Manly Sea Eagles launch secret bid to sign Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur to keep Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran
February 27, 2015 - 11:59PM
Parramatta have this week held urgent talks to secure coach Brad Arthur's future after Manly launched a secret plan to lure the Eels boss to Brookvale as early as this season.
In an extraordinary twist to the saga surrounding the future of Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans, Fairfax Media understands Manly approached Arthur to replace Geoff Toovey in a bid to convince the pair to stay at the Sea Eagles. Toovey is on contract at Manly until the end of 2016, but Fairfax Media believes the Sea Eagles were interested in Arthur starting as early as this season. The Eels, however, have moved swiftly to reaffirm Arthur's commitment to the club, holding talks with the coach this week to protect themselves from the Manly raid.
Fairfax Media understands Manly are aware the relationship between Arthur and Eels general manager of football Daniel Anderson is tense. It is also believed Anderson, who was sacked a year after leading the Eels to a grand final in 2009, wants to return to first-grade coaching.
Despite Arthur's testy relationship with Anderson, the Eels are confident the coach believes in the vision for the club and is committed to his players, so will see out the final three years of his deal after signing a contract extension in November.
Toovey and new Sea Eagles chief executive Joe Kelly are believed to have been at loggerheads over player recruitment and retention since they had a heated row in the club's offices in January over the pursuit of Souths prop Thomas Burgess.
But with Arthur all but certain to stay at Parramatta, the Eels are firmly in the box seat to snare the signature of Foran if he decides to leave Manly at the end of the season after tabling a lucrative four-year deal to the 24-year-old to join former teammate Anthony Watmough at Parramatta. They will, however, have to stave off a bid from Des Hasler and the Bulldogs.
When contacted by Fairfax Media on Friday afternoon, Kelly said that neither he nor chairman Scott Penn had made contact with Arthur about the prospect of returning to the Sea Eagles.
"Neither the chairman or CEO have had discussions with Brad Arthur whatsoever," Kelly said.
Arthur, who steered Parramatta from consecutive wooden spoons to 10th in his rookie season last year, is a popular figure with the Manly players after a season with the club as Toovey's assistant in 2013. He has a strong relationship with Foran, in particular.
It is believed Toovey's position has been under fire since Quantum sold its share of the club to the Penn family, who now have total control of the boardroom and 90 per cent ownership of the club.
Just six days out from Friday night's blockbuster round-one clash between the Eels and Sea Eagles at Pirtek Stadium, the latest revelations are sure to add some spice to what is already expected to be a confrontational encounter, with Anthony Watmough lining up against his former teammates in his maiden outing in blue and gold.
Watmough's relationship with Manly officials has been damaged after negotiations broke down last year, while it is no secret that he and Cherry-Evans don't see eye-to-eye. The Manly playing group has been split since the Glenn Stewart contract negotiations went pear-shaped, forcing the veteran forward to join South Sydney.
