Mal Meninga has addressed the reports linking him to taking over Jason Demetriou at the South Sydney Rabbitohs as interim coach.
The rumour mill has been in overdrive for the past 24 hours regarding the future of the Rabbitohs and the future of Demetriou as the club sit bottom last on the NRL ladder with a record of one win and four losses.
Despite rumours suggesting that Meninga is the leading candidate to take over the club at the end of the week, the Kangaroos coach revealed that he has yet to be approached by anyone involved with the Bunnies.
โNo, I haven't (been approached), yet, but I know there's interest,โ Meninga said onย SEN 1170's The Throwdown.
โThat's the first I have to say but there's been no official anything so far, I felt a bit sorry for what's happening at the club at the moment obviously, we want to see a South Sydney Rabbitohs firing in our game.
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โI feel a bit sorry for the coach at the moment, there's been a lot of media speculationโฆ without any comment from me because I've got nothing really to comment about because there's been no official conversation been held at all.
โAll I know is that they're keen on it and a lot of is through the media, that's where I sit.
โAgain, I feel for Jason, if this is all speculation it's really cruel in my mind, if it is factual let's get on with it, if Jason is the person to be moved on then let's be fair to him and tell him."
However, while Meninga denied the reports that came out on Wednesday, he confirmed that he is interested in the head coaching role on an interim basis for the remainder of the season.
As the Kangaroos coach since 2016, Meninga already has good relationships with several players on the team, including Cameron Murray, Campbell Graham, Jack Wighton, Latrell Mitchell, and Damien Cook.
Meninga has only coached an NRL team once before, being the Canberra Raiders between 1997-2001.
โI love the idea of being an interim coach, however, I've got some big commitments in my life, I obviously do a lot of media with Fox and (SEN), I've got the Australian gig and I've got my own business, so a lot of consideration needs to take place,โ Meninga added.
โI'm very happy in life, living down here in Canberra, it's only short-term I know, it is something that something that certainly interests me and I'm flattered that my name is being mentioned at all.
โAgain, there's no real foundation to it just yet.โ
