THE Pirtek Parramatta Eels and departing forward Feleti Mateo wish to deny claims on radio this morning that there was any racial vilification issue between Mateo and coach Daniel Anderson.
Mateo said today: “I have been told about a report on radio saying that I had complained about a racial issue regarding Daniel, and that it had been brought up in discussion about the coaching situation at the club.
“That is absolutely not true. I spoke with Ando today to clarify this and there is no issue. There has been no racial comments that have upset me, let alone been anything I have complained to the club about. Nothing of the sort has anything to do with me leaving to play with the Warriors.
“What the club does on the coaching front, or anything to do with the board and management, has nothing to do with me and I am disappointed my name has been brought into this.”
Eels CEO Paul Osborne said, “No issue between Feleti and Daniel has ever been raised with the Club and suggestions to the contrary are completely false. I've spoken to Daniel today and it's the first either of us had heard of this supposed complaint. It didn't happen.“
Amidst the speculation about the coaching position, Osborne can confirm that a review of the season has now been completed and will be presented to the board this week for consideration. No further comment will be made.
