Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam discusses future following Derek Beaumont statement

Adrian Lam

Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam says owner Derek Beaumont’s claim a long-term contract has been tabled his way may not be ‘exactly right’, though insists talks are ongoing as reports linking him to vacancies elsewhere continue.

Ahead of the Leopards’ 28-28 draw with Castleford Tigers on Saturday evening, Beaumont told hospitality guests at the Leigh Sports Village that a new three-year deal had been offered to Lam, whose current contract expires at the end of the season.

In recent weeks, the 53-year-old has been linked with a couple of coaching vacancies elsewhere – first at NRL outfit South Sydney Rabbitohs and more recently fellow Super League outfit Hull FC, who have just confirmed the signing of Leigh captain John Asia on a three-year deal from 2025.

Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam discusses future following Derek Beaumont statement

The vast majority of Leigh’s squad are also off-contract come the end of this season, with a handful believed to have already been snapped up by other clubs.

Lam has already detailed his love for the club, whom he took charge of in 2022, on many an occasion with anything but a fond memory during his time at the LSV so far hard to come by.

Nonetheless, until he puts pen to paper on a new deal, or indeed agrees one elsewhere, speculation will rage on.

And in response to being told about Beaumont publicly revealing a new contract offer on his behalf, Lam after the draw with the Tigers said: “I’m not sure if that’s exactly right.

“I’ve been talking to the club about it and we’re certainly down the track, but I didn’t know he’d given out that detail.

“I have a really good working relationship with Derek, and whatever the situation is, we’ll talk our way through it. From there, I’m sure we’ll get on top of it.

“It’s just going to take time. My focus at the moment is on trying to win rugby league games and it’s been hard work, but it’s making me better as a coach.

“I don’t really want to get into talking about my future when I need to make sure this club’s future is in good hands or is in a good position and a good state in regards to the results.

“We needed to win today and that’s why I think I’m a little bit empty, because I think we did enough to win. It just feels like we’ve got a monkey on our back at the moment as a club.”

‘I’ve got a job to do here… we need to react and start winning pretty soon’

When links to the Rabbitohs job were flying about, Lam admitted that he was no different to any other person in the sense of weighing up job offers as and when they are made, though confirmed he hadn’t had a phone call with the Australian outfit.

He didn’t go as far as stating he hadn’t had a call, or contact with Hull, but insisted his heart – at least for the time being – lies with the Leopards.

The Papua New Guinean continued: “I’ve got a pretty good poker face, it brews up inside and there’s a lot of deep thinking, but I always get through it. I believe in what I do and myself, and just stick to the process.

“Last week I was meant to be going to the Rabbitohs, and this week I’m going to Hull. What I can tell you is that I’m contracted here and it runs out at the end of the year. I’ve got a job to do here and we need to react and start winning pretty soon.

“I’m happy here, the group is a happy group and we’re doing a reasonably good job to respond to the situation that we’ve been put in injury-wise.”