Jon Wilkin has taken aim at the St Helens hierarchy amid the appointment and sacking of Paul Rowley, arguing that the club are in a ‘shocking position’ in their bid to find a replacement.

Saints and Paul Rowley parted ways after just 23 games, only nine months into a three-year contract with assistant coach Eamon O’Carroll set to take charge for the rest of the year.

O’Carroll will depart to take up a role in rugby union for 2026 so that’s clearly not a long-term solution and Jon Wilkin fears that unless Saints have someone lined up, the decision leaves his former side in a bad way.

Speaking ahead of their defeat against Wigan Warriors, Wilkin was responding to the fact that Hull KR have already gone to market for a head coach, and were reportedly knocked back by a number of targets.

That led him to argue: “It’s a shocking position but I can’t imagine they made that call without having a plan… if there’s nobody in their crosshairs.

“They are making some loose decisions at the minute, I think that’s safe to say.”

What St Helens need in their next coach

He’d also make clear what exactly St Helens need as he listed the number of issues that have emerged at the club in recent years, many of which have stemmed from board level.

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“I think what they need is a really strong appointment, somebody who gets how to be a big personality at a big club,” Wilkin asserted.

“(Someone who knows) how to lead, and how to engage the fans, and how to get supporters to come back, how to impress and entertain, how to sign players who excite people, how to not fob people off when you’re reducing your costs with a poor squad, because that’s what they’ve done.The fans smell it, they can see it.

“Saints are a massive club, a champion club, and they’ve been cost-cutting and managing what’s been a loss-making business for a while now and this is another decision on those chain of events.”

Wilkin also questioned what exactly those who hired Paul Rowley expected, asking: “What did they want from a coach? In nine months, what did they want Paul Rowley to do? I don’t think he’s the right guy from the start.”