Cleary puts boot into top brass at Warriors
RUGBY LEAGUE
DISCARDED New Zealand Warriors coach Ivan Cleary has expressed solidarity with the squad’s leadership group and condemned club management as infighting escalates following the sudden demise of his latest successor, Matt Elliott.
Cleary, who was controversially allowed to join Penrith after leading the Warriors to the 2011 NRL Grand Final, has watched the dramas unfold at Mt Smart with regret since a calamitous defeat to Cronulla in Sydney last Saturday cost Elliott his job just five rounds into the season.
The Australian’s dignified exit on Monday has not been replicated at managerial level where the fractious relationship between co-owners Eric Watson and Owen Glenn has finally emerged in the public arena.
Warriors chairman Bill Wavish and chief executive Wayne Scurrah – who many fans vilify for failing to accede to Cleary’s terms for a contract extension – also figure prominently in a backlash that the club’s most experienced coach fears will adversely affect the playing roster’s on-field performances.
Notably Cleary refused to gloat after the Panthers inflicted a record 62-6 defeat on his former club last year, and that loyalty was undiminished yesterday as he blamed head office for the club’s slide.
‘‘There’s been two coaches sacked [Brian McClennan and Elliott] in the last two years, a bunch of people leaving the the club ... I wouldn’t be worrying too much about what we see on the field. I think Blind Freddy could see it’s [the] management,’’ he said.
‘‘There has to be question marks over management and ownership. There’s been some weird things said this week and if there’s problems up the top they’re going to find their way to the field.’’
Cleary had spoken to captain Simon Mannering to offer support.
‘‘He’s doing it pretty tough. I feel for the players that I know personally. I know they’re giving everything they’ve got,’’ said Cleary, who reiterated he did not want to leave the Warriors – though now has no regrets.
Cleary would not offer any solutions and only smiled then turned towards the Panthers gym when asked if it was timely for the Warriors to revamp their management structure.
His comments came during day two of the captivating Watson and Glenn slanging match.
Watson and Wavish were adamant the process to sack Elliott was done in a manner that suited Glenn, who did not want to be involved and had a board representative to handle his interests.
Glenn claimed that was untrue and that he had been led to believe Elliott had resigned.
‘‘I agreed with Eric Watson that as shareholders we needed to be directly involved in major decisions regarding the Warriors management, selection of players and the coach.
‘‘Eric Watson subsequently
reneged What would you back the owners, board and management of the Warriors to get right at the moment? A coffee run? Sausage sizzle? Fish and chip order? Imagine the tantrums or media statements they’d issue if someone got a crumbed fish instead of battered. Few people know or care about these men and certainly none cheer for them on Sunday afternoons. Fans want the folk who run clubs to do it quietly and thoroughly. They don’t really want to hear from them and shouldn’t ever be privy to their petty empire building behind the scenes. When the executives do need to front, there’s an expectation that it won’t just be to duck responsibility, as has been the case with the Warriors this week. It was going to take a lot to obscure the team’s 37-6 mauling by the Sharks, but these blokes have done that with ease. More importantly, you get no sense from the Warriors’ front office that they know anything about football. Take the hiring and firing of as coach. In 130 games as coach of Canberra, his winning percentage was 45. At Penrith, from 113 games, it was 43. At the Warriors his winning percentage has been 45. So you hire a guy thinking he’ll suddenly become a more successful coach than he ever has been and then fire him when his record runs true to form? At times it’s seemed that Elliott was doing a good job with what he had. Clearly the club think they have a team worthy of being in the top-8, or even top-4, every season, but on what basis? The Warriors over-rate and over-pay their players and a few of them ought to have been pushed out the door before the coach was. It was dispiriting to hear Warriors co-owner Eric Watson backing interim coach Andrew McFadden as a long term solution. Please, someone spare us the McFaddens, David Kidwells and Tony Iros of the world. This is not a time for aspiring coaches, but men with proven track records. Neil Henry is highly regarded and had good moments at the Cowboys, while Tim Sheens’ name always looks attractive. But the best short term fix would be Brian Smith. He’s proved he can go to clubs (the Knights and Roosters) and make them good from the outset. Things turn sour after a couple of years, but Smith still leaves the new guy with a team that can be taken to the title. Just ask Trent Robinson. But, to go back to the top, would you back those running the Warriors to get the right bloke?