Smith must go: Kenny

[Hurriflatch]

Smith must go: Kenny
May 26, 2004 - 6:30PM

Parramatta rugby league great Brett Kenny believes it's time for the Eels to cut their losses and sack Brian Smith.

The former NSW and Test five-eighth made the call in the wake of damaging press this week calling for Smith's head following his side's embarrassing 37-6 loss to a second-string St George Illawarra last Friday night.

Parramatta fans booed the team off the field and some threw their jerseys away in disgust after watching their team capitulate to its fourth consecutive loss at home.

Kenny said Eels management should bite the bullet and pay out the remainder of Smith's five-year contract which expires at the end of 2006.

"If the club keep performing the way they are then no-one's going to want to play for them," said Kenny, who played 265 games for the Eels from 1980 to 1993.

"If that happens people are still going to blame the coach, who ends up leaving with a bad reputation and the club don't perform and can't buy anyone.

"I think it's best if management say to him (Smith) `let's go our separate ways' because he's just getting a bad reputation and it's not good for the club.

"I just think that's the best solution."

Rugby League Week published a list of quality players who have been shown the door by Parramatta, which says salary cap restrictions have forced its hand.

The list includes Ian Hindmarsh, Willie Tonga, Scott Donald, Jason Cayless, Andrew Ryan, Casey McGuire and Brett Hodgson, who have gone on to thrive at their current clubs.

The respected magazine also printed figures showing Parramatta's average home crowds have dropped from 16,674 in 2001, when the Eels broke a host of club records en route to the grand final, to 12,322 this year.

Eric Grothe Junior, whose father played alongside Kenny during the Eels' golden era of the early 1980s, defended Smith as a coach.

"It hasn't been happening for the past four weeks but as soon as we win two in a row everyone will shut up," said Grothe, who will miss Sunday's clash with Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval because of a hamstring injury.

"Brian's a great coach. He's doing everything the coach should be doing and more.

"There's only so much a coach can do. We've only got ourselves to blame.

© 2004 AAP

SMH

 

[Eels Dude]

Kenny makes some good points but I don't think Fiztgerald and the rest of the board are going to take any notice.

I would also like to commend Grothe on his defence of Brian Smith. They didn't always see eye to eye and had a falling out those years ago. It's great to see him once again having faith and enjoying his time at Parramatta.

 

[Twizzle]

its obvious to everyone except Fitzy

 

[Cupid Stunt]

So what happens when, as Kenny suggests, Smith gets the golden handshake & coach X comes in & we lose at the same rate we currently are? Sack him & sign up coach Y? Just when/where do you draw the line?
As for the players leaving I'm sure you could make a similar list for more than a few teams.

For how bad we are there's still teams under us AND we are within striking distance of the 8. Sure I'd rather be sitting in 1st or 2nd & no mediocrity isnt sufficent but I really dont think things are as bad as the media is feeding everyone.

 

[The Colonel]

The flip side of that is -

Do we then persist with Smith and continue to lose and have the board sack him at the end of the season. June 30 has been and gone and any quality players that were available are gone - not wanting to play for Smith due to the stigma created by ex players and the media and Coach X has to work with players that he doesn't believe are capable of the changes he wants to make or not in his plans. 2005 season rolls around and the team are still struggling and we have to wait until June 30 to see what players are available. They see how the team is struggling and prefer to go somewhere else - Hindmarsh, Cayless and others see more money and better oppurtunities for a Grand Final win from elsewhere and decide the same thing.

Its all purely hypothetical..... and I think the changes that Smith has made are positive and could help us out of the slump but the above could quite easily become reality.

 

[Cupid Stunt]

Which leads me right back to where I started which is damned if we do, damned if we dont. #-o

 

[The Colonel]

Which leads me right back to where I started which is damned if we do, damned if we dont. #-o

In letting Smithy go before June 30 we would able to be active in the player market whilst letting some players who may not necessarily be in Coach X's plan. I doubt we have to be too active - a front rower, a quality centre and a rising hooker would be good enough.

 

[strider]

"a front rower, a quality centre and a rising hooker would be good enough"

Aaron Cannings - with no broken arm
Jamie Lyon - comes to his senses and realises Wee Waa gets boring after a year too.
John Morris - after a stint in reggies, recognises he has to lift his game


We shouldn't need to go outside the club to get stars - we are just under-performing...be that the coaches fault, the players or God's - I don't know I am not an insider at the club.

We have Hindy and Caylo to build a forward pack around....and we should have Lyon, Grothe and a host of young talent coming through to build a backline around....the club has enough talent - just not enough confidence and composure.

 

[The Colonel]

"a front rower, a quality centre and a rising hooker would be good enough"

Aaron Cannings - with no broken arm
Jamie Lyon - comes to his senses and realises Wee Waa gets boring after a year too.
John Morris - after a stint in reggies, recognises he has to lift his game

My view was to complement these players and taking into consideration that Lyon may not return. Also I think a club needs to bring players in fromm outside as well as develop. Look at Canberra - they didn't sign anyone at all and there side is struggling.

I'd like to see another prop - up and comer preferably with a good work ethic who can put pressure on the likes of Armit and Tsoulos while allowing Cordoba and Hauraki to develop. ie - Frank Pritchard

A quality centre (in case Jamie isn't going to comeback) - Joel Monaghan

A hooker - I like Webster and think he is good value however in the lower grades aside from Muspratt playing that role we don't really have anyone else - we had twelve hookers (exagerated I know) at one stage and know we have a hooker and two utilities.

 

[The Engineers Room]

As for the players leaving I'm sure you could make a similar list for more than a few teams.

But we have more players performing better when they leave then when they were at Parra.

 

[The Engineers Room]

This would be a good time to find out who really is available.

 

[Parraren]

I agree with Colonel. We need to inject some real quality into the side in key positions. Hooker is THE most important position crying out for quality at the moment. Things aren't looking so rosy with Morris anymore and as good as Webster is he ain't the answer either. I know alot of people might not be fans of Mark Riddell's but I think he'd be a sensation in the Blue & Gold and would bring another exciting dimension to our side. I mean picture this pack of forwards;

8. Tsoulos
9. Riddell
10. Cannings
11. Hindy
12. Caylo
13. Wagon (i'd personally prefer Glenn Morrison but i'm being realistic)

 

[The Engineers Room]

Still wouldn't go anywhere with our current tactics.

 

[Mr Angry]

So who would you hire as a replacement?
Has Bert got any coaching quals?
I do not recommend Anderson.

 

[The Colonel]

Easy - John Cartwright. I'll keep saying it until I am blue in the face because I firmly believe that he is capable of turning the club around. He is probably the best credentialed assistant coach in the game at the moment.

 

[The Engineers Room]

Coach Colonel Eel and I'll be your assistant. We don't agree on things and that would be good.

 

[Mr Angry]

I am a fan of hoss too.
Isn't he linked with the gold coast bid?

 

[Twizzle]

who isn't

Chris Anderson was the frontrunner, but we haven't heard much lately.

 

[The Colonel]

They have said if it gets off the ground they would like to get him - whether or not he'd take the chance there or at an established side would be the question.

 

[Parraren]

I do not recommend Anderson.

Really Mr Angry, why would that be? :lol: