As he prepares for a return to international rugby league this weekend, NZ Kiwis coach Michael Maguire has fended off the prospect of a fulltime move to this side of the Tasman with NZ Warriors.
Just hours after the Auckland-based club released Nathan Brown as its head coach, Maguire lost his job with Wests Tigers this month, setting up a possible match made in heaven - or at least Mt Smart Stadium.
But the wily campaigner - who has guided Wigan Warriors to British Super League success and South Sydney to an NRL crown - isn't prepared to discuss his club future, with a showdown against Pacific rivals Tonga looming at the Warriors homeground on Saturday.
"I'm just focused on the Kiwis at the moment, but coaching takes you on a journey," Maguire has told AM. "I've had many great moments through that and I want to create more as we go.
"At the moment, I'm very focused on the Kiwis and the excitement of what we can do with this team is something that's right in front of us."
Maguire, 48, admits losing his Tigers gig was a part of that journey, albeit a painful part.
"They're all learning experiences," he said. "Coaching at this [international level] is different to clubland.
"Building a club, there's a lot of time spent daily on how you can keep pushing forward. You learn a lot of lessons as you go through a coaching career and I'm very fortunate to be in this position, where I get to coach some of the best players in the game.
"I'll definitely get back there at some stage, but at the moment, I'm very happy to be doing the Kiwis."
Maguire's chances of securing the Warriors post took a dive, when owner Mark Robinson seemed to dismiss him as a candidate for the job within days, but he is still one of the best-qualified coaches on the market, despite his Tigers struggles.
Club officials are unlikely to watch Maguire wander past their Mt Smart offices, without inviting him for a cup of tea and a chat during his stay in Auckland.
His last assignment with New Zealand was a sweep of two-tests against Great Britain Lions in 2019, when they also dispatched Tonga 34-14 at Mt Smart.
With no international rugby league played since, the Kiwis are currently ranked No.1 in the world - ahead of England, Tonga and Australia - a spot Maguire is determined to retain through this year's World Cup in England.
"When we come into tours and camps, the time spent around what the jersey means to each player is very special - and where they want to take the jersey.
"A number of our senior players have spoken about where the jersey was and where they want to get it to."
Join us at 5:40pm Saturday for live updates of the NZ Kiwis v Tonga test
