Steve McNamara
Encyclopedia
Steve McNamara is an English professional rugby league
football coach and former player. He is currently coach of the England national team
.
(2 matches) (sub). He was selected to go on the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand.
In the 1997 post season, McNamara was selected to play for Great Britain
from the interchange bench in all three matches of the Super League Test series
against Australia.
McNamara was released from the Bulls in 2000 and joined Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
and Huddersfield
before joining the coaching staff at Odsal
at the end of the 2003 season. Since joining the coaching staff at Bradford, he has been named as Bradford coach following the departure of Brian Noble
. Bradford fans became increasingly frustrated with his team's lacklustre performances since taking over the reins in 2006 and following defeat by Harlequins RL (the 8th defeat in a row, the Bulls worst run in Super League history) his Bradford career came to an inglorious end as his contract was mutually terminated on 13 July 2010.
, Bobbie Goulding
, Warren Jowitt
, Tony Kemp
(player-coach), Steve McNamara, Francis Maloney
, Martin Masella
, Steve Prescott
, Bright Sodje
, Francis Stephenson
and Glen Tomlinson
.
On 20 April 2006 Steve was promoted to head coach of Bradford following Brian Noble
's departure to Wigan
. At the time he was the youngest coach in Britain.
In his first season in charge, he guided Bradford to the Super League
playoffs before the club were knocked out of the grand final eliminator by Hull
McNamara was appointed Great Britain
assistant coach on 30 April 2007.
His coaching career while at Bradford contains several unwanted records, such as being the first Bradford coach in Super League to fail to guide his team to the end of season play-offs and being in charge for the worst losing streak the club has seen in 20 years.
His time as Bradford head coach came to an end on 13 July 2010 as the Bradford board ended his contract by mutual consent and allowed him to become full time England coach.
As of April 2010 he is part time England
coach until the end of the 2010 Super League
season. Then he will become full time England
coach. He recently won his first game as England coach against France 60-6. This game was played at the Leigh Sporting Village on Saturday 12 June 2010.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
football coach and former player. He is currently coach of the England national team
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
.
International honours
Steve McNamara won caps for England while at Hull in 1995 against Wales (sub), and France, while at Bradford in 1996 against France, in 1999 against France (2 matches), and won caps for Great Britain while at Hull in 1992 against France (sub), in 1993 against France (sub), and while at Bradford in 1997 against Australia (SL)Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
(2 matches) (sub). He was selected to go on the 1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Playing career
A former Great Britain international, Steve joined Hull from local amateur side Skirlaugh at the age of 17 and spent seven years with the Airlie Birds, before moving to Bradford in 1996, where he was the main goal kicker and kicked over 319 goals.In the 1997 post season, McNamara was selected to play for Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
from the interchange bench in all three matches of the Super League Test series
Super League Test series
The Super League Test series was a three-Test match series between the Great Britain national rugby league team and Super League's Australian national team held during November 1997 in England...
against Australia.
McNamara was released from the Bulls in 2000 and joined Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
and Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
before joining the coaching staff at Odsal
Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
at the end of the 2003 season. Since joining the coaching staff at Bradford, he has been named as Bradford coach following the departure of Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
. Bradford fans became increasingly frustrated with his team's lacklustre performances since taking over the reins in 2006 and following defeat by Harlequins RL (the 8th defeat in a row, the Bulls worst run in Super League history) his Bradford career came to an inglorious end as his contract was mutually terminated on 13 July 2010.
Financial crisis at Wakefield Trinity
In 2000, at the height of a financial crisis at Wakefield Trinity, the contracts of all players aged over 24 were terminated during September 2000. The players affected were; Andy FisherAndy Fisher
Andy Fisher is a professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s, and coach of the 2000s who at club level has played for Hull, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, and Dewsbury Rams, playing at , or , i.e...
, Bobbie Goulding
Bobbie Goulding
Bobbie Goulding is an English rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the French national team's head coach....
, Warren Jowitt
Warren Jowitt
Warren Jowitt is a professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s, and coach of the 2000s who at club level has played for Stanley Rangers, Bradford Bulls, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Salford City Reds, Hull, and Dewsbury Rams, playing at , i.e...
, Tony Kemp
Tony Kemp
Tony Kemp is a former New Zealand rugby league test representative and former coach of the New Zealand Warriors. He currently is a commentator for Māori Televisions coverage of the Auckland Rugby League competition and also serves on the NZRL Board.-Early years:Kemp was born in Whangarei but...
(player-coach), Steve McNamara, Francis Maloney
Francis Maloney (rugby league)
Francis Maloney is an English rugby league player for the Batley Bulldogs in National League One. He plays as a stand-off and can operate as a centre...
, Martin Masella
Martin Masella
Martin Masella is a former rugby league player.Martin Masella was a Tonga international and played at the 1995 and captained his country in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup...
, Steve Prescott
Steve Prescott
Stephen Prescott MBE , is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.Son of Eric Prescott, a formidable forward with St Helens in the 1970s, Steve Prescott played for St. Helens in the Rugby League Premiership and the Super League, and for Hull and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats...
, Bright Sodje
Bright Sodje
Bright Ojamohare Sodje is a 6'5 retired dual-code rugby player, who played for rugby league clubs Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Hull Kingston Rovers and Sheffield Eagles in England as well as rugby union for Wakefield RFC....
, Francis Stephenson
Francis Stephenson
Francis Stephenson is an English former rugby league footballer, and now the Operations Director at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.He retired from playing during the 2007 close season...
and Glen Tomlinson
Glen Tomlinson
Glen Tomlinson is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who at club level has played for Caboolture, Batley Bulldogs , Bradford Bulls, Hull, and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, playing at , i.e...
.
Coaching career
He coached the Bradford Senior Academy to Grand Final success in his first year as a coach at the club.On 20 April 2006 Steve was promoted to head coach of Bradford following Brian Noble
Brian Noble (rugby league)
Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia...
's departure to Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
. At the time he was the youngest coach in Britain.
In his first season in charge, he guided Bradford to the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
playoffs before the club were knocked out of the grand final eliminator by Hull
McNamara was appointed Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
assistant coach on 30 April 2007.
His coaching career while at Bradford contains several unwanted records, such as being the first Bradford coach in Super League to fail to guide his team to the end of season play-offs and being in charge for the worst losing streak the club has seen in 20 years.
His time as Bradford head coach came to an end on 13 July 2010 as the Bradford board ended his contract by mutual consent and allowed him to become full time England coach.
As of April 2010 he is part time England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
coach until the end of the 2010 Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
season. Then he will become full time England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
coach. He recently won his first game as England coach against France 60-6. This game was played at the Leigh Sporting Village on Saturday 12 June 2010.