity to do this role is a chance you don't pass up."
Hull conditioner Paul Devlin has also left the club to be replaced by Sean Rush, who spent a seven-year spell with Hull City as they achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2008.
