The new Blues rugby coach Pat Lam believes his relationship with his players perhaps helped him get the job.
The 39-year-old former Auckland, All Blacks and Manu Samoa loose forward replaces David Nucifora who's returned to Australia.
Lam is the first Pacific Islands Super 14 coach and took Auckland to two NPC championships since 2004.
He says knowing and understanding your players is key....
"Biggest recommendations is knowing your players and over time get to know which buttons to push and really working on the relationships amongest teams and management and when you get people comfortable it doesn't matter what environment you have, what job you have people really put their bodies on the line."
The jobs of Blues Assistant Coach and Auckland NPC head coach will be advertised this week and Lam will hand over the Auckland coaching duties by the end of August.
