Hagan set deadline to save job
By David Riccio | October 05, 2008 12:00am
THE Parramatta board has taken the extraordinary step of giving coach Michael Hagan just five months to save his career.
Hagan met club management last week and was informed by chief executive Denis Fitzgerald he had until March to prove he was the man to lead the club beyond 2009.
The decision has left Hagan in the unenviable position of having to convince the board he can resurrect the club's fortunes without a minute of NRL football being played before the supposed deadline.
"They asked some questions which I think they're entitled to ask when you've had a disappointing year,'' Hagan told The Sunday Telegraph.
"And I was pretty honest in my assessment of our year.
"Denis made some comments that by March they'd be in a position to reassess beyond next year, and I think that's fair enough.
"I'm happy to just focus on the immediate stuff you've got to get done and I'm sure that will sort itself out as we go forward.''
Parramatta's 2009 playing roster - not including those players participating in the World Cup _ will resume training on October 29.
With just one major signing for the new season - hooker Kevin Kingston from Cronulla - Hagan faces the most important off-season of his coaching career.
Hagan joined the club last year following Brian Smith's sacking in November, 2006. The premiership-winning coach took the Eels to within 80 minutes of last year's grand final before off-field ill-discipline and a lack of on-field maturity saw the club fail to qualify for this year's NRL finals series for the first time since 2004.
Hagan said the review process was cordial and that he left the meeting believing he had the scope to deliver the results required to stay at the club.
"It was just a normal review process like I've done most years,'' Hagan said.
"There was feedback on this year and also next year and where some players are up to. I wasn't looking for too many excuses but I think there were a couple of mitigating factors talked about that probably hurt us through the year.''
Key elements raised were the prolonged absence of experienced centre Ben Smith. Smith's ongoing knee troubles forced the premature shift of preferred wingers Jarryd Hayne and Krisnan Inu to the centres throughout the season.
"He was a huge loss to our experience in the backline,'' Hagan said.
The Eels' off-field behaviour, including a shooting incident in Kings Cross involving Hayne, was also fingered as a major problem.
With a focus on recruiting from within, Hagan said he remained confident the club was in good shape for next season.
"I think the players are all very supportive of the football club going forward,'' Hagan said. ``As a club, we've won the club championship this year for the first time in years.
"So there's a lot of positives there when you talk of a rebuilding year.''
Hagan added that the players' training and preparation over the summer would prove critical to the club's bid to be a force in 2009.
"There's no secret that those guys that have a good pre-season have a pretty good year,'' Hagan said.
