Wayne Bennett has hit back at accusations he is failing to promote the Four Nations rugby league series.
England coach Bennett has come under fire in England for his post-match TV interviews, with his customary short answers not going down well in the UK.
The 65-year-old responded at a press conference at London's Canary Wharf during a break in preparations for Sunday's must-win game against Australia at the London Stadium, insisting his job is to produce a winning England team and that in turn would promote the game.
"You go talk to the marketing department and they don't want you to be goofing off and talking it up and your team's getting beat every week, because they won't sell a ticket." Bennett said.
"The end result of what we all do is how the team performs on the football field. I'm a football coach, that's what I am."
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Former Salford and Wales boss Iestyn Harris, now a television pundit, accused the veteran Australian of being disrespectful in his interviews.
While former Castleford and London winger Jon Wells argued Bennett was failing in his duty to promote the game.
"My players and my teams are my priority and always will be. I'm not interested in cheap talk and thinking I can promote the game with something I say," Bennett said.
