Caretaker coach Garry Atkins takes charge of York Wasps for the first time tomorrow, hoping to make a big enough impression to land the job until the end of the season.

TAKING CHARGE: The York Wasps players listen to their new caretaker coach Garry Atkins (front left) at last night's training session at Oaklands Sports Centre

Atkins has volunteered his services on a temporary basis until a long-term successor can be found for Dean Robinson who resigned on Monday.

But he admitted he would jump at the chance of staying for the remainder of the campaign to build some long-term foundations.

"I've been honest with the board and told them I will give it a month and see how it goes. It gives them a bit of breathing space," said the 33-year-old.

"A month is a long time. I've got to see how the players react to me. I'm getting great help from Dean Thomas (conditioner) and Greg Gregory (sprint coach) so it's becoming a bit of a team effort. Hopefully the players will respond and then I'd love to stay until the end of the season. I'm a York lad at heart and I want to see them doing well.

"I think you need until the end of the season to get yourself established. The club is a at rock bottom now and things aren't going to work overnight.

"You can get to this position very quickly but it takes a long time to build it back up. I look at it like Oldham. We beat them by 70 points on the last day of last season and they've come back this year. I think York could do the same."

Atkins is currently in his third spell as a player with York but had been taking a break due to work commitments. However, he contacted chief executive Ann Garvey as soon as he heard about the resignations of Robinson and assistant coach John Paterson.

"I'm a York lad through and through and would hate to see them faltering away so I got in touch with Ann to see if I could help out during the interim period," he explained.

Atkins is on a month's contract as a player, after which he is going to Las Vegas for 10 days to get married. During that time he will miss important fixtures against Leigh and Doncaster but believes that Thomas and Gregory, or a new assistant, could hold the reins while he is away.

He is confident in his own ability as a coach and is well qualified to do the job, having taken his qualifications at the same time as Hull FC assistant coach Steve Crooks, Dewsbury's highly-rated boss Neil Kelly and Castleford assistant coach Graham Steadman.

He has coached before at amateur level and regularly puts youngsters through their paces in his job as a community centre manager in Harrogate.

Another part of his professional work involves team building exercises which is something he intends to introduce with the Wasps.

Atkins is hopeful that his fresh approach will trigger a turn around in results to salvage something from a disappointing season.

"While I'm here I'd like to see the lads performing to their potential. If they do that you can't ask anymore from them. But if they do perform to their potential I'm sure they won't get beat in their next three games," he said.

"We're not going to win anything this year, it's definitely a building process but there's no reason why we shouldn't be mid-table.

"They are a good set of lads. That's the reason why I went back. Although things haven't been going too well they're a great set of lads with great spirit."

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