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Bennett's big plans

Bennett's big plans

11/29/2011 04:31:34 AM

New Knights coach Wayne Bennett has started his first day at the club by declaring a premiership is not his main goal.

Bennett began his four-year tenure on Tuesday by watching the squad go through some drills followed by a packed media conference in which he said his aim was not solely a title but rather something long-term and lasting.

"Realistically a premiership may not be forthcoming in the near future but more importantly we just want to build something that will provide them with long term success," he said.

"I think there is a great opportunity here to build something special and we have a plan: to make a club that everybody aspired to be like or be a part of and to have the resources that they probably didn't have in the past."

"The first 12 months will be to making us the best football team that we can be and not go too quick because you can get lost in all of that."

Bennett said he was aware and prepared for the massive weight of expectation from both the Knights supporters and the Newcastle citizens, as well as the rugby league community in general.

"I have been dealing with expectations since I was a young man, and I know there is a huge amount here, so I do know how to deal with it and I know how to cope with it, so that is not something that is worrying me," he said.

"It's a great rugby league town, there's a great history here, some wonderful players. I spent a long of time at the Broncos and the Knights were our arch rivals, so I have a lot of respect for them."

"I just like what they're trying to do here. I've got a lot of admiration for what Nathan's (Tinkler) dreams are for the area."

"He's got big dreams for it, I like his dreams, and I just hope that we can get it done for him."

Bennett added that he was excited by the attitude of the squad at his first training session and revealed that he had his eye on some unknown youngsters.

But he also warned that he would be taking the squad back to square one with his coaching approach.

"We can't play the type of football I want Newcastle to play if we don't have good fundamentals," he said.

"So I am going to make sure they are in place and as long as it takes me to get them in place you can't have set pieces and wonderful moves if someone in that group can't pass the ball at the right time to the right person so that was a good observation this morning."

"We are back at fundamentals and we will be there for a while."

"I've just been here 12 hours, and there's a whole lot of reshaping that's got to be done."

"I need to spend a month or so here to really get to know them and get a feel for them and what they are made of."

"But they are all in reasonable shape and came with a good attitude today which helps."

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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