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Tim Sheens will remain at the helm of the Wests Tigers until the end of 2011 after extending his contract with the NRL club for a further 12 months.
The NRL's longest-serving coach, having overseen 595 games and won four premierships since debuting with Penrith in 1984, the 59-year-old says he will quit if success doesn't come in the next two seasons.
"I asked for a year, not any longer than that, to work with this group," he said after Friday night's 23-12 win over Parramatta.
"If I can't get it to happen then I won't be here and I'd stand down myself on that basis."
He said the move would remove speculation about the job, which had been linked to Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart.
"We're not thinking this year about who's going to be coaching and the speculation, which this season doesn't need," he said.
" … It doesn't guarantee I'm going to be there, we've still got to do the job."
Sheens said the deal had been done on Friday afternoon over coffee with Tigers CEO Stephen Humphreys.
Humphreys agreed Sheens' request for only a 12-month extension meant he had squarely put the pressure on himself to succeed.
"I read a bit into that," he said.
"Tim understands better than anyone that this is a results-orientated business.
"We know we need to take that next step and I think he is challenging himself somewhat in that."
Humphreys said Sheens, who guided the Tigers to an inaugural premiership in 2005 but has failed to take them to the finals since, had an ability to stay fresh despite his 26 years at Penrith, Canberra, North Queensland and the Tigers.
"I really don't think it's an age thing with Tim because mentally I think he's the youngest senior executive we've got around the place because he keeps himself very fresh," Humphreys said.
" ... He's all the time reinventing himself."
Captain Robbie Farah also welcomed the signing, which comes on top of those of Benji Marshall, Keith Galloway and Robert Lui this year.
"Tim's a coach that all of us players respect and he's a reason why a lot of us have re-signed," Farah said.
The NRL's longest-serving coach, having overseen 595 games and won four premierships since debuting with Penrith in 1984, the 59-year-old says he will quit if success doesn't come in the next two seasons.
"I asked for a year, not any longer than that, to work with this group," he said after Friday night's 23-12 win over Parramatta.
"If I can't get it to happen then I won't be here and I'd stand down myself on that basis."
He said the move would remove speculation about the job, which had been linked to Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart.
"We're not thinking this year about who's going to be coaching and the speculation, which this season doesn't need," he said.
" … It doesn't guarantee I'm going to be there, we've still got to do the job."
Sheens said the deal had been done on Friday afternoon over coffee with Tigers CEO Stephen Humphreys.
Humphreys agreed Sheens' request for only a 12-month extension meant he had squarely put the pressure on himself to succeed.
"I read a bit into that," he said.
"Tim understands better than anyone that this is a results-orientated business.
"We know we need to take that next step and I think he is challenging himself somewhat in that."
Humphreys said Sheens, who guided the Tigers to an inaugural premiership in 2005 but has failed to take them to the finals since, had an ability to stay fresh despite his 26 years at Penrith, Canberra, North Queensland and the Tigers.
"I really don't think it's an age thing with Tim because mentally I think he's the youngest senior executive we've got around the place because he keeps himself very fresh," Humphreys said.
" ... He's all the time reinventing himself."
Captain Robbie Farah also welcomed the signing, which comes on top of those of Benji Marshall, Keith Galloway and Robert Lui this year.
"Tim's a coach that all of us players respect and he's a reason why a lot of us have re-signed," Farah said.
