Sorry didn't have time to Post it over the weekend.
Just found it on the work PC
Coach Hagan Interview on the Big Sports breakfast 19/01/2006 Between 7:30 and 8:00 am
Coach Hagan (MH) : In the past 6 or 7 Weeks the players have trained very well and we seem to be in Pretty good shape. Pretty healthy at the moment, and have got most players back training, Since the break, Nathan Cayless of course and Jarryd Hayne who had Tri-Nation Duties, returned on the 8th of January, and we would expect Nathan Hindmarsh back in the next Probably Week to Two weeks depending on he has had surgery on his Toe so his not probably able to run at this stage, there trying to give him as much rest and recovery as we can before we expect him to get back in the swing of things at Parra
Greg Hayes (2KY) : What about you Personally how have you found the move back to Sydney.
MH: Yeah no I've Enjoyed it I think like everything I guess sometimes you need a change of scenery and I have certainly found that at Parramatta, a very well run club, good Facilities, good playing roster, and some good Staff here, and we seem to be working well together at this stage, looking forward to a big year.
2KY: Did you want to introduce a new culture at the club when you got there or where you happy to build on what was already established.
MH: No I think it been very much for me a matter of trying to come here and fit in, to I guess the Parramatta way of doing things, to some degree given that the club has been successful, and they’ve had a lot of good people involved for a long time, so a lot of those people have been retained and were I guess working out how we work together and work with the players, I guess a fairly softly softly approach for me and see what we can get done between now and when the season starts.
2KY: Back in November you took the Players to Terrigal for some Cross Training a bit of team bonding and a chance for you to meet the guys?
MH: Yeah I guess that was important for me to get to know the players, there are a couple of new staff, David Fairleigh came down from Newcastle as and assistant coach, we have a new Phsyio in Vikki Lock who came back to the club after a number of year of being away and I guess we need to all learn how to interact and to get our jobs done and the players of course, I haven't known some of the players that well so we still i guess are still getting to know each other, we have another camp planed for I think between our 2nd and 3rd trials at Coffs Harbor, where we will hopefully get a bit more footy specific stuff done, and include Nathan Hindmarsh, Nathan Cayless, and the senior players in the process as well
2KY: The Club lost a Team full of First Graders last year, but you Bought well enough to cover those important holes.
MH: Arhm, think like any successful club or a club that has had high profile players, under the cap very hard to keep them all, every year and I think that nearly every club has some quality players because of the cap and because you now have the Gold Coast, and South Sydney have been very aggressive in the Market place, and even the UK in England targeting our best players, so there are a number of forces at work at the moment and I guess every club is doing its best they can to keep their best players and also nurture some of the good young players and I think that is where Parramatta have a real advantage in that their premier league has won the comp the last two years and there are some good young players there that we think will come into first grade this year or next year and do a good job for us.
2KY: What about Brett Finch? He is going to have to play an important roll in the Eels line up in 2007, is he keen and eager at the moment.
MH: Yeah he is and I think he is got he is a bit of a character and got plenty of personality he and Tim Smith and Mark Riddell and PJ Marsh there all, getting on very well together, I mean there going to have to run the footy team pretty much and they've worked pretty extremely well in the off season. Haven't Kicked a ball yet, but I guess the Trials and the early season games will sort a bit of that out as well.
2KY: There must be great confidence in the club that performed so well late in the season to make it through to finals football, You'll be looking to build on that?
MH: Yeah I think the expectation would be fairly high at this club, I mean it is a club that has been there abouts for a long time and I know that there are some very good senior players at the club and as I said some very exciting young players and I think you eluded to Jarryd Hayne in your introduction, I think he is going to be a wonderful player down the track I mean he is a tremendous player already at 18 or 19 and he and another couple of young players are hopefully not to far away from a major roll in first grade, I think it is a pretty exciting time for the club
2KY: What about Timana Tahu, when he was at Newcastle he played alot on the wing, moved to Parramatta played in the centres have you worked out in your mind where you see Timana Tahu in the Eels line up.
MH: Yeah he'll be very much in the centres and I think we are just trying to work on some combinations with Himself and Jarryd Hayne for example and also Ben Smith and Eric Grothe Jnr on the other edge so I am I think we've got a as you said a pretty exciting backline and the other player that I am really impressed has trained extremely well is who’s been a player at this club for a long time has been Luke Burt and I think he will play a tremendous roll at full back, wants that opportunity and he will be important to us as the season unfolds as well.
2KY: What about Mark Riddell, he always seems at this time of the year struggle with his weight a bit, but form all reports his kept himself in pretty good nick over the summer?
MH: No he has trained well and I think he is mindful of the you know that part that he has struggled with, Touchwood hasn't missed a session in pre season has trained very enthusiastically and I think he is looking to have very much better year then he though he had last year, I know he had a ankle injury early in the yeah which hampered his progress a little bit but you know I think both he and PJ Marsh are both training well and they are both very important to how the team plays.
2KY: Now what about the Parramatta fans, they expect success, there wont be much of a Honeymoon period for you are you ready and waiting for the Parramatta Fans?
MH: I think every club all there fans expect their team to go well and I think Parramatta would be no different, to the Newcastle fans who for example there expectation was always very high, and I think were ever you go, your under a bit of pressure in the NRL, but hopefully we can start the year well, and be thereabouts at the end of the year like the other 15 teams aspiring to do that
2KY: You mentioned the trials earlier, 3 Trials for the club?
MH : Yeah there will be, I mean the first one against Cronulla at Parkes may feature more of the younger players, and a few premier league players and we might toss a few of the senior players in but certainly the next trail against the Titan at Lismore and the last trial against the Roosters at the Central Coast Will determine the Starting 17 for round 1 against the Warriors
2KY: Have you set yourself a Goal for the season?
MH: Not as a group, we will probably do that between the trials at Lismore and the Central Coast, with the team and with the staff, so you know the players will have a fair say in what they want to get done this year and I think we will try and help then an guide them as far as what their aspirations are but I think if you set yourself on the players, to start with then see what you can sorterd our after that.
2KY: Mick been great to catch up with your this morning, all the best of luck for 2007
MH : Thanks Greg
2KY: There he is Michael Hagan the new coach of the Parramatta Eels.
