WHITEHAVEN head coach James Coyle is aware that he can’t keep all the players in his squad happy all the time as he expects fierce competition for places at the start of the season.

With 24 players signed at the club and at least three expected to join on dual-registration from Widnes Vikings for the majority of the season, the Haven boss understands the importance of giving players game time throughout the year.

“Pre-season is the easy bit for us,” he said. “Everyone is happy and training hard and we’ll be making sure we are managing their training in the right way before the season starts.

“With our squad of 24 and at least three lads from Widnes, there will be people who aren’t happy and will miss out.

“But it’s about keeping their chins up and being positive. There has got to be competition in a squad, it’s always healthy.”

With a number of youngsters on the books at the club, Coyle knows they have to be developed in the right manner as they progress through their careers.

“We’ve got players who need game time and we’ve got others who we want to develop and bring through,” he continued.

“They have to be patient and take their chance and develop at the right speed.

“Anything in rugby league is a long-term project, you can’t think about things on a 12-month basis.

“It takes years to develop into a good enough player to play in the Championship every week.”

The Haven boss also hopes that the experienced members in his squad will play their part in the 2016 season.

“When you look at the team we’ve got, a lot of the lads are almost at Super League level but it hasn’t gone right for them for whatever reason.

“You could pick 10, 11 or even 12 who could have got there with a bit of luck or a different environment.

“So I think we’ve got some players who will be going out there to prove a point next season.”