League: Wanted man Bluey is going nowhere

Brian McClennan might be the flavour of the month but he's not about to be lured by the bright lights of another job and turn his back on the Kiwis.

The national coach was a virtual unknown in league circles a month ago but is now being talked about as a potential NRL or Super League coach. He was recently approached about the vacant Castleford job (which went to former Broncos second-rower Terry Matterson) and has also been linked with the vacant Warriors assistant role.

"I don't want to be a one-year wonder with the Kiwis," McClennan said ahead of this morning's test against Great Britain. "I wouldn't go buggering off and taking an offer from any club at the moment.

"If we all do a good job here [in the Tri-Nations] then it gives us a good chance to be involved again next year. I'm so taken by the players and how they have responded to what we have put in place. I have really enjoyed it."

McClennan, who was hired only until the end of the Tri-Nations to fulfil Daniel Anderson's original contract, has a handshake agreement with the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) to go through until the 2008 World Cup but hasn't yet had a new contract put in front of him.

NZRL chairman Sel Pearson said it would be a priority when the Kiwis returned, most likely at the end of the month after the Tri-Nations final on November 27.

"We realise that we have someone who's going to be pretty hot property in the league fraternity so it's a nice position for us to be in," Pearson said.

"I'm a realist and understand that one day he might be tempted to try his hand in a different role but he seems pretty settled with us at the moment. He's also contracted to do development work for us as well as continue as Mt Albert coach so he has plenty on his plate."

McClennan is trying not to get sidetracked by talk of his own future and had his sights set firmly on this morning's test which should confirm the Kiwis' place in the final.

He was dismissing any talk of avoiding defeat by less than 24 points which would be enough for them to qualify, saying "for us to make the final, we believe we have to win".

An area of concern for the side has been their predilection for leaking points, particularly out wide, and it hasn't gone unnoticed.

"I think our defence out wide and on the edges needs to improve," McClennan said. "We also need to find more space with our kicks, our kick/chase needs to improve and we can be a bit sloppy around the marker at times.

"We are an unorthodox side and structurally we do a few things wrong but we are blessed with a lot of power. The opposition find it hard to read what we are going to do."

For these reasons, the Kiwis were unlikely to stray too far from the game plan this morning - a game where most eyes will have been cast in the direction of halfback Stacey Jones, who made a welcome return to the squad this week from his French club Les Catalan.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY