ROHAN Smith was a teenager when his family moved to England after his father took charge of Bradford at the advent of Super League.

Twenty years on since Brian Smith senior laid the foundations for the Bulls' golden era and it is his son who is taking centre stage in these parts.

On his 35th birthday last week, the vastly-experienced Australian became Bradford's new head coach on a three-year deal.

"I have some really fond memories of being at Bradford, in particular going to school in the area and spending time at Odsal in that first summer season," recalls Smith.

"Bullmania was in full force and the 1996 Challenge Cup final was obviously a massive occasion – probably one of the biggest sporting events I've ever been to.

"It was a really special time and seeing the way the English supporters get behind their team is something that separates them from the Australian fans, I think.

"Things that stuck in my mind were the unique landscape of Odsal, the atmosphere the crowd generated and the Bulls song that Robbie (Hunter-Paul) and the boys made.

"I remember going to school there and playing for Stanningley for a little while. We lived in Bramhope, a lovely part of the world."

Life has come full circle for Smith as he prepares to embark on the challenge of returning the Bulls to their former glories.

His first coaching opportunity came with the University of Wollongong's junior teams when, after two shoulder reconstructions, he made a move to the sidelines.

Smith went on to enjoy stints with New Zealand Warriors, Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters, London Broncos, the Tonga national side and latterly as assistant coach at Gold Coast Titans.

He said: "I feel like I've had a long apprenticeship after various roles within the NRL. I've coached the attack, the defence, worked as a kicking coach, coached reserve grade, under-20s and under-18s.

"I've touched base with a lot of different people at different levels with different standards, so I'm pretty well connected in the game now.

"Who has been my biggest influence? Probably Daniel Anderson because he got me started.

"I was a really young guy and I thought I knew a bit about rugby league. But after spending two years with Daniel at New Zealand Warriors, I had my eyes opened to the knowledge and detail needed to run an NRL team.

"He was very open and involved me in the bigger picture; not just the on-field stuff but the planning and preparation that goes on behind the scenes.

"The other main influence outside of my family connections would be Trent Robinson. I shared an office with Robbo for four years at Newcastle and then a year at the Roosters.

"We used to bounce a lot of ideas off each other and have some really long chats about philosophy and implementation of different things in footie.

"Those two guys have influenced me the most – but there are a lot of other great coaches who I've taken things from.

"Ando went from the NRL to Super League and back to the NRL. Robbo got a great start to his career at Catalans and has gone from strength to strength at Sydney Roosters.

"Obviously Michael Maguire did a fantastic job at Wigan and has also gone back to the NRL and excelled again.

"There is a definite pathway there but I'm not looking too far ahead. I'm just looking forward to getting to Bradford and working with the players and staff there to get the Bulls back where they belong."

Matty Elliott, who assisted Brian Smith at the start of Super League before enjoying a successful spell in charge at Odsal himself, has also influenced the new Bulls coach's thinking.

Smith said: "Matty has been awesome with me and is definitely a mentor. He gave me an opportunity to coach the reserve-grade team at the Warriors in 2014, which was a fantastic learning experience for me.

"You have to stay on your toes with the day-to-day shuffles of reserve grade in the NRL and adapt and adjust quickly. I've got a lot to thank Matty for and I spent a year at the Roosters with him too.

"Matty has got a lot of great ideas, not just about on-field stuff but all parts of the approach to professional sport and to life really. He has certainly been great to me."

Thirty minutes spent talking to Smith flies by and, without getting too deep, he feels he has always known his mission in life.

He said: "I remember when I was 16 that I wanted to be a head coach one day. I didn't know how I was going to get there but I knew it was where I wanted to end up.

"It has been a long journey to get this opportunity. I've moved to New Zealand twice and this will be my second time in the UK.

"I've also made a few moves within Australia as part of that journey, so I feel like my purpose is to be a head coach and that's what I've been chasing.

"This is the logical step and I don't feel it's anything other than a great move for me. It just seems like everything is falling into place at the right time."

Did he seek advice from his father before accepting the Bradford job?

"Not too much because I make my own decisions these days and I'm not a young guy anymore," said Smith, whose wife and nine-month-old son will join him in West Yorkshire in the coming weeks.

"But I definitely bounced some ideas off the old fella and he's very supportive, plus he obviously knows what a great club the Bulls are and where they belong in the standing of rugby league.

"He saw it as a good opportunity for me but I pretty much decided that I would like a crack at it before I talked to him about it."

Smith was clearly chiselled from a very different stone to Odsal predecessor Jimmy Lowes and is not dissimilar to Francis Cummins in his thirst for knowledge.

Smith is a keen follower of American sports and an avid reader of books on coaching philosophies. He also places great emphasis on caring for his players as people as much as professional sportsmen.

He explained: "I was a swimming teacher as a young fella but I haven't worked in other sports in a full-time capacity. I have, though, looked at American sports in particular at areas such as their professionalism and the cut-throat approach to those sports.

"I have read probably over 100 books on sports coaches in America, so I've done plenty of research that way.

"During our last pre-season in the NRL, I spent a little bit of time with the Brisbane Roar in the A League soccer. John Aloisi, the manager, was kind enough to let me have a look around and give me some of his time to chat.

"It was good to get some experiences from a young manager who has not long been out of playing. He shared some stories from the highs and lows of his career. That was really good – and I've touched base with some cricket teams too.

"There is a whole stream of coaches working in the NRL and under-20s in the New South Wales Cup who I speak to. I'm constantly seeking knowledge and I take something out of every book and every experience I've had.

"To me, it's probably about individual attention and making sure that the players feel like you are taking care of them as a person first. Then you can work on their game and their understanding of where they fit within the team structure

"But I also realise that I'm working to help them achieve their goals. That's probably the biggest thing I've taken out of a lot of the books I've read.

"I've read so many good books but I'd say Phil Jackson's 'Sacred Hoops' and Bill Walsh's 'The Score Takes Care Of Itself' have had the biggest influence on my philosophy.

"Anything from John Wooden, the great UCLA coach, is pretty much gospel too for most coaches, I think you will find."

Smith will travel to America in October to visit several sports clubs and possibly meet an author or two from the books he has read.

He said: "I just want to broaden my horizons as much as I can. I've definitely got some philosophies about how rugby league can be played.

"There is scope for more expansive play than what you often see in the NRL. But I think it's really about working out what's best for the group that you have. You can't play a certain style if you don't have the players to fit that style.

"My job in the coming weeks is obviously to get to know the Bradford guys, see what's working and what they are comfortable with. But also introduce a few things that might be able to add a little bit more to what they've already being achieving."

The bottom line, of course, is that Bradford need to win promotion and there is no doubt that Super League is a poorer place without them.

Smith said: "It's about being a strongly-performing Super League team year in and year out. That's what all Bulls fans want and I want to be a part of contributing to the club getting back to that point.

"It's not just my vision but the whole club – the board, the staff and the fans. The three-year contract shows great support and trust in me from the Bulls. I'll be working very hard to repay that faith in me."