An announcement on the new Warriors NRL coach is imminent but club management refuse to respond to speculation that premiership mentor Craig Bellamy will fill the role from 2014.
Chief executive Wayne Scurrah said on Wednesday he expected to announce the new man for the vacant role “within the next week”.
“I can’t name a day but we’re not far away,” said Scurrah.
The Warriors have been in the hunt for a coach since dumping Brian McClennan in August, two games before the end of the first year of a two-year contract.
Scurrah declined to comment on Australian reports that Melbourne Storm coach Bellamy will join the Warriors in 2014 on a multi-million dollar deal after honouring the final year of his Storm contract in 2013, during which the Auckland club would hire a caretaker coach.
“We have been really careful not to make any comment during the process,” said Scurrah.
“We will make all the comment and answer any questions after we make the announcement.”
A number of other names have been connected with the Warriors’ position, including Bellamy’s Melbourne assistant David Kidwell, ex-Penrith and Canberra mentor Matthew Elliott and former Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens.
However Kidwell has withdrew his candidature this week.
News Limited quoted an unnamed friend as saying the former Kiwis enforcer had pulled out of contention because he was concerned the lengthy negotiations meant there wouldn’t be enough time to prepare a squad for 2013.