League: Under fire Kiwis coach David Kidwell wants time to consider his future

Kiwis coach David Kidwell talks to media following their shock exit from the Rugby League World Cup at the hands of Fiji. Photo / Photosport.

Under-fire Kiwis coach David Kidwell is going nowhere for at least the next week, but he's a dead man walking in the wake of New Zealand's early World Cup exit at the hands of Fiji.

The Kiwis tournament hopes ended with Saturday's disastrous 4-2 quarter-final loss to Fiji in Wellington - their second-straight defeat to a second-tier nation following last week's shock 28-22 loss to Tonga in Hamilton.

Kidwell says he will take his time before deciding if he will seek re-appointment, while the New Zealand Rugby League will this week appoint an independent panel to complete a full review of the failed campaign by January.

"I've got to look at it too, whether I want to continue as well," Kidwell said yesterday. "I've put my all into this and sacrificed a lot, it's whether I want to go through it again.
"I'm in the firing line and I'll take that on the chin."

Despite calls for Kidwell to resign after the Kiwis managed just three wins from 10 starts since he was appointed last September, he remains convinced there are positives to take out of the tournament and says scathing criticism of the team is unfair.

"Well, that's short-term sighted," he said. "We have built something here, we want good people here that want to represent this jersey and they know the standards and values when they come in.

"These boys have shaped these values that we have and I don't want those values be stripped right down."

NZRL chief executive Alex Hayton confirmed part of the upcoming review will have the national body reassessing their criteria, that currently dictates that a New Zealander must coach the side.

"It's just to review that criteria and make sure that's still consistent for what we want.
"We will go through the review and look to what we can do better to make sure that we get back into the hearts of New Zealanders."

Kidwell and Kiwis captain Adam Blair have both come in for more criticism after voicing their frustration over a perceived lack of goodwill from the New Zealand public and media and lamenting the fact both Tonga and Samoa enjoyed greater support from the local Pacific island communities.

The pair echoed comments from halfback Shaun Johnson post-match believing the media and fans had got their way in wanting the Kiwis to fail.

"We deserved more than what people gave us credit for," said Blair.

"It's hard when we try to do everything possible to bring games back to New Zealand to play in front of our fans and then we've got people not giving us a chance from the get-go.

"The thing that was disappointing is no one had any faith in the team we had assembled and the group of men that wanted to wear that jersey with the pride and respect that it deserved."

Kidwell said he was happy to accept criticism from people who had made an effort to attend matches, but felt there was too much negativity surrounding their campaign.

"I just think it's the world, it's so negatively geared," he said.

"We just need to start loving our team. If they had come out and supported us on the field they have every right to feel like they have the right to point the finger at us.

"Were they there to support us? If they were there at the game, 100 per cent they've got every right."