Richie Myler: Hull FC appoint newly retired former half-back as director of rugby

Richie Myler will swap the training ground for the office as he takes on an operational role

Hull FC have appointed newly retired former England and Ireland half-back Richie Myler as director of rugby on a three-year deal.

The 33-year-old called time on his career, which finished with York, after a troublesome elbow injury.

Myler is responsible for on-field performance of the senior and academy set-ups, as well as the recruitment of players and coaching staff.

One of his key roles will be to appoint a head coach after Tony Smith's exit.

The Black and Whites have won just once this season, conceding 252 points in seven Super League games and were knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the sixth round.

Lee Radford's back-to-back Challenge Cup wins as boss back in 2016 and 2017 remain the club's last trophies, while they have not reached the play-offs since 2020.

"Hull FC is a huge rugby league club steeped in history with a truly loyal fanbase," Myler said. "There is no shying away from the fact that the club has lost some of its identity on the field with recent performances.

"The word rebuild has been mentioned to me over the last few days and whilst I understand the task in front of us I'm already tired of that phrase."

With overseas quota spots available after Tex Hoy and Nu Brown both left Hull in the wake of Smith's departure, Hull and Myler can make moves in the transfer market.

Another key component will be the retention of existing talent, and nurturing potential stars who have begun to emerge at Hull such as Jack Charles, Davy Litten, Will Gardiner and Lewis Martin.

"The club has many promising young players on the books who clearly have a big future at the club and it's vital that we develop and retain them," said Myler.

"We also need to add more quality with experienced players and that will form a major part of my role. I am genuinely excited by the task ahead as we all look to pull together and once again seek to restore the club's fortunes on the pitch."

When the rumours about Myler surfaced over the weekend, the BBC Sport pundits covering the Challenge Cup game discussed the challenge he would face should he take on the Hull job.

"I don't think it's a quick fix this, it'll take someone with a lot of credentials and qualifications," Salford captain Ryan Brierley said on BBC Sport. "Whether Richie is that man remains to be seen."

Former New Zealand international Robbie Hunter-Paul also made a switch from playing roster to operations when he served as Bradford chief executive.

"It's a baptism of fire - there's a new coach in which he would be tasked with the responsibility of putting in place," Hunter-Paul said.

"That can be the little lighting of the fire which can become the inferno. They seem to have the nucleus of a squad out there, they just need something to turn it around and this could be it."

Myler the player calls time

Myler's retirement ends an 18-year career in rugby league which started at Widnes and took in spells at Salford, Warrington, Catalans Dragons and Leeds before York.

He had scored 208 tries in 401 senior games including eight in eight for England, while he represented Ireland at the last World Cup.

Myler scored two tries in his three games for York after joining from Leeds, before the injury struck.

During his career, Myler was a Lance Todd Trophy winner with Leeds in their 2020 Challenge Cup success and also won the cup at Warrington.

His transfer to Warrington from Salford in 2009 was rumoured to be the most expensive fee paid for a teenager, as he signed for a combined £300,000 along with Wakefield centre Ryan Atkins.

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