By STEVE MASCORD
NEW chief executive Richie Myler has directly addressed critics of his appointments at Hull FC - where he was previously rugby director - claiming: "we could have been Salford".
Myler was speaking to reporters today at the University of Hull ahead of the annual open media sessions for the black-and-whites, who finished second last in 2024.
The term nepotism has never been far from discussions about Myler, whose partner's father is one of the club's two new owners, Andrew Thurkill. The other is fellow businessman David Hood.
"The reality is: we could have been Salford," the 34-year-old said. "That's as harsh as it was about to get, we could have been in Salford's situation right now.
"We're not because we're very thankful for Andrew and David."
Asked about derision of his appointment straight from playing to managing Hull FC's recruitment, retention and daily team admin, Myler said: "I did hear all those comments and I found them quite funny.
"I enjoyed them.
"I love proving people wrong. I get satisfaction out of it.
"i quite like being underestimated and I quite like being challenged. I think in my rugby career, I was a good rugby player - I managed to play over 400-odd games - but what I was clever at in my career was getting everyone else to perform doing their jobs.
"I feel this role is literally just getting everybody on the same page and we're all delivering on my areas and I think that we are.
"We've under-performed as a club in the last five, six years. That's been the reality. I'm coming in on the back of the club not going so well anyway.
"We're doing a dinner on the fourth and everyone's asked me what's my song going to be.
"I think 'The Only Way Is Up'."
Myler made no bones about the fact he is an agent for the owners - but reckoned most fans did not understand who Thurkill and Hood were and what they represented.
"I've got two really experienced people in Andrew and David who know how business should be run," he said.
"We have board meetings monthly and we go through everything in every bit of detail.
"The two owners who are putting large, large sums of money into this club are doing that and not taking a penny out.
"That message is a really strong one for anyone who loves Hull FC because if I was a fan I'd be thinking 'well hang on a minute, I can directly impact that field by buying my ticket'.
"David very much doesn't want the limelight. You'll get to know Andrew and he's a very, very, extremely passionate rugby league man.
"They both run business tremendously well and everything that both those people have touched has turned to - cliche - gold and has been a success.
"I don't think people in the rugby league community have fully understood the impact that those two individuals will have on Hull FC, not just through a financial aid but the vision and drive and what they actually want for Hull FC as a rugby league club.
"I don't think people have fully grasped it yet because we're only just starting out.
"It's all about being a rugby club. It's not about anything else. There's no other agenda. There's no making money because ... they don't need the money in the sense is they don't want money to profit.
"We all want to go to Wembley, we all want to go and experience that as owners of rugby clubs - not make money and have nice things."
