The Hull-born coach wants to reach the top again.
Scott Taylor reached the top of rugby league in his professional playing career, so it’s only natural the ambition is there to do it all again as a coach.
The former Hull FC man has completed his first season as Goole Vikings’ head coach and is ready for a second year at the sport’s professional outfit. He’s working full-time and all in at the East Yorkshire club, but long-term, there’s a desire to make a crack of it at the top, in Super League, where he also featured for Hull KR, Wigan Warriors, and Salford Red Devils.
That desire burns strong. After all, coaching is something Taylor has done for years. While a player, he coached National Conference League outfit Beverley for five years. He did his badges early and knew what post-playing would entail.
Now he’s on that path as a young British coach, learning his craft, and when the opportunities come, he’ll be ready to take them.
“I want to get to the highest level in the game of coaching,” Taylor told Hull Live. “I want to get near the top and that’s why I’m putting in all the hard work now and all the small steps now to be able to do that.
“I’ve a very competitive person, and when I’m all in, I’m all in. I’ve stepped away from my car business; I did a deal there, and I’m full-time at Google. We’re a part-time club but I’m at it full-time, day and night.
“I’ve done that because I’m all about the coaching and getting to the top. I’m still only 34 and I feel like I’ve still got so much to give to the game. I’m just working hard and hopefully down the line, some opportunities will come.”
And while Super League is the ultimate goal for Taylor, that’s not to write off his commitment to Goole. To get there, the Hull-born coach knows he has to give it everything now, and he’s doing just that.
In fact, he turned down other offers to coach Goole, including one from rugby union, where former coach Lee Radford is cutting his cloth at Northampton Saints.
“I signed a two-year deal at Goole and I’ve got everything put in place for next year,” Taylor continued. “I’m really enjoying what I’m building at Goole – I’ve had some brilliant feedback from staff and players.
“I’ve really enjoyed it. I knew I wanted to go down the coaching route and stay in the professional game. I retired and then I had to think about my testimonial, which I knew would eat into the next season and then I could start looking around and making decisions.
“I had one or two offers and an opportunity to go to rugby union, but I didn’t want to make that transition – I’m rugby league born and bred and that’s where I’m most comfortable and where I feel like I can grow even more.
“I then met up with Goole and the rest is history. It’s been really good. I’ve learnt so much and I’m lucky to have a lot of support around me.”
Outlining the challenges of part-time coaching, Taylor added: “It’s been tough at times – when you’re going three or four nights a week and you’re getting back late, not putting your kids to bed, that’s been tough – you want to be there during the day and spend hours and hours at it.
“I feel like if I had more hours with the lads, I could improve them so much more, but at a part-time level, whether I’m more full-time or not, the players can’t be.
“Their rugby league isn’t always their top priority – they’ve got full-time jobs, they’re digging up roads and grafting, they’ve got families to look after, and rugby league is sometimes the third or fourth priority for these boys and I fully get it.
“But I’ve enjoyed it. I did five years at Beverley as head coach so I’m used to it. I’m trying to make these lads more accountable, but I’ve learnt a lot and I’m really enjoying the process and the apprenticeship.
“Eventually, I want to be in a full-time environment; I want to be in a Super League environment, and whenever I get the opportunity, I’ll grab it with both hands.”