Tweet
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens and Rooosters coach Brian Smith both face the axe
TWO of rugby league's most experienced coaches face uncertain futures, with the positions of Wests Tigers' four-time premiership winner Tim Sheens and the Sydney Roosters' Brian Smith both on the chopping block.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told Sheens has a clause in his contract stating if the Tigers fail to make the finals the veteran coach can be shown the door.
The catch is Sheens has to be paid out up to half of his contract - a situation the joint venture club cannot afford to get itself into.
We can also reveal that Tigers directors discussed moving Sheens on at a board meeting three weeks ago.
Privately, some suggested the Kangaroos coach be shown the door with two years to run on his contract.
But the problem is the club cannot afford to sack Sheens and then recruit a new head honcho in a move that would cost up to $1 million.
Further complicating the scenario, there are no better alternative coaches currently off contract and available to take up the Wests Tigers role next season.
Despite the move being discussed at board level, Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys said Sheens' position was not under review.
"Tim's position is not under review," Humphreys said.
"We, as a club, have committed ourselves to Tim and we see him as the best man for the job moving forward.
"The fact that some people continue to look for opportunities to push an anti-Tim agenda is out of our control.
"The fact that the media also continues to give it more credit than it deserves is unfortunate."
The Sheens detractors point to the fact the 669-game coaching veteran has only made three finals series in the past 15 seasons.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told Tigers directors have discussed telling Sheens to move his entire support staff - recruitment manager Warren McDonnell, physiotherapist Andrew Leeds and football manager Bryan Hyder - out of the club over the off-season.
On the field, the Tigers have disappointed this season after opting to move on props Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita and recruit Kiwi Test forward Adam Blair from the Melbourne Storm.
Blair, purchased to add an intimidatory edge to the Tigers pack, has failed to deliver value for money.
At the Sydney Roosters, club powerbrokers are convinced the game has gone past 25-year veteran Smith, with Tricolours management poised to appoint Jason Taylor into the head coaching role for next season.
The Bondi Junction outfit can then shift all its attention towards luring Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy to the Sydney Roosters for the 2014 season.
- James Hooper
- The Sunday Telegraph
- September 02, 2012 12:00AM
TWO of rugby league's most experienced coaches face uncertain futures, with the positions of Wests Tigers' four-time premiership winner Tim Sheens and the Sydney Roosters' Brian Smith both on the chopping block.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told Sheens has a clause in his contract stating if the Tigers fail to make the finals the veteran coach can be shown the door.
The catch is Sheens has to be paid out up to half of his contract - a situation the joint venture club cannot afford to get itself into.
We can also reveal that Tigers directors discussed moving Sheens on at a board meeting three weeks ago.
Privately, some suggested the Kangaroos coach be shown the door with two years to run on his contract.
But the problem is the club cannot afford to sack Sheens and then recruit a new head honcho in a move that would cost up to $1 million.
Further complicating the scenario, there are no better alternative coaches currently off contract and available to take up the Wests Tigers role next season.
Despite the move being discussed at board level, Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys said Sheens' position was not under review.
"Tim's position is not under review," Humphreys said.
"We, as a club, have committed ourselves to Tim and we see him as the best man for the job moving forward.
"The fact that some people continue to look for opportunities to push an anti-Tim agenda is out of our control.
"The fact that the media also continues to give it more credit than it deserves is unfortunate."
The Sheens detractors point to the fact the 669-game coaching veteran has only made three finals series in the past 15 seasons.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told Tigers directors have discussed telling Sheens to move his entire support staff - recruitment manager Warren McDonnell, physiotherapist Andrew Leeds and football manager Bryan Hyder - out of the club over the off-season.
On the field, the Tigers have disappointed this season after opting to move on props Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita and recruit Kiwi Test forward Adam Blair from the Melbourne Storm.
Blair, purchased to add an intimidatory edge to the Tigers pack, has failed to deliver value for money.
At the Sydney Roosters, club powerbrokers are convinced the game has gone past 25-year veteran Smith, with Tricolours management poised to appoint Jason Taylor into the head coaching role for next season.
The Bondi Junction outfit can then shift all its attention towards luring Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy to the Sydney Roosters for the 2014 season.
Comment