St Helens coach Royce Simmons will not allow speculation over his future to affect his efforts to deliver silverware to the club.
Simmons’ two-year contract is up at the end of the year and reports have linked fellow Australian Nathan Brown with a move to Langtree Park when he hands over the reins at Huddersfield in October to Paul Anderson.
Saints were one of the dominant teams in the early days of Super League, winning the title four times in the first seven seasons, and they also won the Challenge Cup three years in a row from 2006.
But they have failed to win any silverware in the last three seasons, initially under Mick Potter, and have been beaten in each of the last five Grand Finals.
After narrowly missing out on both major trophies in his first season, Simmons is determined to go one better this time and remains unconcerned about the future.
“All I care about is winning the thing at the end of the year,” he told a news conference at Langtree Park on Tuesday.
“It doesn’t worry me. All I care about are my players and winning next week’s game. You’ve just got to stay focused on those things.
“Last year we got to the Grand Final and, with a bit of luck, could have won it. We also got to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and there was nothing in that game, we could quite easily have won that too.
“I’m happy with the job I’m doing and I’m happy with the commitment from my players.”
Simmons, who quit as Wests Tigers assistant to succeed Potter, says he is in no rush to start any talks over a new contract and hints that he may decide not to stay on.
“I haven’t discussed it with the chairman,” he added. “We get on really well. Whenever the chairman or the board think it’s the appropriate time, they will come and see me.
“I’m proud as punch to be at the club. If I’m here coaching next year, that’s super. If not, I’ve got a family and lot of things outside football I’ve got to weigh up before I decide whether I’m staying or going.
“I’ve got kids and grandkids at home, I’ve got a mother at home, my wife’s got a mother at home so there are a lot of things to discuss. I haven’t even talked about it with my wife.
“In fact, it didn’t cross my mind until my daughter rang the other day to ask what I’d be doing next March.
“I’m just doing my job. I want a Premiership at the end of the year.”
