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link: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...nches-eel-attack/story-e6frexnr-1226136154479Feleti Mateo, who was last year dumped by the struggling western Sydney club - but has since had one of the best seasons of his career with the Warriors - said Parramatta have "no direction or harmony".
As Mateo tries to keep the Warriors' finals hopes alive against the Wests Tigers on Friday, the star playmaker still found time to give Parramatta's hierarchy a back-hander from the other side of the ditch.
"I don't know what went wrong there this year, I think the boys were unlucky and losing a few games that were close," Mateo said. "I don't know what's going on at the club at the moment.
"It just seems there's no harmony and nobody knows what's going on.
"Speaking to the boys throughout the year, there's still a bit of frustration there.
"I'm just really happy I'm out of there.
"I loved Parra when I was there, but I'm really happy where I am now, and it's been telling on the field with how much I've enjoyed my footy and playing with these guys here."
Mateo never had a beef with his teammates or former coach Daniel Anderson, but did have an issue with management.
Eels chief executive Paul Osborne last night declined to comment when told about Mateo.
While Eels fans were shattered to see Mateo depart, the New Zealanders have been delighted by his on-field antics in his first season. At times criticised for pushing too many passes, Mateo said fitness had been the key area he had improved.
"Fitness is a big thing.
"I've played a few 80 minute games here and there and tried to get quality out of my minutes," Mateo said.
"At Parra I probably averaged 50 or 60 minutes a game, and seemed to be cruising along there and doing my job and nothing else.
"Here I've had the energy and fitness to poke my head on the other side of the field or take a run up the middle and try and create something more for the team. Being fitter also helps me in defence as well."
So what went so horribly wrong in Saturday's 30-point drubbing against Brisbane, a loss that virtually left many experts prepared to write off coach Ivan Cleary's men?
"Going into the game against the Broncos at even odds may have hurt us," Mateo said.
"With (Josh) Hoffman and (Sam) Thaiday out, we may have thought it would come easier than it did. We may have been over-confident.
"This week being the heavy underdogs against the Tigers, who are the hottest team in the comp right now, things might work in our favour.
"We've got nothing to lose and they've got everything to lose. But we've still got to earn the right to be there next week."
Mateo has been in such brilliant form that a representative call-up would not come as a shock. But the 27-year-old is solely focused on a premiership with the Warriors, a young team he feels can regularly push for top-four finishes in years to come.
Now that the season is done and dusted what do most people think about Mateo being let go compared to the same time last year? I've always maintained that it was a massive screw up and I see no reason to change now. Mateo was one of our best performers in 07 and 08 and despite missing most of 09 he was crucial in the late surge to the grand final. Daniel Anderson was even quoted at the time as saying the Eels wouldn't get anywhere without Mateo. We really should have been trying to tie up Mateo at the end of 09 instead of chasing Mortimer and letting the warriors get an opportunity with their "once in a life time" offer. He did have a quiet 2010 yet he was still statistically one of the best Eels forwards despite that and finished the season on fire- after he had signed with the Warriors. With the benefit of hindsight it's quite embarrassing we let him walk out only to sign Webb, Walker and Whatuira who didn't really add much this year. We had one of the worst attacking records this year and I think Mateo at five eighth would have certainly helped. Imagine what a Mateo/Sandow halves combo would have been like. I know alot of people here will say get over it but it's very frustrating to see someone perform at another club when you think they could have still been in Eels colours.