innsaneink
Well-known member
TIM Sheens wants to coach NRL again but is realistic enough to know that opportunity might never come.
As the Kangaroos head into the knockout stage at the World Cup, Sheens took time out to reflect on 30 years as a head coach _ and why, at 63, he still has a desire to get back into the NRL.
In a wideranging interview, Sheens went back over three decades that has included four premierships and having his career all but pronounced dead twice.
He reckons of all the great captains he has coached current Kangaroo Cameron Smith is "as good as anyone, that's for sure" - but just don't ask him about Benji Marshall because that topic is still taboo.
Asked if he had a desire to coach NRL again, Sheens said: "I do, yeah.
"But there comes a point where you know it probably is not going to happen.
"You can't do something forever but when that point will be is something I am not controlling.
"I just want to continue coaching, where it is and how it is I don't know."
30 GREAT YEARS
Sheens is sitting back in the Kangaroos team hotel in Manchester telling you about how he started playing first grade for Penrith in 1970 and gave up his job as a real estate agent to become a full-time football coach in 1984.
And here he still is, at the World Cup coaching the Australian Test team, two weeks short of clocking up 30 years in one of the toughest jobs on the planet.
"You could never expect that at this stage I would be sitting here coaching the Kangaroos in a World Cup year," he said.
"I suppose I am a career coach in that respect. But I didn't start out to be. I started out just to have a go, coach Penrith and not finish last.
"I still enjoy it, I do.
"I look forward to my day because you are working with a bunch of very motivated people and that in turn keeps you pretty motivated.
"None of these people are looking at the clock at 4'o'clock and thinking knock off time is five.
"From their point of view there is no knock off time, they start early and finish late and the staff are the same.
"There is no such thing as a starting or finishing time in this. It is a profession, not a job.
"It is difficult to have any sort of normal life."
Former Tigers coach Tim Sheens with the trophy after the Tigers win the 2005 grand final.
Former Tigers coach Tim Sheens with the trophy after the Tigers win the 2005 grand final. Source: News Limited
\
\
GREATEST MEMORIES
He is a four-time premiership winning coach but Sheens still rates taking Penrith to their first semi-final in 1985 alongside his greatest memories.
"Probably the first of everything is what you look back on," he said.
"And in 1985, getting Penrith to their first semi final ever was pretty special.
"It was top five back then and we made equal fifth and had to do a play off and beat a very, very good Manly side on a Tuesday night at the Cricket Ground in extra time to earn our first semi final which was on the Saturday.
"But Parramatta just went straight through us. Brett Kenny intercepted and he just cut us to pieces. But we played our semi that night against Manly. It was a big, big few days. They celebrated on the field like they'd won (a grand final), they were popping champagne on the field and I was trying to stop it."
But he said the grand final wins at Canberra in 1989-90 and 1994 and the Wests Tigers in 2005 are all equally special.
Coach Tim Sheens (R) celebrates with his players after Canberra defeated Balmain in 1989 Winfield Cup Grand Final at SFS in Syd
Coach Tim Sheens (R) celebrates with his players after Canberra defeated Balmain in 1989 Winfield Cup Grand Final at SFS in Sydney, 24/09/1989\. Picture: Peter Kurnik Source: News Limited
WHY SMITH RATES WITH BEST
Sheens won't say who he rates the best player he has ever coached because he says you just don't judge different generations.
But when he starts mentioning some of the names he has worked with over the years, from Royce Simmons to Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley and Darren Lockyer, it puts in context what he says about the current Kangaroos captain.
"As a leader I think he is certainly as good as anyone I have coached, that's for sure," Sheens said.
"I don't rate one against the other, they are all different eras and I have been involved in a few eras.
"But as a leader Cameron is as good as any one of them."
And he says Smith's strength is simplicity.
"It is basically his mistake free football," Sheens said.
"For instance, in the ANZAC Test this year against a very aggressive New Zealand side down there in Canberra he had 99 touches for one mistake and that mistake was someone stole the ball off him and we stole it straight back.
"Like he had no bad passes, very few if any missed tackles. He always seems to pick the right option. He never plays left when he should play right. He listens to his halves.
"He doesn't put himself up on any pedestal. There wouldn't be a player in the squad who would panic about approaching him. He is a leader by example."
BENJI - AND THE FUTURE
The fact Sheens still won't talk about Benji Marshall tells you everything you need to know about where their once father-son like relationship is at.
"I don't want to answer that," he said when asked if he still had a relationship with Marshall.
"I have never brought it up and I don't want to.
"Look, it's like what happened at Penrith and what happened at the Raiders and the Cowboys and the Tigers, it is just part of history.
Benji Marshall of the Auckland Blues poses for a portrait during the 2014 New Zealand Super Rugby season launch at Eden Park.
Benji Marshall of the Auckland Blues poses for a portrait during the 2014 New Zealand Super Rugby season launch at Eden Park. Source: Getty Images
"As you said when you sat down, now we are here with the Kangaroos looking to win the World Cup, That's what I'm thinking about. I am not going to look back on that."
And it's the same deal when you ask if he looks back on the way it ended at the Tigers with regret.
"What is done is done, it's gone," he said.
"I don't try to think back, you just look forward.
"I always tell players not to be looking in the rear vision mirror, generally you crash if you don't keep your eyes on what's in front of you.
"My job at the moment is as the Australian coach and it is to get this side to make the final and after making the final win that final.
"I never get ahead of myself in that regard and if that is a reason I have survived this long, I don't know.
"But at the end of the day you just have to do your best and never cut a corner."
\
\
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/kangaroos-coach-tim-sheens-has-revealed-he-still-has-the-desire-to-return-to-the-nrl/story-fniabjcr-1226761584181
As the Kangaroos head into the knockout stage at the World Cup, Sheens took time out to reflect on 30 years as a head coach _ and why, at 63, he still has a desire to get back into the NRL.
In a wideranging interview, Sheens went back over three decades that has included four premierships and having his career all but pronounced dead twice.
He reckons of all the great captains he has coached current Kangaroo Cameron Smith is "as good as anyone, that's for sure" - but just don't ask him about Benji Marshall because that topic is still taboo.
Asked if he had a desire to coach NRL again, Sheens said: "I do, yeah.
"But there comes a point where you know it probably is not going to happen.
"You can't do something forever but when that point will be is something I am not controlling.
"I just want to continue coaching, where it is and how it is I don't know."
30 GREAT YEARS
Sheens is sitting back in the Kangaroos team hotel in Manchester telling you about how he started playing first grade for Penrith in 1970 and gave up his job as a real estate agent to become a full-time football coach in 1984.
And here he still is, at the World Cup coaching the Australian Test team, two weeks short of clocking up 30 years in one of the toughest jobs on the planet.
"You could never expect that at this stage I would be sitting here coaching the Kangaroos in a World Cup year," he said.
"I suppose I am a career coach in that respect. But I didn't start out to be. I started out just to have a go, coach Penrith and not finish last.
"I still enjoy it, I do.
"I look forward to my day because you are working with a bunch of very motivated people and that in turn keeps you pretty motivated.
"None of these people are looking at the clock at 4'o'clock and thinking knock off time is five.
"From their point of view there is no knock off time, they start early and finish late and the staff are the same.
"There is no such thing as a starting or finishing time in this. It is a profession, not a job.
"It is difficult to have any sort of normal life."
Former Tigers coach Tim Sheens with the trophy after the Tigers win the 2005 grand final.
Former Tigers coach Tim Sheens with the trophy after the Tigers win the 2005 grand final. Source: News Limited
\
\
GREATEST MEMORIES
He is a four-time premiership winning coach but Sheens still rates taking Penrith to their first semi-final in 1985 alongside his greatest memories.
"Probably the first of everything is what you look back on," he said.
"And in 1985, getting Penrith to their first semi final ever was pretty special.
"It was top five back then and we made equal fifth and had to do a play off and beat a very, very good Manly side on a Tuesday night at the Cricket Ground in extra time to earn our first semi final which was on the Saturday.
"But Parramatta just went straight through us. Brett Kenny intercepted and he just cut us to pieces. But we played our semi that night against Manly. It was a big, big few days. They celebrated on the field like they'd won (a grand final), they were popping champagne on the field and I was trying to stop it."
But he said the grand final wins at Canberra in 1989-90 and 1994 and the Wests Tigers in 2005 are all equally special.
Coach Tim Sheens (R) celebrates with his players after Canberra defeated Balmain in 1989 Winfield Cup Grand Final at SFS in Syd
Coach Tim Sheens (R) celebrates with his players after Canberra defeated Balmain in 1989 Winfield Cup Grand Final at SFS in Sydney, 24/09/1989\. Picture: Peter Kurnik Source: News Limited
WHY SMITH RATES WITH BEST
Sheens won't say who he rates the best player he has ever coached because he says you just don't judge different generations.
But when he starts mentioning some of the names he has worked with over the years, from Royce Simmons to Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley and Darren Lockyer, it puts in context what he says about the current Kangaroos captain.
"As a leader I think he is certainly as good as anyone I have coached, that's for sure," Sheens said.
"I don't rate one against the other, they are all different eras and I have been involved in a few eras.
"But as a leader Cameron is as good as any one of them."
And he says Smith's strength is simplicity.
"It is basically his mistake free football," Sheens said.
"For instance, in the ANZAC Test this year against a very aggressive New Zealand side down there in Canberra he had 99 touches for one mistake and that mistake was someone stole the ball off him and we stole it straight back.
"Like he had no bad passes, very few if any missed tackles. He always seems to pick the right option. He never plays left when he should play right. He listens to his halves.
"He doesn't put himself up on any pedestal. There wouldn't be a player in the squad who would panic about approaching him. He is a leader by example."
BENJI - AND THE FUTURE
The fact Sheens still won't talk about Benji Marshall tells you everything you need to know about where their once father-son like relationship is at.
"I don't want to answer that," he said when asked if he still had a relationship with Marshall.
"I have never brought it up and I don't want to.
"Look, it's like what happened at Penrith and what happened at the Raiders and the Cowboys and the Tigers, it is just part of history.
Benji Marshall of the Auckland Blues poses for a portrait during the 2014 New Zealand Super Rugby season launch at Eden Park.
Benji Marshall of the Auckland Blues poses for a portrait during the 2014 New Zealand Super Rugby season launch at Eden Park. Source: Getty Images
"As you said when you sat down, now we are here with the Kangaroos looking to win the World Cup, That's what I'm thinking about. I am not going to look back on that."
And it's the same deal when you ask if he looks back on the way it ended at the Tigers with regret.
"What is done is done, it's gone," he said.
"I don't try to think back, you just look forward.
"I always tell players not to be looking in the rear vision mirror, generally you crash if you don't keep your eyes on what's in front of you.
"My job at the moment is as the Australian coach and it is to get this side to make the final and after making the final win that final.
"I never get ahead of myself in that regard and if that is a reason I have survived this long, I don't know.
"But at the end of the day you just have to do your best and never cut a corner."
\
\
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/kangaroos-coach-tim-sheens-has-revealed-he-still-has-the-desire-to-return-to-the-nrl/story-fniabjcr-1226761584181
