Tigers in turmoil as chair defends CEO friendship
WESTS Tigers chair Lee Hagipantelis has hit out at suggestions his friendship with Justin Pascoe impairs his judgment when it comes to the club’s chief executive, insisting he would recommend his termination if he was convinced that it would turn around their fortunes on the field.
The Tigers have begun a review into their football operations after another season of bitter disappointment ended with a shellacking at the hands of last-placed Canterbury on Sunday afternoon.
That result has heaped pressure on coach Michael Maguire, whose position now appears almost untenable. Pascoe has also come under fire from unhappy Tigers supporters, who believe the chief executive should be held to account for the way the side has performed during his tenure.
Pascoe has been at helm of the Tigers for six years this month. In that time, the club has failed to qualify for the finals. At the same time, their balance sheet has improved significantly and Pascoe played a role in securing funding for a Centre of Excellence, which is se t to be completed later this year.
Hagipantelis insisted the responsibility for on-field performance rested largely with the football department and he would stand down himself if he was provided with any evidence that suggested the people in the club’s senior administrative positions were hampering their progress.
“The administration of the organisation itself is always under review,” Hagipantelis said. “If I believed Pascoe’s termination would assist on-field performance, I would recommend his termination to the board. Off-field, the club is in a very healthy position and has made a very significant investment in that football department, but we haven’t got the results.”