Three-year deal convinces Sheens to stay
Glenn Jackson, Greg Prichard
April 30, 2011
TIM SHEENS sat down in Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys's office mid-afternoon yesterday, and declared that instead of the challenge of winning premierships at three different clubs, he wanted the challenge of longevity. He asked Humphreys for an extra year on his deal and got one, and Sheens will now coach the club into a 12th season.
Sheens yesterday knocked back a more lucrative, and longer-term deal with Penrith to remain at the Tigers. He signed a three-year deal, managing to squeeze an extra year out of the club during the frantic final negotiations.
''The greatest challenge for a coach is longevity,'' Humphreys said last night. ''There's no question, if it was about money, he would have gone. And no one would have begrudged him. He's staying for the challenge. He's invested a lot in his playing group, and he sees them as a work in progress. He wants to get the job done with them. It's a tremendous challenge to him, to continue to find ways to motivate him and the team.''
The Herald understands Penrith have already begun the process to settle on their next pick now Sheens has decided to stay put, but former St George Illawarra coach Nathan Brown will not be considered. Recent speculation that Brown, who is coaching Huddersfield in England, was in the frame as a possibility is apparently off the mark.
There are a number of coaches who may be considered, including Royce Simmons, who, like Sheens, played for the Panthers and began his coaching career there, and Steve Folkes. Simmons assisted Sheens at the Tigers before taking over at English club St Helens this year. Folkes coached Canterbury to a premiership in 2004, and currently assists Sheens.
But those most likely to be seriously considered are former Sydney Roosters and Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart, who will coach NSW this year, and Newcastle coach Rick Stone, who has already lost his job to master coach Wayne Bennett after this year.
Stuart coached Sydney Roosters to a premiership in 2002\. His trademark of building a tight defence is something the Panthers could use, and he is keen to return to the NRL. Stone has the Knights firing early this season. They flogged the Panthers 42-8 in round one at Centrebet Stadium, and the clinical manner in which Newcastle dissected the opposition left an impression on influential people at Penrith.
Sheens informed a number of his players about the new deal after stepping out of Humphreys's office. ''He told me, 'You're going to have to put up with me for another couple of years','' star five-eighth Benji Marshall said. ''I said, 'Yeah, you'll have to put up with me.' It's such a relief though.''
Declaring Sheens in the class of Wayne Bennett, Humphreys said he and the coach were relieved with the new deal. ''He provides a wealth of experience and stability as well, that we think is very important at the club,'' Humphreys said.
''It's fair to say he's very relieved to have it sorted. He's very pleased to be able to continue to work with our squad over the next three years. We're confident that Tim will get the football team to some success over the next few years, and continue to lay a platform for many years to come.''
It is understood Sheens secured a little more money but was more intent on getting the security of another year on the deal. The Tigers had been expecting Sheens to accept a two-year offer from the club until the Panthers entered the picture.
''It was never really about money,'' Humphreys said. ''It was more about what was the right thing for Tim, and the right thing for Wests Tigers.''
**Humphreys admitted there would be some elements of the club's supporter base who would criticise the new deal. ''For us it's not about public perception,'' he said. ''In my view, the overwhelming majority of Wests Tigers fans are Tim Sheens fans. The vast majority of fans will be very pleased with the news. There's a faction who are not fans of Tim, but I'm not one of them. Tim continues to keep it fresh, and reinvigorate himself and the way he coaches.''**
Penrith chairman Don Feltis was philosophical about missing out on Sheens, saying: ''It was always going to be a huge task to convince Tim to leave such a successful club as Wests Tigers. We haven't been able to do that, and Panthers respect the decision he has made. We convey our best wishes to him and Wests Tigers.
''We will now continue with our strategy to deliver an outstanding coach to our club and the Penrith district - and we will do that.''
