Ian Blease speaks at a press conference to confirm him as Leeds Rhinos' new sporting director.
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00:00Thanks for that introduction, Gary. Obviously, it's an absolute pleasure to be here today.
00:05So excited to be given this role. It's one that I've admired from afar for a while,
00:12certainly in terms of the club and its brand, and certainly what it's done over the last few
00:17decades on the pitch, which is most important to me. And the role I'll be coming to do is all that
00:22Gary said. I'm really looking forward to it. I see there's a few guys here and girls who are
00:28embedded in this Leeds Rhino club already, and I want to do that as well. Obviously,
00:34I've embedded myself in this whole club for many years, and I'd like to thank them for everything
00:40they've given me, the fans as well, the backroom teams that I've worked with. But now I'm here,
00:46I'm looking forward, I'm so excited. Obviously, I don't officially start until next Monday,
00:52so I'll be taking a bit of time to strategise and think about what I want to do,
00:57but under Gary's guidance and the board's direction, we'll be looking at all things
01:02rugby operationally, and I'll be getting under the skin of the Rhino, so to speak. I'm really
01:06looking forward to it, but I'll take my time thinking about things and doing things in the
01:12business. I won't rush anything, and hopefully the fans will back that, and we'll have a
01:18bouncing game against Leeds, I think it is, on Friday for the first game. I'm really looking
01:22forward to it. Any questions? Welcome to Leeds Rhinos. As you say, you are very much
01:31known as Mr Salford, very much embedded in that club, so what appeals to you about this
01:36challenge that's persuaded you to make the move? I think ever since I was a player, it's a huge
01:42club. I'm not saying Salford isn't, but these levels within the Super League and Leeds has
01:48always been a significant club that I've admired from afar. Obviously, I don't know too much under
01:54the skin of it yet, but I will do. But as soon as we spoke to Gary, and my intention is clear that
02:00I wanted to come, it was a no-brainer for me. It was a big decision for me and my family,
02:04obviously. I've been at Salford over 20 years as a player and administrator, but I'm so excited to
02:10come here now. I'm really, really excited about it. What differences are you expecting there to
02:16be in this role compared to what you've been doing at Salford? Well, I'm not used to this for
02:20the start, so that's a big difference. But there'll be lots of things I'll come across.
02:25Obviously, it's a sustainable club. It's no excuse. Everybody knows we've had to sell players
02:32at Salford over the last few years from virtually my first year that I was there. I think we sold
02:36Benny Murdoch in that first year, which sort of takes its toll eventually over the years.
02:43Rebuilding teams, I know, Gary, and the staff have got a great set-up in already. So, it's here
02:49for me to build more on. I've got the backing of the board and Gary and Paul Caddick. I'm really
02:55looking forward to it. So, I'll get to see what I uncover, but I don't think there's anything
03:01drastic in terms of the club that I'll come and need to shake up straight away,
03:05but I'll have a closer look at everything, obviously. Have you got some priorities,
03:09though? Because it is clearly, from what Gary's outlined there, an incredibly broad remit that
03:14takes in an awful lot of aspects of this club. So, in the short term, what do you think you
03:18might be focusing on? I think Gary's mentioned it previously. It's the performance. I'm the person
03:24getting the team to be at the top of the league, not mid-table, which is currently
03:27how everybody knows that fact. So, I'm not a coach, so don't stress that. I'm not a coach.
03:33I'll leave that to the coaches in the system, but I'll give them my support definitely.
03:37How do you, in that respect then, work with Rowan Smith to get the team where you want them to be
03:43sooner rather than later? Yeah, I'm not sure it'll happen sooner rather than later, but
03:47I'll certainly be meeting Rowan. I've not met him personally yet, but I'll be spending some time with
03:51him and, as I say, having a look at it and getting a feel for it personally. Yeah. How do you go
03:58about then making those improvements on the pitch? Because this club comes with huge pressure, huge
04:02expectation to deliver quickly. How do you answer that? I'm not so sure quickly is the answer in
04:09sport. You've got to be sustainable. You've got to strategise. You've got to make sure you do
04:13everything right. Don't rush into things. I've never done that as a leader or a manager. I've
04:17never rushed into things. I've always thought about things. It gives me time now to think about
04:22things and implement them properly. That's what we need at this club. Okay. Do you think fans might
04:26have to accept then they might have to be a little bit patient because it is, as I say, a very
04:30expectant fan base that wants results now? Yeah, I think accept is probably not the right word, but just
04:35work with me on it and support in everything we do. Okay. Long term, do you set yourself any
04:42particular goals as to what you would like to achieve here at the Rhinos? Yeah, we want to win
04:46trophies, don't we? I think that's what it's about, competing at the top of the Super League. I think
04:49Gary's already said it's the most competitive league he's been for a while. Some good clubs
04:54now making big strides in the gate, who a couple of years ago were struggling themselves. So it's
04:59a really competitive environment, but I'm a competitor. The word for me will be that in that
05:04mindset. So that's the standards we'll set. Nothing less here. Nothing's acceptable apart from
05:10winning. And I know we can go back to the golden generation that we had, but it's about
05:16making our own mark now on this league and the Cups that we're going to challenge for.
05:21I see you being a big part of that. Final one from me. You do have a reputation for being a bit of a wheeler-dealer,
05:27somebody who can spot some talent, maybe buy cheap and make a few quid on players.
05:34Coming to maybe a bigger club with a bigger budget, is that something that you will be
05:38bringing to the Rhinos and that IFA recruitment still a big part of what you're going to be doing here?
05:42Yeah, obviously it's a different entity here. I'll still have the same ethos that I've always had.
05:49If it's the right player for the coach and the team, in terms of money, we'll make that work.
05:56But I've always said, the right player, the right club. And that's what I think it's about more than
06:00the money. And if the player wants to play for you, I'm keen on that. And if they don't, that's fine.
06:05But yeah, hopefully I'll be shrewd in the recruitment market. But I've yet to see
06:09and uncover all that yet. So I've not even gotten to that yet, but I will do.
06:13Best of luck. Nice to talk to you.