Former St Helens star weighs in on head coach debate with ‘statement’ appointment chosen

St Helens’ first Super League-winning captain Bobbie Goulding has urged the club to hire Michael Cheika as their new head coach, believing it would be a ‘statement’ appointment.

Goulding, now 54, was Saints’ skipper as they were crowned champions of Super League at the end of the competition’s inaugural campaign back in 1996.

That Super League title formed part of a double in ’96, with Goulding having already helped guide the Red V to the Challenge Cup earlier in the year.

A Challenge Cup winner again with Saints the following year, the half-back played well over 100 games for the club in his stint on Merseyside between 1994 and 1998.

And now, he’s weighed in on the debate around who the Super League giants should appoint as their next head coach following the departure of Paul Rowley.

‘St Helens don’t just need another coach – they need to make a statement’

Goulding took to LinkedIn to voice his opinion on the current vacancy at the BrewDog Stadium, with Australian Cheika his choice.

Currently an assistant coach in the NRL with Sydney Roosters, the 59-year-old’s CV is an extensive one, with top-end roles held in both codes, including a stint as Australia’s head coach in union which saw him lead them to a 2015 World Cup triumph.

Goulding wrote: “Everyone seems to be talking about who should get the St Helens job, but for me, they’re looking at it completely the wrong way.

“Too many people are thinking about friendships, short-term fixes, or giving a mate a chance. That’s not how you build a club that wants to compete on the world stage.

“St Helens don’t just need another coach – they need to make a statement.

“My choice, and I know it will surprise a lot of people, would be Michael Cheika. The former Australia Rugby Union head coach has been working with the Sydney Roosters over the last couple of years, and everything I’m hearing about him is exciting.

“If Saints have the opportunity to bring him in and don’t take it, I honestly believe they’ll have missed a huge chance to take the club where it belongs.

“A coach of that calibre wouldn’t just improve the team; he’d bring worldwide attention, fresh ideas, and put St Helens firmly on the global rugby map.”

‘Show the rugby world that St Helens are thinking bigger than just next week – they’re building for the next decade’

A Great Britain and England international, Goulding’s playing career saw him represent a plethora of teams including Wigan, Leeds, Saints and hometown club Widnes.

His coaching CV is not as extensive, with stints in charge of Rochdale Hornets and Barrow Raiders accompanied by one at the helm of France on the international stage.

Remarkably though, he as volunteered his own help to Saints, with his Linkedin post continuing: “Until someone like Michael Cheika is available, the club needs stability, guidance, enthusiasm and belief.

“This current squad isn’t a bad squad. They don’t need ripping apart or a complete overhaul.

“The foundations and game plan are already there. Maybe a tweak here, a tweak there, but certainly no major surgery.

“That’s where I believe I could make a real difference.

“I’d work alongside the current coaching staff until the end of the season, bringing in one or two experienced coaches, not players, to add fresh ideas and energy.

“My job would be to rebuild belief, restore confidence, lift standards and reignite the passion that has always made St Helens special.

“I’ve always believed that coaching is about people first. Tactics matter, but if your players don’t believe in themselves, don’t enjoy what they’re doing and don’t have the fire in their bellies, then no game plan in the world will save you.

“I’d bring enthusiasm every single day. I’d bring energy, desire, honesty and accountability. I’d make players smile again, but I’d also put a rocket under them when it’s needed.

“They’d know exactly what’s expected every time they stepped onto the training field and every time they pulled on that famous St Helens shirt.

“This gives the club breathing space. It allows them to make the right long-term appointment instead of rushing into the wrong one.

“Then, if Michael Cheika is available, go and get him. Make the statement. Show ambition. Show the rugby world that St Helens are thinking bigger than just next week – they’re building for the next decade.”