McClennan has guided Leeds to the top of Super League (Getty)

Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McClennan has said he believes clubs need to give under-pressure coaches more support.

Three Super League bosses have been sacked this season and McClennan thinks it has an negative affect on players.

"I think there has been knee-jerk reactions which is pretty sad, not every club can be in the top six," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

"The administrators of those clubs have to show strength in adversity if they don't, how can their players?"

The former New Zealand head coach is in his first season at Leeds and has coped well with taking over a team that had just won the Grand Final under Tony Smith.

McClennan has guided the West Yorkshire club to the top of Super League XIII and won the World Club Challenge Cup.

If the people in charge jump at the first sign of trouble how do they expect their players to be strong in times of adversity? Brian McClennan

McClennan added: "I'm a little surprised how much pressure coaches are under and how many have gone this season, although we don't know what's happened behind the scenes.

"Every club will go through periods of adversity because there is a high attrition rate in terms of injuries and so forth.

"If the people in charge jump at the first sign of trouble how do they expect their players to be strong in times of adversity?"