ONLINE POLL: Cummins vows to stand by Bradford

Not my words, although they do perfectly echo my own sentiments.

No, these are the words of Francis Cummins, the durable Bradford Bulls head coach, as he prepares to navigate his side through yet more troubled waters.

As is always the case in these situations of financial strife that have become too commonplace in rugby league, it is the players and staff who are left to pick up the pieces.

Mark Moore and his fellow directors departed Odsal yesterday, apparently in disgust and incredulity after the Rugby Football League had handed down a six-point deduction for the club entering into administration last month.

They have gone and so there will be – it has to be hoped, if that is not an oxymoron – a fourth new owner in less than two years.

Cummins has been there throughout all the turmoil as this great club – three times World Club champions – fell on its knees, constantly battling fires, first as an assistant and, for the last 18 months, as head coach.

It would be easy for the 37-year-old, who has worked on shoestring budgets, seen major players depart and seemingly operated amid perpetual financial uncertainty, to walk away.

However, for all the seismic effects of the last 24 hours, the former Leeds Rhinos star is going nowhere.

“These people (squad of players) are a privilege to go in and work with,” he told the Yorkshire Post last night.

“If that wasn’t the case, and I wasn’t getting anything back, then I might start throwing my arms up.

“But they are a great bunch and we have to make sure we keep moving up.

“I’ve not considered throwing it all in. There is only so much anyone can take but I’m not at that point yet.”

Plenty who see Bradford on minus four points this morning will feel they are doomed for relegation, previously unthinkable for a side that won Super League four times in the first 10 years of summer rugby.

Cummins argues otherwise but is concerned the RFL have now placed the club under “special measures” which could restrict their ability to add to their squad.

It is a real issue given they sold stand-off Jarrod Sammut to Wakefield Trinity almost a fortnight ago and then saw first-choice No 6 Lee Gaskell suffer a serious knee injury in the opening seconds of their win at Belle Vue last Thursday.

“I’m confident we can overcome the points issue with the players we have here,” he said.

“The big thing is the special measures. I think that’s the reason the directors have done what they’ve done.

“If they (RFL) turn us down for bringing in people on loan I could end up with just 18 players.

“Anyone coming in might think they can’t run their own business because of this.

“We’re not going to sign Sonny Bill Williams. I’m talking about young kids, and not to have that facility is madness.

“Why would anyone take a business on in those circumstances when you already have a six-point deduction and are in special measures? How can they improve that?

“It’s tieing your arm behind your back before you even start.”

The RFL insist the special measures are only “temporary” until the club can provide sufficient confidence in its ability to trade, something a new owner presumably would do.

However, Cummins is dismayed that Bradford’s previous regime of Moore et al were not allowed to complete their deal.

“When you look at the process, and how it’s gone on, you do feel let down but there are other things going on,” he said.

“I understand penalties for certain things but, my understanding is, that for a long, long time it was very, very amicable and it looked like it (takeover) was going to happen.”

The RFL have come under serious attack for their handling of the affair, especially in light of their previous dealings with the ill-fated Crusaders who went into administration in 2010, suffered a four-point deduction at the start of the following season and, ultimately, withdrew from Super League.

Wakefield, too, were handed a four-point deduction for breaking insolvency rules three years ago but Bradford’s is the biggest yet.

Cummins was unaware last night how his players had taken the news.

“We’re off today but we’ll get back in tomorrow and see how things lie in the morning,” he said last night.

“The circus continues. It just keeps going on and on and on.

“I do just find the whole situation madness. Just as things had started to look positive. We got that win at Wakefield and we think ‘here we go.’ Then we get something else like this.

“But we’ll get focused and ready for London Broncos here on Sunday and we know if we can get another win we’ll have four of those points back.”

It is certainly a crucial fixture already given London were widely perceived to be favourites for one of the two relegation spots at the start of the season.

Chief executive Robbie Hunter-Paul, meanwhile, is staying on in his role and will attend today’s Super League meeting in Hull.

Catalan’s Julian Bousquet has been handed a four-match ban for a dangerous tackle. The prop was cited by the RFL’s match-review panel for a challenge on Castleford’s Jordan Tansey.

Wakefield centre Dean Collis received a two-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Bradford stand-off Lee Gaskell, while Hull KR prop Justin Poore will miss Friday’s home game against Castleford for punching against Huddersfield.