Dave Furner Likely New Raiders Coach

[raidersforme]

Club feels fury over coach's decision
By John-Paul Moloney

Canberra Raiders fans have urged the club's board to release outgoing coach Neil Henry immediately and appoint David Furner to the head position for the rest of the season.Fans bombarded chief executive Don Furner with concerned emails yesterday and others swamped supporters website The Greenhouse expressing their fury at Henry's decision to leave the club after just one full season in charge.
While Furner has agreed to take over from Henry from next year, many fans want the change to happen now.
Kenrick Winchester, of Queanbeyan, said, "We want someone in charge of the club who actually wants to be here. Henry's commitment isn't to the club so why should ours be to him.
"David Furner is a man who bleeds green and I'd much prefer to have him in charge than someone who's going to up and leave in October."
Fans were particularly angry about Henry's public statements that he would see out his contract, which was to expire at the end of 2009.
He had told star halfback Todd Carney he would remain with the club, an assurance Carney said was a significant factor in his decision to stay with the club.
As recently as two weeks ago Henry addressed the playing group to tell them he would see out at least this and next season.
Ben Meyer, of Tuggeranong, said, "We hired [Henry] when he was Neville Nobody, he came down here and made a name and now he's going back for the cash.
"It's disappointing because the club was prepared to bet on him and he wasn't prepared to back that up."
Marko Milinkovic of Kaleen said the perception that Henry had gone back on his word would ensure a hostile reception for him at Canberra Stadium at the Raiders' next home game in round five.
"We need a coach asap for player retention. We've got 11 off contract and it helps bringing players here to know who they're going to play under," Milinkovic said.
"And the fact that he came out with all those loyalty statements, the 'I'm staying till the end of '09' stuff will hurt him more at games because fans are very passionate."
Furner said he understood the fans' views.
"We're disappointed as well. I've had plenty of emails this morning and I've responded to most of them," the chief executive said

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/sport/rugby-league/club-feels-fury-over-coachs-decision/1214551.html

 

[raidersforme]

Mentor backs new coach Furner to succeed
By Daniel MacDonald

Departing Raiders coach Neil Henry applauded the club's board for appointing David Furner yesterday as his replacement for the next three years.Henry announced this week he would walk out on the club, paving the way for the former Test back-rower and Henry's current assistant to be promoted into the head coaching role.
"David Furner is a wonderful coach, he's second to none and the name is synonymous with the club," Henry said about the former Clive Churchill medallist.
"He was a one-club player and he is respected by the players.
"He has certainly had a hands on role in the day-to-day running of the club. I fully endorse the board's decision, it's a local passionate product and I think the club won't be disappointed."
Raiders chairman John McIntyre threw his support behind Furner to get the top job after news Henry had a get-out clause in his contract surfaced this week.
Henry will leave the Raiders on October 31 to join the North Queensland Cowboys and Furner will take over the day-to-day running of the team from then.
Despite having never coached at NRL level before, McIntyre said he thought Furner would be more than capable of living up to the faith the board had shown in him.
"No one in rugby league is going to say, 'David who?'," McIntyre said.
"He was always destined to be a first-grade coach. This is a very proud moment for the club."
Furner said being approached by the board without having to be put through an interview process was "a dream come true" and filled him with confidence.
"Like anything - even with the playing days - you prepare yourself as best you can physically and mentally," Furner said.
"Until you're actually in the job there's going to be things tossed up and you need to deal with that."
David's father Don was the Raiders' inaugural coach.
"The first thing I did after training was to drive over and have a talk to my father," the incoming coach said.
"Obviously it's a situation he's been in a fair few times so it was just good, we just sat down and spoke about the opportunity and I suppose what to expect for next year.
"I think it is special to have an opportunity to coach in the NRL, it's the best competition in the world.
"It's great to be able to put yourself in that sort of arena and test yourself out."
Furner, who played 200 games for the Green Machine, was approached by former Sydney Roosters coach Ricky Stuart to be his assistant at the Bondi-based club, which he turned down to remain in Canberra under Matt Elliott.
Henry suggested to club chief executive and Furner's older brother Don that he thought the former Raiders great would make an ideal top-level coach for Canberra.
"It's probably a lot sooner than I'd expected but certainly I am confident in myself that I'm ready for the opportunity," Furner said.
"It was only after my first year that I thought this was what I wanted to aim for and strive for."
Asked whether he was confident his brother would stay at the club for the three years the club wants him, Don said, "You can't be confident of anything like that these days.
"He loves the place and wants to make it a success, but you never know what happens."
The elder brother said he had noticed an improvement in Furner's coaching ability over the past two years under Henry's guidance. "His name had cropped up a couple of years ago," the CEO said. "He may not have been ready then, but working for two years under Neil, he knows the players and Neil certainly put his name up to me and endorsed him."

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/ne...acks-new-coach-furner-to-succeed/1214550.html

 

[donkey|rope]

we need to jump on Pritchard.

our chances of signing him are slim-to-nil but for f**k stake, we need to atleast show some intent.

 

[Hanscholo]

There is nothing to be gained by keeping Henry on for the rest of the season.

Give Furnsie the keys now and send Henry off to Nth Qld.

I cannot agree more.

At least give Furner the side this year on an interrum basis and keep looking for a high quality coach if the side doesnt respond to him. There is nothing to be gained in any way keeping Henry at this point. If you do that you at least get to run an eye over Furner as a long term option and you keep your options open for others that come up. Its a poor decision to wait out this year imo.

 

[Bay56]

Geez it didnt take management a lot of time to sign up a new coach (for a three year term) after the "surprise" in Henry was leaving.

FFS Raiders who the hell are you trying to kid ... you obviously have no feeling for supporters who have stuck by this club waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel to become a reality.

Someone convince me this isnt a case of nepotism and I'm sure I could convince you otherwise.

I fail to see how any supporter could still have faith in management to make independent decisions that are for the benefit of the football club.

 

[Bay56]

Mentor backs new coach Furner to succeed
By Daniel MacDonald

Departing Raiders coach Neil Henry applauded the club's board for appointing David Furner yesterday as his replacement for the next three years.Henry announced this week he would walk out on the club, paving the way for the former Test back-rower and Henry's current assistant to be promoted into the head coaching role.
"David Furner is a wonderful coach, he's second to none and the name is synonymous with the club," Henry said about the former Clive Churchill medallist.
"He was a one-club player and he is respected by the players.
"He has certainly had a hands on role in the day-to-day running of the club. I fully endorse the board's decision, it's a local passionate product and I think the club won't be disappointed."
Raiders chairman John McIntyre threw his support behind Furner to get the top job after news Henry had a get-out clause in his contract surfaced this week.
Henry will leave the Raiders on October 31 to join the North Queensland Cowboys and Furner will take over the day-to-day running of the team from then.
Despite having never coached at NRL level before, McIntyre said he thought Furner would be more than capable of living up to the faith the board had shown in him.
"No one in rugby league is going to say, 'David who?'," McIntyre said.
"He was always destined to be a first-grade coach. This is a very proud moment for the club."
Furner said being approached by the board without having to be put through an interview process was "a dream come true" and filled him with confidence.
"Like anything - even with the playing days - you prepare yourself as best you can physically and mentally," Furner said.
"Until you're actually in the job there's going to be things tossed up and you need to deal with that."
David's father Don was the Raiders' inaugural coach.
"The first thing I did after training was to drive over and have a talk to my father," the incoming coach said.
"Obviously it's a situation he's been in a fair few times so it was just good, we just sat down and spoke about the opportunity and I suppose what to expect for next year.
"I think it is special to have an opportunity to coach in the NRL, it's the best competition in the world.
"It's great to be able to put yourself in that sort of arena and test yourself out."
Furner, who played 200 games for the Green Machine, was approached by former Sydney Roosters coach Ricky Stuart to be his assistant at the Bondi-based club, which he turned down to remain in Canberra under Matt Elliott.
Henry suggested to club chief executive and Furner's older brother Don that he thought the former Raiders great would make an ideal top-level coach for Canberra.
"It's probably a lot sooner than I'd expected but certainly I am confident in myself that I'm ready for the opportunity," Furner said.
"It was only after my first year that I thought this was what I wanted to aim for and strive for."
Asked whether he was confident his brother would stay at the club for the three years the club wants him, Don said, "You can't be confident of anything like that these days.
"He loves the place and wants to make it a success, but you never know what happens."
The elder brother said he had noticed an improvement in Furner's coaching ability over the past two years under Henry's guidance. "His name had cropped up a couple of years ago," the CEO said. "He may not have been ready then, but working for two years under Neil, he knows the players and Neil certainly put his name up to me and endorsed him."

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/sport/rugby-league/mentor-backs-new-coach-furner-to-succeed/1214550.html

GIVE ME A f**king BREAK ... WHAT f**king sh*tE !!

 

[edabomb]

GIVE ME A f**king BREAK ... WHAT f**king sh*tE !!

Bay, it is simply more efficient business practise to give someone three years in a job and see how they go rather than fly in applicants from all over the vast land of Australia..... :lol:

 

[Bay56]

I cant wait for the day when a consortium of our local Croatian/Greek developers decide that the time is right to make a move on the Raiders ...

Once this club rides itself of most who currently run this club and commissions the services of the ACT Fire Brigade to hose out the joint of any reminants it will begin to travel on the road to success.

At best we are amateurish and when compared to other football clubs are an absloute joke.

And yes ... I'll continue on my "hate management" campaign until I see some very substantial indications that things are changing for the better.