The Newcastle Knights Football Sub-Committee has this morning made a recommendation to the Board that Nathan Brown be appointed as head coach.
The Club hopes to be in a position to make an official announcement next week once the Board reviews this recommendation.
The Football Sub-Committee is chaired by John Quayle and comprises Matt Gidley, Mark Fitzgibbon and Philip Gardner.
“The football committee has been through a fairly exhaustive process. The level of candidates have been exceptional and really informative,” Gidley told the media at Wests Mayfield.
“Based on that, the football committee has made the recommendation to the board that Nathan was the strongest candidate throughout the process. He was interview on two separate occasions and was a real standout."
The Football Sub-Committee spoke to a number of candidates with varied levels experience and personality types.
“It was very close in the end and the caliber of candidates was exceptional,” he said.
“We have arrived at a stage now where we could make that recommendation to the full board as was always going to be a part of the process."
Following the recommendation, the board members will take the opportunity to talk to Brown personally.
“Due to their availability, that may happen over the weekend or early next week,” he said.
“It is a board decision at the end of the day and all our directors will have a chance to have a conversation and interview Nathan in their own right before making the appointment."
When asked about the qualities Brown will bring to the role, Gidley spoke about the his extensive coaching capabilities and focus on developing local talent.
“He’s been coaching for a long time, so experience is something they have considered fairly carefully,’ he said.
“I think they really respected the fact when he finished at St George… he decided to back himself and go to the UK in his own right.
“He went to a club that was under resourced, and there wasn’t a lot of talent at Huddersfield (English Super League) and he was ultimately able to get them to be a top four team."
Huddersfield has continued to be a top four team with a number of the coaching staff Brown developed still contributing to the club while during his stint at St Helen’s, he developed local talent and eventually won a grand final.
“His understanding of Newcastle’s culture and technical nous were also attributing factors to Browns recommendation,” he added.
“He understands Newcastle, what’s important to us and our people and he articulated that on a number of occasions really well.
“We still have a number of conversations still to go, but if the board gets to a position where they are comfortable with the recommendation then we will be able to enter those negotiations.”
