Hull FC v Wakefield Trinity - Hometown boy Chris Chester just glad to be back in the game

THREE weeks of household chores was long enough for Chris Chester.
Chris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott MerryleesChris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott Merrylees
Chris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott Merrylees

It is not even a month since he left Hull KR as head coach but, unusually for many in his predicament, he is now already back in employment with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

Considering the 37-year-old was only announced as their new chief on Wednesday, Chester will not take charge when they head to Hull FC on Friday evening, leaving that task to assistants Stuart Dickens and Lee Gilmour, who have been looking after things since Brian Smith surprisingly quit the West Yorkshire club last week.

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Nevertheless, he is elated to be back in the sport so quickly.

Chris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott MerryleesChris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott Merrylees
Chris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott Merrylees

“I certainly got fed up of being at home,” admitted Chester, who was sacked by Rovers after just three games of this campaign.

“I had three weeks there doing a hell of a lot of housework.

“But I’ve recharged my batteries and managed to get away so I am looking forward to the challenge.

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“It wasn’t a hard decision coming here. Wakefield are my hometown club, the team I supported as a young kid and I was a season-ticket holder myself.

Chris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott MerryleesChris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott Merrylees
Chris Chester was formally introduced as Wakefield Trinity Wildcats new head coach at their Belle Vue ground on Thursday. Picture: Scott Merrylees

“I know what this club is all about and the tradition behind it all so it was a very easy decision.”

Even more so when considering the logistics.

Smith’s predecessor James Webster said last year when in charge at Wakefield how he should swap houses with his old Hull KR colleague Chester; Webster was still living in Hull while working at Trinity and vice versa.

Now, though, Webster has ironically actually replaced Chester – who played for Hull FC as well as Rovers – at Craven Park and his former team-mate is at the helm of his beloved Trinity.

“I’m pleased for Webby,” he said.

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“He’s an east Hull lad now and deserves the opportunity there.

“I’ve been travelling for 15 years now to Hull and back and it’s certainly nice working on the doorstep, that’s for sure.

“I’m thinking about getting a pushbike here. I live about 10 minutes away at Durkar.”

That said, Chester is straight back along the M62 again ton Friday as he returns to the club where he won the 2005 Challenge Cup as a player.

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“I can’t get away from the place!” he joked, as Trinity look to add to their solitary win of the season, the 14-12 success at Rovers that essentially cost Chester his job.

“They will be smarting (after losing 46-6 at Widnes last week)

“Against Widnes they were very dominant for 20 minutes but a bounce of the ball and a little luck went against them.

“They are not far off and I think Radders (head coach Lee Radford) is doing a fantastic job there.

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“He’s copped a little bit of criticism but I feel it’s going to be a tough game.

“The guys are looking forward to it, though. They’ve trained pretty well and I said to them it’s a blank canvas.

“I don’t know really too much about these players here – I think there’s only Craig Hall I’ve actually coached – so they will all get an opportunity these next two or three weeks to try and impress.”

Chester’s work will begin in earnest on Friday when he looks to start putting his own “stamp” on Trinity. He insists the tools are already there to start turning their campaign around and avoid the ignominy of finishing bottom as they did last term.

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Asked if there is potential to turn the former giants around, Chester maintained: “Definitely. I look at the squad of 31 and it’s probably one of the biggest in the competition.

“Everyone’s struggling with injuries but we’ve got a pretty fit and healthy squad which is really important come the Easter period. I think it’s certainly capable of surviving.

“We’ll try and add a little bit of quality. We’re looking over here and overseas at bringing a player in maybe. We have a few names in mind but it’s a long, drawn-out process.

“If it doesn’t happen I’m more than happy with what’s available.

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“We should have six or seven players back next week which brings some competition. I’m just looking forward to the challenge of coaching this side and the signs so far are pretty positive.”

Chester confirmed that he he has no intention of bringing in his own backroom team as yet – “we’ll look at those kind of decisions at the end of the season” – and is excited at linking up with both Gilmour and Dickens.

There will be more of that in abundance, too, at the end of this season when John Kear, the Batley Bulldogs and Wales chief who coached Chester at Hull in 2005 and famously led Sheffield Eagles and Trinity previously, joins as head of rugby for 2017.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for John,” added the former Halifax and Wigan stand-off. “We go back a hell of a long way. I think I was 15 or 16 years old and he was an academy coach when I was playing. He’s a vast amount of experience and it’ll be great to work with him again.”