@fade-to-black said in Madge Maguire - Mega Thread:
Hypocritical of Lee to criticise certain people of playing out things in the media. He seems to love doing that himself.
Certainly doesn’t hate seeing his name in the papers, I would prefer a bit less yapping from him it’s been more destabilising than anything.
@tonytiger said in Who should Madge's assistant coaches be for 2022?:
Someone mentioned Spud Carroll - I like his passion and he always talks up the Tigers juniors during commentary- he’s just thrown his hat in the ring (as defensive coach) - he has a pulse, unlike the assistant muppets we had to endure in the coaches box this year
Has it actually been confirmed that they have been moved on.
Shane Millard and Wayne Collins. I’ve only seen Collins Name mentioned in a Hooper article.
Has anything offical come from the club?
How many assistant coach positions are vacant?
@magpie_magic said in Spudd as defence coach?:
@hobbo1 said in Spudd as defence coach?:
@the_patriot said in Spudd as defence coach?:
I wonder if anyone knows that he is a highly sought out personal trainer.
He may be a meathead looking guy but that doesn’t mean he isn’t extremely good at what he does
Forum experts in the house. . .
Was Russell Crowe’s bodyguard as well
Is that for real?
Anyway perhaps not as a defense coach but perhaps in some other capacity. I know that as Snake said these players are soft these days but seems to have a way to depreciate himself enough to get a connection and get a bit more mongrel out of our side.
Wouldn’t even mind seeing blocker as a forwards consultant. Like the way he reads the game and probably could get through to young players with his plain English assessments. Seems respectful enough of both sides of the JV. Is a little close to Benny though.
You know with Blocker he really does have the best interests of WT at heart,Benny is the opposite and i wouldnt trust him at all
@bagnf05 said in The Wests Tigers Board:
@rihannafan1 said in The Wests Tigers Board:
@bagnf05 said in The Wests Tigers Board:
@rihannafan1 said in The Wests Tigers Board:
It also gives them a lot of time to identify his replacement if need be, and give that person time to actually build what they want.
That’s one procedure we need to change. Stop getting rid of people before lining up a better replacement. It’s an old Sterlo quote about good clubs.
I hadn’t heard it but it makes sense. That coach gets more of a say on recruitment, gets more time to organise assistant staff, may even get a a say in how the team is playing, all before they arrive.
The successful clubs normally have an assistant quietly learning their trade in a good system, full of good players with high standards. That’s the place WT need to be aiming at.
Good clubs have succession planning at all areas / roles of the business.
@weststigers said in Madge Maguire - Mega Thread:
@jadtiger said in Madge Maguire - Mega Thread:
@weststigers said in Madge Maguire - Mega Thread:
@watersider said in Madge Maguire - Mega Thread:
It’s the right decision.
Madge was a good selection when he started and he’s had a horrible set of circumstances over the last three years. The results have been disapppointing but the disciplined approach to recruitment has meant we’re in a good financial position for the first time in ages.
Madge therefore deserves to coach us next year. You recruit a coach to build something and you can point to the disappointing players being let go and the new young players coming in as evidence of progress at the club. The main thing is he is putting the club in a better position than what it was. And that can’t be said for Potter (who wasn’t really given a chance), Taylor (who stuffed his) and Cleary (who did more damage to our club than any other coach we’ve ever had).
Most importantly, it is important for our club’s reputation that Madge be given next year. Tearing him down after re-signing him fits the media narrative and would really damage our ability to recruit a quality coach next time.
My one hesitation is that the club hasn’t really backed Madge in a way that shows confidence in him. It looks like he’s only just holding on, and that undermines both our ability to recruit and the message to the current players. Handicapping him in this way makes his job harder and lets players off the hook.
This isn’t an excuse for Madge next year, whatever the circumstances we need to improve next year, but it wasn’t well handled by the club and I think there needs to be work going into how to make the decision making process less public and how to develop better media strategies that mean we’re not able to so easily be portrayed as a shambles.
Obviously, winning changes everything. I’m glad, whatever happens, that the club gave Madge the opportunity next year.
Agreed.
Not only that, people say it’s Madge’s team and they point to Tamou, Roberts and Leilua vs Cleary’s Packer, Mybe and Reynolds. They conveniently leave out Laurie, Stefano and Blore.
On that point, Madge signed those guys for a total of $1 million a season ($550k of which is Leilua) and on very short contracts. He didn’t trash our cap! Cleary’s duds cost us 2.5 million and put us on the back foot for 4 years - we are LUCKY Matulino was medically retired or it would have been worse.
Every coach knows there is a risk players don’t perform and these guys didn’t, but they are on virtually nothing, so if you have someone better, who cares? Put them in reserves…the issue is he doesn’t have anyone better, so he’s playing the cards that have been dealt.
The reality is, with a side lacking depth, experience and talent, even the Roosters got towelled up this season.
We are seriously lacking players and I don’t think Maguire is 100% responsible for that.
Matulino was the cheapest of the 4 signings and was pretty much busted when he arrived but gave his everything on the field.He also retired when he knew he just could not play anymore,he will always have my respect as a supporter of WT.He does not deserve to be called a Cleary “dud” unlike the other 3.I certainly agree with the rest of your post
He was on $800k and he was busted and Cleary knew that before he signed. Definition of dud signing.
I didn’t say the guy couldn’t play when fully fit or that he ripped off the club.
I dont know where you get the 800k from i heard it was about 500k-530k,certainly not cheap but acceptable
@magpies1963 said in Who should Madge's assistant coaches be for 2022?:
@mike said in Who should Madge's assistant coaches be for 2022?:
@barra said in Who should Madge's assistant coaches be for 2022?:
@cochise said in Who should Madge's assistant coaches be for 2022?:
After seeing Robbie in the doco, his passion and commitment to the club is crucial moving forward. I don’t know if he is ready to be an assistant but i would love to see his role increased.
He’d need to have certificate to a certain level? If so then great, if not, until then continue to run the water and do the on-field motivations etc.
I think I read on here somewhere that he has the certification. Could be wrong about that.
If as you say @mike he has the certification, he wont be running the water out for much longer.
The fact that Madge has such a high level of respect for Farah [to send him out to play with a broken leg in that disastrous game at L.O. against Cronulla] I reckon Farah may be Our Reserve Grade Coach next year, with Gardiner as an assistant coach in the box with Madge.
Edit…But as @Snozza said…Farah to the 20’s first rather than reserve grade.has Farah mentioned he desires to be a coach?
I think running the water for firsts / assistant for 20s or KOE is a start.
Hypocritical of Lee to criticise certain people of playing out things in the media. He seems to love doing that himself.
@wt2k said in Madge Maguire - Mega Thread:
Chairman has done a Q&A with chammas.
Sydney Morning Herald rugby league reporter Michael Chammas spoke to Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis to find out why Michael Maguire was spared the axe.
Chammas: What transpired in the last 24 hours because it appeared Michael Maguire was a dead man walking on Monday? Was there a meeting or not?
Hagipantelis: There was a football committee meeting at 2.30pm [on Monday]. Michael Maguire addressed the football committee for the purpose of responding to concerns that had been raised by the internal review document. There was a 4pm board meeting scheduled to take place if required following the football committee. After Michael’s address, it was decided that the board meeting did not need to proceed, and therefore I cancelled it. The football committee reconvened this morning [Tuesday] after deliberating overnight and affirmed Michael’s engagement as the NRL head coach.
Chammas: The club’s performances haven’t improved in the last three years. What makes you think things will change next year?
I think there have been changes over the last three years, which aren’t reflective of the results on the paddock. There’s no doubt that we haven’t improved to the extent that we wanted. We finished 13th this year, 11th last year and ninth the year before. It is not the direction we wanted to go in, but I think we’ve put around Michael resources and opportunities for him to really excel next year and progress. We’ve got a very young and talented roster. I think it’s the youngest in the league. There’s a real smell about 2005 [when the Tigers won the premiership] with this roster, that they’re young, they’re keen and they’re hungry to learn. I think Michael Maguire is the right person to teach them.
Chammas: Are you concerned about recruitment, given the talk about Michael’s inability to attract players?
Hagipantelis: That’s a narrative that we’ve had to deal with. Unfortunately, there is a perception that it’s a self-fulfilling narrative but that’s not the impression that we’ve had. We’ve had a very positive response from players and from player managers to Michael and to the club itself. We regard the Wests Tigers as a destination club. There is a lot to offer at the Wests Tigers. I think Tim Sheens is going to be a very attractive proposition. So, it is a narrative that we’ve had to deal with but I don’t think we need to be concerned by it.
Chammas: You have been very critical of the team’s performances under Michael. Have you changed your opinion of him?
Hagipantelis: No, I’m very critical of losing. It’s not something that I’m used to and not something that I’m ever going to accept. But I’m not critical of Michael. I don’t have the level of experience or expertise to criticise him as a coach. He is a two-time premiership winning coach. He has all the qualifications and experience necessary to do the job. I’m unhappy finishing 13th, as our fans and members should be, but as a person and as a coach I’ve never been critical of Michael.
Chammas: He will head into next year under enormous pressure. How do you expect him to perform in an environment where an axe hangs over his head every week?
Hagipantelis: The pressure will be external, it won’t be internal. It won’t be pressure we’ll be putting on Michael or the playing group. We will provide them all the support and resources that they need to succeed, and we expect them to succeed. The pressure will be from journalists - such as yourself Michael and others, of course - who have an expectation now moving forward as to why the employment was confirmed. We expect Michael to do his best.
Chammas: Were you concerned that you couldn’t get Cameron Ciraldo as coach? Did that play a part in the decision-making process?
Hagipantelis: Well it would have, had we made a play for Cameron Ciraldo. The fact is we didn’t. We did not consider any alternatives whatsoever. We did not approach any alternative candidates, and we did not speak to anyone about any alternative candidates. Our focus was solely on the Wests Tigers and the coaching department as a group within the football department, which was the subject of the review.
Chammas: What was Michael’s reaction when you told him?
Hagipantelis: I think relief. There’s been a lot of media pressure on Michael and his family. Sometimes we forget that there’s a real-life human being behind all of this. We forget that Michael’s a married man with a young family. I think it’s very unfortunate for him to go through this process, but having said that I think he’s appreciative of it. I think he realises that there was an opportunity for us to actually really take time to pause, look at the organisation holistically, look at what we’re doing well, what we haven’t done well what we need to address moving forward to improve.
Chammas: What will change next year, and how does Tim Sheens fit into that?
Hagipantelis: Well, there will be some structural changes with respect to key personnel, there’ll be some procedural changes as well. They will be dealt with in-house. I think Tim Sheens will bring a lot to the organisation. I’ve dealt with him quite extensively over the last few months. He’s very impressive and his knowledge of the game has been next level. I think he’s going to be of great assistance to Michael and the NRL team. This is a man, of course, who has coached over 700 first-grade games. You don’t see that often. I think he will be an incredible value as a resource to the football department as a whole.
Chammas: Will Michael report to Tim Sheens next year?
Hagipantelis: I don’t know if we sorted out exactly the management structure as such, and I’m not really fussed about reporting. I think people work together. There is a hierarchy in place, but in terms of nuances of where people sit in that hierarchy - that doesn’t concern me. They’ll work it out for themselves. The fact is, Tim by reason of just his stature in the game and who he is, will take on a very senior role.
Chammas: What does this all mean for the future of Luke Brooks because it’s said he hasn’t enjoyed his time under Michael Maguire?
Hagipantelis: That’s not the feedback we’re getting at board level. The response we’re getting is Luke is absolutely committed and loves this club. He’s a local junior. He’s played all of his professional career with Wests Tigers. We would like to see him finish his career with the Wests Tigers despite reports to the contrary in the press. Luke Brooks is staying with the Wests Tigers and will be our halfback in 2022 and beyond. So if there are any genuine, legitimate concerns that we need to deal with, they’ll be dealt with in-house. But as I say, that’s not my understanding or impression as to what’s happened.
Chammas: What about the criticism of yourself, Justin Pascoe and the board in regard to this process?
Hagipantelis: Some of it is legitimate, some of it is not. The process did take a little bit longer than what I would have liked. The other thing that I do regret, and it’s most unfortunate, [is] that far too much of this process was played out in the media. There was far too much engagement, by some within the organisation, of the media. Yesterday, for example, was in my view a debacle and an embarrassment to the club. As the chairman, I’m greatly concerned. I made those concerns known to my fellow board members in no uncertain terms. The process itself, however, I thought was very fair and equitable. I thought it was an opportunity for all key personnel to address the board in a very comfortable and confidential environment.
Chammas: There’s a lot of pressure on Justin Pascoe to be removed as the CEO. He’s overseen the failures of the last six years. Is that fair or unwarranted?
Hagipantelis: I think it’s fair that we’re all subject to criticism. But I think there is an attempt to align Justin’s role with what happens on the field and I think that is inherently unfair. If someone can convince me that Justin’s termination as the CEO would reflect in better on-field performance, then I’d be happy to recommend that. Or if I felt that my resignation as chair of the organisation would result in better on-field performance, then I would resign. But I don’t see the necessary alignment between what we do in terms of administration and management, where we rely on the expertise of others, and they’ve got to be responsible or accountable for what they do. That’s not an attempt to shirk responsibility and say we can’t be held accountable for what happens on the paddock. If there are changes to be made at board level or executive level, I’m happy to entertain them once someone can convince me that those changes will result in a better on-field performance.
Chammas: How do you expect next year to pan out, because every week there is going to be speculation about Michael’s future. Has he been given assurances that he will see out next year?
Hagipantelis: Michael hasn’t been given that assurance, but I’m happy to do so. Michael Maguire still has two years on his contract. He’s expected to fulfil that contract. There is no suggestion whatsoever that there will be a review or consideration at a six- or the eight-round mark of season 2022.
