There's still fight in the old dog but Frank Endacott knows even this rescue job might be beyond him.
The former Kiwis, Warriors and Wigan coach is staring down the barrel of relegation from the UK Super League with his Widnes Vikings, something he saved them from last season when
he answered an SOS call five games from the end of the campaign. But the numbers don't look good this season. They need to win as many as four of their remaining six games to avoid the drop.
If Widnes are relegated to National League 1, and it needs to be remembered they've won only five of their 22 games all season, Endacott has a clause in his contract which says he doesn't have to go down with them, meaning he would more than likely return to New Zealand.
Like the wily customer he is, however, there are still a few twists in the tale and a technicality could see the Yorkshire club retain their top-flight status if clubs contending for promotion don't meet Super League criteria. At least he will know his fate by the beginning of October, when promoted clubs will be told whether they meet these strict regulations.
"If we're not in the Super League then I will most probably come home," Endacott said from Widnes. "We will fight to the end but I think, realistically, there is a huge question mark. Funnier things have happened, though, and I would love to be here again next year. It's been a terrific experience and I would like to end on a good note."
Widnes' cause hasn't been helped by wholesale injuries throughout the season, including knocks to their three overseas quota players - Owen Craigie, Shane Millard and Aaron Moule - and, at times, he has had more players on the sidelines than fit to play. They've also lost two games by one point and drawn another.
The stark reality, however, is that his club are sitting second from bottom on the table, five points behind Salford. The one silver lining, if there is one, is that they play teams no higher than fourth-placed Warrington, as well as last-placed Leigh Centurions.
Endacott hasn't given a lot of thought to what he might do if he returns to New Zealand but dismissed queries about working with the Warriors, or even a Bartercard Cup side.
"I've been in league for 50 years since I started playing when I was seven," he explained. "I've got grand-kids playing the game now in Christchurch so I will always be at a rugby league ground, that's for sure."
Frank Endacott
Age: 57
Widnes coach.
* Endacott was the longest serving and most successful Kiwis coach achieving wins over Australia in one-off tests over three consecutive years.
* Became the second coach behind Graham Lowe to coach at international level as well as in the Australia and UK leagues.
* Sacked as Warriors coach in 1998 after the Lowe, Boyle, Tainui group took over the ailing club, a fate he also suffered in 2001 with Wigan.
* Last year helped Widnes survive relegation when he came in for their final five games of the season.
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
Frank Endacott
There's still fight in the old dog but Frank Endacott knows even this rescue job might be beyond him.
The former Kiwis, Warriors and Wigan coach is staring down the barrel of relegation from the UK Super League with his Widnes Vikings, something he saved them from last season when
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