Matt Parish withdraws from running to coach Wests Tigers as board split sees club in crisis
MATT Parish has withdrawn from the Wests Tigers coaching race - but the 10-member board is still to agree unanimously on a replacement.
The chase to replace Tim Sheens has become a mess.
Mick Potter remains the hot favourite and should be appointed at a board
meeting tomorrow night.
It seems those directors resisting Potter will finally agree to appoint the former Canterbury and St George star ahead of Kevin Walters.
There is still a faction on the board though who want Parish - but they are outnumbered.
It is understood the coaching job must be unanimous among the 10 joint venture directors - five from Western Suburbs, five from Balmain.
Tired of waiting for a decision at Concord, Parish has told Parramatta he will be an assistant coach alongside Ricky Stuart for the next three years.
The decision will ensure Parish can also be used on Laurie Daley's NSW State of Origin coaching staff.
Parish was initially all but promised the Wests Tigers coaching job but somehow lost support at board level.
The Tigers have been procrastinating for weeks now on a new coach - frustrating all candidates.
Parish had strong support from rugby league giants Daley, Stuart, Steve Roach and Ben Elias.
That support though was discarded by some Tigers board members.
If the ten member board is split, chairman Dave Trodden - aligned to Balmain - would have the casting vote.There appears to be acrimony at board level between the two factions, Wests and Balmain.
Potter, who coached Bradford this year in Super League, was not answering his mobile phone yesterday.
He will be Tigers coach but there are still elements on the board not overcome with Potter.
The successful candidate will face a tough and demanding battle.
He will be coming in late as a rookie coach to a club with little cash and board issues.
"Good luck to him - he will need it,'' said one high-profile rival coach. "It will be a tough gig, especially for a young coach.