The manager of Leigh Leopards, Adrian Lam, asserts that talks are still underway despite stories tying him to other openings, despite saying owner Derek Beaumont’s assertion that a long-term contract has been put in his direction may not be “exactly right.”
Prior to the Leopards’ Saturday night 28-28 draw with the Castleford Tigers, Beaumont informed the hospitality guests at the Leigh Sports Village that Lam, whose current contract expires at the end of the season, had been offered a new three-year term.
The 53-year-old has been connected to two coaching positions in other leagues in recent weeks: the first was at the NRL team South Sydney Rabbitohs, and the second was at Hull FC, a Super League team that recently announced the signing of Leigh captain John Asia for a three-year contract starting in 2025.
Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam discusses future following Derek Beaumont statement
When this season ends, the vast majority of Leigh’s team will likewise be unsigned, with a few reportedly having already been signed by rival teams.
Lam has already expressed his affection for the team, which he assumed leadership of in 2022, on numerous occasions; nevertheless, positive recollections of his tenure at the LSV are still scarce.
However, conjecture will persist until he signs a new agreement or even strikes one somewhere else.
After the draw with the Tigers, Lam responded, “I’m not sure if that’s exactly right,” after learning that Beaumont had made a public announcement regarding a new contract offer on his behalf.
“We’re definitely moving forward after our conversation with the club, but I was unaware that he had disclosed that information.
“Derek and I get along great at work, so we can talk our way out of any difficult situations. I’m confident we’ll take it from there.
It will simply require time. Right now, I’m concentrating on attempting to win rugby league games. It’s been challenging, but coaching is improving as a result.
“I really don’t want to talk about my future right now because I need to make sure that this club is in good hands, in a strong position, and doing well in terms of the outcomes.
We had to win today, which is why I feel a little hollow inside since I believe we accomplished enough to prevail. As a club, it just seems like we’re carrying a monkey around right now.
‘I’ve got a job to do here… we need to react and start winning pretty soon’
As rumours regarding the Rabbitohs position began to circulate, Lam said that he evaluated employment offers as they came in just like everyone else. However, he did clarify that he had not spoken with the Australian company by phone.
Though he refrained from explicitly declaring that he had not spoken to Hull, he did stress that, for the time being at least, his heart was with the Leopards.
The Papua New Guinean went on, saying, “I always manage to pull through because I have a fairly decent poker face. It builds up inside and requires a lot of deep thinking. I just follow the process because I have faith in both myself and what I do.
“This week I’m off to Hull, and I was supposed to be at the Rabbitohs last week. I can tell you that my contract with this employer expires at the end of the year. I have a task to complete, and we must act quickly to begin winning.
“I’m happy here, the group is happy, and we’re responding to the injury situation that we’ve been put in fairly well.”
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