By Dave Woods

Whoever follows in the footsteps of Ian Millward at St Helens will know exactly what is needed.

The successful applicant must produce a side that plays eye-catching, breathtaking rugby league - and wins trophies.

So who is big enough to take over Millward's mantle?

Well, there certainly will not be a shortage of people willing to give it a try.

A hot favourite. The former Parramatta assistant coach did a miraculous job in his first year as NZ Warriors coach, taking them to the Grand Final.

He left under a bit of a cloud but his stock remains very high.

He is currently under contract as New Zealand national coach, but he would surely be capable of doing that job part-time, just as they do in Britain and Australia.

Conveniently available after finishing a spell on the coaching staff of Newport Gwent Dragons rugby union side.

Anderson knows what it takes to suceed at the highest level

The former Aussie boss is a tough, confident character who would not find the St Helens job daunting.

As well as leading the Kangaroos to World Cup and Test series successes, he also led Melbourne to Grand Final honours.

He has got spells at Halifax, Canterbury and Cronulla under his belt as well.

Ironically, he was the coach who guided Halifax to their 1987 Challenge Cup final win over St Helens.

Currently enjoying a leading role in shaping Perpignan's Super League challenge, so would probably be unlikely to take on the Saints job. But it's likely he will be sounded out.

A former Wigan star, so an automatic anti-hero at St Helens. But that did not stop Ellery Hanley taking over.

Edwards has been carving out a very good reputation at Wasps, which is certain to have had a few Super League clubs casting glances his way.

However, he has just signed a new three-year deal with the Premiership club, so Saints can forget it unless there is a Super League opt-out clause in the contract.

Sharp is doing very well at Huddersfield at the moment and ran St Helens close in the Challenge Cup a few weeks ago.

He is also the former assistant to Millward at Knowsley Road, which means he knows most of the players very well.

Again, even if he wanted the job and Saints offered it, compensation could be a big factor.

He is the man currently in the hot seat and led Saints to a 62-0 victory over York in the Challenge Cup last weekend.

But he has no experience of being a head coach and the Saints job is probably too big to throw him into.

The big fella is certainly the kind of name the Saints fans would love and is still a legend at the club after his spell there in the mid-1980s.

But he failed to cut the mustard as a coach in Australia, so his appointment is highly unlikely.

There have been various whispers suggesting Noble could move to St Helens as Millward's replacement.

It is an intriguing one. He is in the last year of his Bradford contract and obviously has strong links to several of the Saints players through his Great Britain role. But such a controversial move is unlikely.

A good mate of Millward's from their time together at St George Illawarra.

Assistant to Denis Betts at Wigan, he might be interested in another shot at a top job after being elbowed from the Dragons post a couple of years ago.

McRae was St Helens' original Super League coach and gave them a winning summer-season side at Knowsley Road.

But he has only just started out in his dream job coaching at Souths in the NRL, so he is unlikely to consider an offer, even if it came.

Would bite off the hand of anyone who offered him the job - and by the looks of him would probably apply liberal doses of ketchup, too.

Sadly for him, providing the voiceover on the club's telephone directory service is the closest he will get to the top job.