The Rumours Thread

[Dennis Papaioannou]

If it's secret talks with Gus Gould, then why does the Mole know? Sounds like selective drip feeding to the media to mask the f**kin inevitable......Peanut Paul will still be coach in 2020 with Gus overseeing the Bus!

Perfect way to prepare the fans for the announcement that McGregor will see out his contract after a thorough independent review etc. etc.
Gould's appointment is designed to appease and calm down the fans and at the same time, protect McGregor.
Talk about flogging a dead horse...

 

[muzby]

Didn’t stop Penrith from moving Gould on and reinstating Cleary either
I only see Gould as a coach and recruitment person and think him too divisive in any other role.

You don’t think having someone divisive in a senior position in the club would be a good thing to shake things up?

 

[gorilla]

So much speculation, so little facts.

If Goild is involved in a review, then I reckon he'll have too much face and pride not to be forthright. Possibly clear cut and desicive.

He's got a good football head and his involvement has to be beneficial.

Whether the board and owner listen is another matter.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/go...to-head-review-of-dismal-dragons-20190906-p52

 

[BLM01]

McGregor has more mates than a room full of chess players.

Assuming each game is over, just like our club chess games can go on and on as our club revierw and decision making processes.
Put it this way I would rather see Gould around and trying to help the joint out than what we offered in house in 2019. Once he is on the inside he might finally see what it is and then make recommendations (the right ones).
I wanted to see Coyne stay and he was the face they put out to the original Mary extension in 16 or 17...He left the club for reasons i think he may may have rocked the boat to the old and current BOD regimes and their push for the current staus quo and probably had too many other good ideas that did not suit them me thinks.
Dragons should of done everything to keep him not let him go to the ARLC.

 

[Old Timer]

You don’t think having someone divisive in a senior position in the club would be a good thing to shake things up?

IMO the division would come between fans and potentially some sponsors and the club if Gould goes down the path that Mc Gregor can make it as a coach under his tutelage which is how I interpret what has been muted in the press and by some posters in this place.
The club needs to clean out the entire NRL coaching staff rather than having further support for an already broken system.
Any further division between club and supporters (fans and or potentially sponsors) will be catastrophic and I can see Gould and his ego creating that division if put in an admin roll.
As the actual coach and recruitment manager of a new regime I can see him achieving positive results.
Maybe the fact he dines out on his previous coaching success might be enough for him not to take on coaching again.

 

[West coast dragon]

Just hope Gus doesn’t recommend one of his five year plans because we know hey they go lol

 

[Dragonsamy]

McGregor is like an ingrown toenail, infecting the whole club. Surgery is the only way to remove it and even after that the toe is f**ked for years.

George
100% agree.
But not the only one unfortunately .
There is more.
Imo

 

[muzby]

IMO the division would come between fans and potentially some sponsors and the club if Gould goes down the path that Mc Gregor can make it as a coach under his tutelage which is how I interpret what has been muted in the press and by some posters in this place.
The club needs to clean out the entire NRL coaching staff rather than having further support for an already broken system.
Any further division between club and supporters (fans and or potentially sponsors) will be catastrophic and I can see Gould and his ego creating that division if put in an admin roll.
As the actual coach and recruitment manager of a new regime I can see him achieving positive results.
Maybe the fact he dines out on his previous coaching success might be enough for him not to take on coaching again.

I see it as a win win for Gould..

He gets success with McGregor, he can hang his hat on that as an achievement..

McGregor flops continues his current form, Gould can sack him and point the finger, thereby saving face..

 

[muzby]

Post post

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

Anyone good at joining dots?
Coyne seen as the great white hope does review Mc Gregor survives
Doust goes Johnstone reemployed and seen as great white hope Mc Gregor extended
BOD sees resentment from fan base and decides on review
Johnstone & Mc Gregor put in charge of arrangements for review
Gould touted as “messiah” and potential candidate for review
Gould is able to walk next door to Coyne’s house and ask for any notes or clues as to the ins & outs of previous review
Farsical

Disagree with this assessment OT. Phil Gould is very much his own man, and a man to back his own judgement. He won't be relying on Mark Coyne notes.

 

[Old Timer]

I see it as a win win for Gould..

He gets success with McGregor, he can hang his hat on that as an achievement..

McGregor flops continues his current form, Gould can sack him and point the finger, thereby saving face..

If Gould is appointed by the board as a person to support Mc Gregor there is no way he will put himself in a position of conflict with them and suffer being moved on again.
He would tow the line of the BOD and be the link between the BOD’s continued arrogance and the disgruntled fan base.
Any notion that Mc Gregor can improve as a coach is flawed (after all he has been the man for 6 years) do people need to see this (if it transpires Mc Gregor survives) for what it is namely a stitch up.
Now as coach he would have far greater autonomy

 

[Old Timer]

Disagree with this assessment OT. Phil Gould is very much his own man, and a man to back his own judgement. He won't be relying on Mark Coyne notes.

If Mc Gregor is involved in discussions with Gould he IMO is anything but his own man.
If he was his own man he would say get the f**k out of this discussion and I’ll do my thing and then get back to you
If it transpires that way I am happy to recant but doubt I will have to.

 

[JohnnoMcJohnno]

If Mc Gregor is involved in discussions with Gould he IMO is anything but his own man.
If he was his own man he would say get the f**k out of this discussion and I’ll do my thing and then get back to you
If it transpires that way I am happy to recant but doubt I will have to.

Your opinion is noted, and disagreed with. I simply cannot see anyone hiring Gould if they want the answer sugar-coated. Unlike Johnstone, McGregor, Coyne he is not reliant on St George for income.

 

[Old Timer]

Your opinion is noted, and disagreed with. I simply cannot see anyone hiring Gould if they want the answer sugar-coated. Unlike Johnstone, McGregor, Coyne he is not reliant on St George for income.

Friendships often transcend reality
The sticking point for me is that the article (not sure of legitimacy) states Mc Gregor is in the initial process which indicates a total lack of transparency.
Gould may very well say stick it all in your arse but on the basis that he comes at Mc Gregor & Johnstone’s request does not thrill me in the slightest.

 

[Gareth67]

George
100% agree.
But not the only one unfortunately .
There is more.
Imo

Any chance of you doing the review Sammy ? You could give yourself a pay rise whilst you are at .

 

[Slippery Morris]

It will be funny if Gould backs Mary to stay and recommends the 2 years to be honoured when he himself sacked his last coach at the panthers for coming 5th at the time. I think he sacked Cleary before Griffin when he finished top 8 as well.

Gould had big wraps on Baz when at Panthers and the reason he sacked Cleary is because Baz left from memory so don't be surprised if Gould throws his hat behind Baz coming to the club. He may also have ties with Fitzgibbon at the Chooks. He may even look at Ciralado who was at the Panthers.

Do you think Freddy Fittler may be interested? Another of Gould's buddies.

This may make the player put in an effort on Sat knowing that Gould is coming. Lafai will be gone as he is not a Gould type player (lazy, slow and a show pony with all these bull$hite offloads that end up on the ground 80% of the time) but I think Aitken may be saved as I think Gould can get improvements out of him.

 

[Old Timer]

And how's that worked out for them?

Well not quite sure how to answer that.
If Gould was responsible for the coach being sacked just before the semis last year then in fact he imploded their season which still had some potential.
What impact that had on their year this year is hard to say as it is also hard to say what the impact of the loss of Gould was.
Interestingly for me that despite several player movements form the Panthers I am yet to hear a body of players coming out saying Gould has been a loss.
I see Gould the admin man very very different to Gould the coach and I believe he has had much m,ore success at the later than the former.
As I said earlier he might not be willing to put his reputation on the line as a coach and will happily continue on as the NRL know it all man.

 

[Gareth67]

After reading the previous posts I am now down in the dumps as my earlier elation at the news has been well and truly tempered by some good ol fashion logic that has been presented by fellow members .

Namely as stated , what in the hell would McGregor be involved in any talks with the very person who could potentially A - hole him out of a job ? This begs the question - just how thick is the blood between mates ?

Unfortunately it just does not add up at all . The end result of this tragic season must be the head of Mary , however that would require B.G. to come to the party and outlay a substantial amount of money to A - terminate and pay out McGregors contract and B - to employ Gould to do a thorough clean out of all who stand in the way of the Dragons future success . Brian Johnston is the CEO , so we can not have another , which means IF the rumor is indeed correct , just what capacity will he be employed in ?

 

[muzby]

Scene.. November 1, Dragons HQ..

Gould: “Okay Paul, I’m here to start the review”

Mary: “Great, if I could get you to go review the gym & see if it needs painting”

Gould: “No no no no no. That’s not what I’m here to review”

Mary: “Oh, in that case can you get the trundle wheel out and measure the oval to make sure it’s 100m”

Gould: “No no no no no”

Mary: “Hmm. Negative Nancy hey. Maybe go review the rule book and see why the refs keep awarding a try after someone kicks the ball”

Gould: “You have to be kidding me”

Mary: “What about reviewing that Canterbury Cup team we have to see why they played those trial games in September”

Gould: “They’re called finals, not trials”

Mary: “Oh, quick review. Thanks. Can you now do a review of season 2015. We made the finals then”

Gould: “You are impossible to work for”

Mary: “That’s what everyone says”

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I see it as a win win for Gould..

He gets success with McGregor, he can hang his hat on that as an achievement..

McGregor flops continues his current form, Gould can sack him and point the finger, thereby saving face..

Most sensible post you've made in a while.