Reds seek Veivers' successor

Salford City Reds are set to look Down Under for their next head coach after parting company with Phil Veivers.

The 48-year-old Veivers paid the price for the Reds' 38-4 home defeat by London Broncos on Friday night which saw them slip to the foot of the Super League table.

Sunday's announcement comes just five weeks after the club was taken over by racehorse owner Dr Marwan Koukash, who has big plans to transform their fortunes and has already made a series of attempts to make a high-profile signing.

After making Australian Ed Farish his chief executive and appointing New Zealanders Andrew Chalmers and Graham Lowe to his board of directors, Koukash seems certain to go down the same route with Veivers' successor.

Lowe, who succeeded Steve Simms as director of rugby, returned to Auckland yesterday and is expected to lead the search for the new man.

National coaches Tim Sheens (Australia) and Stephen Kearney (New Zealand) are both without club ties after parting company with Wests Tigers and Parramatta respectively in 2012 but are unlikely to be available until 2014 as they focus exclusively on preparations for the 2013 World Cup.

Sheens has spent the last seven days in Britain and Ireland on a fact-finding mission and confirmed to Press Association Sport that he would be looking to get back into club coaching after the World Cup, "whether that be in Australia or England".

Former New Zealand coach Brian McClennan, who took Leeds to Grand-Final glory in 2008 and 2009, could come into the reckoning, along with former Great Britain boss Brian Noble, who is keen to get backing into coaching after leaving Crusaders at the end of 2009.

Former St Helens and Great Britain scrum-half Sean Long, who was Veivers' assistant, is staying on at Salford but head of youth development Alan Hunte has been put in temporary charge ahead of the Reds' next match, which is at Wakefield next Sunday.

Farish said: "We have had to look at the whole business and what is right for the club.

"The results speak for themselves and it was felt a change must be made to allow our progression to continue on the field as well as off it.

"In the last month we have undergone major changes with the departures of director of football Steve Simms and commercial director Tina Wilkinson.

"We thank Phil for his efforts during an extremely difficult close season and wish him all the best for the future."

The Reds have won just one game since July and have conceded 196 points in their opening five games of the season but are in the process of rebuilding their squad following a spate of departures at the end of last term.

Veivers, who was appointed as the successor to Australian Matt Parish in November 2011, said he had no comment to make but his sacking was generally greeted with widespread sympathy.

Huddersfield coach Paul Anderson branded Veivers' sacking as "disgraceful", adding on Sky Sports News: "It's a rash decision made by people with no history in the game."

Warrington coach Tony Smith, also speaking on Sky Sports News, said: "I think it's really tough, particularly with circumstances Phil has had to go through."

Bradford coach Francis Cummins branded the decision "disgraceful", adding: "I don't see the logic in it."