Orr only happy to take over Tigers on temporary basis

Australian Millward and his assistant Stuart Donlan were dismissed yesterday with the West Yorkshire club sitting bottom of Super League with just one win all season.

Some were surprised Millward, appointed ahead of the 2012 campaign, was axed by the cash-strapped club considering he still had 19 months remaining on his contract.

But a run of seven successive defeats and, more alarmingly, only one victory in 18 games stretching back to last July saw chairman Jack Fulton and his directors 
finally lose patience.

A statement said recent results had been “unacceptable for all concerned, including sponsors and supporters” and now Orr – the former Castleford captain who played more than 200 Super League games for his hometown club before retiring last season – steps up from his own assistant role as they begin the search for a new head coach.

On the double departure, the 34-year-old told the Yorkshire Post: “It probably was a shock.

“I knew results weren’t good but I knew how hard ‘Basil’ and Stu were working with the hours and detail they put in.

“It is really disappointing they’ve gone. They are two real good guys and I wish them all the best.

“They were well-respected by the boys and I’ve spoken to a lot of them. They know they’ve under-performed.

“I’ve been asked to do this on a temporary basis by the CEO Steve Gill and Jack Fulton and I’m happy to do that. They know I have the club at heart.

“But I don’t want it (the job) myself. It was only a few months ago I retired as a player.

“I think I would like to be a head coach one day but for the time being I’ll just do the best I can until someone with more experience is appointed. I don’t know when that will be. It could be tomorrow or three months’ time.”

Likely candidates could include Hull FC assistant Andy Hay, who was deputy to predecessor Terry Matterson and interviewed for the job the last time it was vacant, as well as veteran John Kear – who grew up a stone’s throw from the ground – would happily walk from Batley Bulldogs to Wheldon Road to finally take charge of the club he loves.

Another Castlefordian – Featherstone Rovers’ Daryl Powell – is undoubtedly ready for a return to Super League although he may feel his Championship club’s long-term prospects are better than those of the Tigers.

The squad were informed of the news by Gill yesterday morning before Orr addressed them and then took his first full training session.

Assisted by Under-19 coach Richard Tunningley, he will now try to inspire the squad to that much-needed win when they entertain Widnes Vikings in a televised game late on Saturday afternoon.

“There are not going to be many changes to what we do,” added Orr. “We’ve such a short turnaround it would be silly to go changing things.

“The lads have shown when they do things right here it does work well. They just need to be more consistent.”