Friday 17 February 2017 09:54, UK
Wayne Bennett says the month he spent with England in the autumn was "the most enjoyable I've had for a long time" but warned he will not stay in the job if he does not feel he can make a success of it.
The 67-year-old Brisbane Broncos coach is halfway through a two-year contract with the Rugby Football League and insists he is focused solely on the 2017 World Cup which is being held in Australia and New Zealand and runs from October to December.
Bennett suffered the disappointment of England's failure to reach the final of the 2016 Four Nations Series and admits the cancellation of his planned pre-season training camp in Dubai was a "minor setback" but has not ruled out staying on until the 2021 World Cup in England.
Speaking, for the first time since England's exit from the Four Nations, Bennett said: "I'm not thinking about beyond this year and the 2021 World Cup.
"I just want to get through this year and make sure we're as well prepared as we can be - after that, we'll worry about what the future may hold.
"I know what I'm working with now; before you take on the job you've got opinions and observations but you're never quite sure - but it was the most enjoyable month I've had in football for quite a long time. I loved their passion for the country - they've just got to fix a few things up and it'll give ourselves a good chance in the World Cup.
"I admire their camaraderie and what it meant to them to play for England. The care and cooperation they had for each other and the skill level are all important things we possess: we had a great month and it was really enjoyable.
"I'd rather wait until after the World Cup to make a decision on my future. I want to feel like something is happening and if it's not, I don't want to waste anyone's time."
Bennett, whose Brisbane side play Warrington in the Dacia World Club Series on Saturday, accepted some of the blame for a breakdown in communication which led to the cancellation of his training camp and believes a meeting with Super League coaches on Wednesday night will help remove any lingering tensions.
"It's my fault," he said. "I should have communicated better and I take responsibility for that. But the staff here are working extremely hard with the clubs and I had a meeting with the coaches last night so we're doing everything we can to improve communication.
"We were keen on it of course, but it's a minor setback; it would have been nice to do it, but we can't, so we have to just move on."
