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England's Noble on Roosters' radar
Glenn Jackson | May 18, 2009
FORMER Great Britain coach Brian Noble has been linked with the Sydney Roosters as part of a revamped coaching staff - one which will still include Brad Fittler.
The Herald understands Fittler is likely to be given another season - with the experienced Noble on staff for guidance - because officials are loath to sack a club legend.
It is believed they will attempt to secure Noble in a coaching director role, but a number of Fittler's support staff are in the firing line.
Senior Roosters officials are thought to have effectively written off this season and will quickly turn their attention to 2010. A player clean-out has begun, with Craig Fitzgibbon agreeing to join Hull FC and Mark O'Meley under pressure.
The blowtorch has also been applied to Fittler, though, after the Roosters suffered their seventh loss in 10 rounds on Saturday night - defeated 38-6 by Newcastle for their fifth loss in the past six matches.
Fittler said yesterday he wanted "another go" at the job, but that is believed to be all he will receive. Officials may offer him a one-year deal to see how he fares with Noble by his side. Doubts have been raised about whether Noble will be coach at Wigan next season and he has expressed a desire to coach in the NRL before, putting his hand up for the Cronulla job in 2007 after Stuart Raper's sacking.
Roosters officials are also believed to be concerned about the quality of prospective replacements for Fittler should they opt to sack the premiership-winning five-eighth.
Craig Bellamy's assistants at Melbourne, Stephen Kearney and Michael McGuire, are both accomplished and well-respected, but, while the former is the New Zealand coach, they both have less NRL experience than Fittler. South Sydney have denied that their own coaching director, John Lang, will head to the Roosters.
Yesterday, Fittler admitted that officials at the club would be making some "tough decisions".
"You would like another go because I enjoy coaching," he said. "I can see a good future at the club. There's going to be some tough decisions and players have to jump on board. Some things have to change.
"I'm going to put my hand up and I want to do it. What the club do is up to the club. They have to run their own business. They're looking for success [and] in whatever areas they feel they can improve they're going to have to look into those avenues and angles.
"It's a tough gig, there's no doubt … [but] I'm not worried about it. I just go in there and do my job and move on."
While Fittler may survive the Roosters' troubles this season, there are doubts about whether assistant Paul Young, long-time trainer Ron Palmer and Fittler's former halves partner Adrian Lam, currently in the role of technical director, will survive past this season. Coincidentally, Lam has been touted as a possible successor to Noble at Wigan.
"Our game is about winning, there's no doubt," Fittler said. "I would like to say I am sweet, we're building a future and all that sort of stuff.
"Our fans want to win, our board want to win, out players want to win and our coaches want to win. We have to find a winning culture and a winning way. When you're not winning, things are not going to be that great."
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/e...498639217.html
Glenn Jackson | May 18, 2009
FORMER Great Britain coach Brian Noble has been linked with the Sydney Roosters as part of a revamped coaching staff - one which will still include Brad Fittler.
The Herald understands Fittler is likely to be given another season - with the experienced Noble on staff for guidance - because officials are loath to sack a club legend.
It is believed they will attempt to secure Noble in a coaching director role, but a number of Fittler's support staff are in the firing line.
Senior Roosters officials are thought to have effectively written off this season and will quickly turn their attention to 2010. A player clean-out has begun, with Craig Fitzgibbon agreeing to join Hull FC and Mark O'Meley under pressure.
The blowtorch has also been applied to Fittler, though, after the Roosters suffered their seventh loss in 10 rounds on Saturday night - defeated 38-6 by Newcastle for their fifth loss in the past six matches.
Fittler said yesterday he wanted "another go" at the job, but that is believed to be all he will receive. Officials may offer him a one-year deal to see how he fares with Noble by his side. Doubts have been raised about whether Noble will be coach at Wigan next season and he has expressed a desire to coach in the NRL before, putting his hand up for the Cronulla job in 2007 after Stuart Raper's sacking.
Roosters officials are also believed to be concerned about the quality of prospective replacements for Fittler should they opt to sack the premiership-winning five-eighth.
Craig Bellamy's assistants at Melbourne, Stephen Kearney and Michael McGuire, are both accomplished and well-respected, but, while the former is the New Zealand coach, they both have less NRL experience than Fittler. South Sydney have denied that their own coaching director, John Lang, will head to the Roosters.
Yesterday, Fittler admitted that officials at the club would be making some "tough decisions".
"You would like another go because I enjoy coaching," he said. "I can see a good future at the club. There's going to be some tough decisions and players have to jump on board. Some things have to change.
"I'm going to put my hand up and I want to do it. What the club do is up to the club. They have to run their own business. They're looking for success [and] in whatever areas they feel they can improve they're going to have to look into those avenues and angles.
"It's a tough gig, there's no doubt … [but] I'm not worried about it. I just go in there and do my job and move on."
While Fittler may survive the Roosters' troubles this season, there are doubts about whether assistant Paul Young, long-time trainer Ron Palmer and Fittler's former halves partner Adrian Lam, currently in the role of technical director, will survive past this season. Coincidentally, Lam has been touted as a possible successor to Noble at Wigan.
"Our game is about winning, there's no doubt," Fittler said. "I would like to say I am sweet, we're building a future and all that sort of stuff.
"Our fans want to win, our board want to win, out players want to win and our coaches want to win. We have to find a winning culture and a winning way. When you're not winning, things are not going to be that great."
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/e...498639217.html
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