‘I needed someone with some personality’
Warriors owner Mark Robinson has opened up on the controversial decision to sack former coach Stephen Kearney, saying he needs ‘‘someone with some personality’’ at the helm of the club.
Kearney’s dismissal last month came out of the blue given the challenging circumstances facing the Warriors this season, and the influential role he played in their relocation to Australia due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But on the field, the Kiwi side’s wildly fluctuating form remained a major concern and Robinson, whose company
Autex Industries took full control of the Warriors late last year, told 1 NEWS that Kearney was not the right fit for the club.
‘‘[It was] just the wrong personality for the people that we have, the club that we’ve got and where I wanna go,’’ he said. ‘‘I need someone with some personality.’’
Assistant coach Todd Payten has replaced Kearney on an interim basis, with no timeline set to find a permanent head coach. However, the Warriors are aiming high, with Robinson revealing an approach was made to Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, which was rejected.