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The search for a new coach

Rich102

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Staff member
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11,524
The next Warriors coach is set to be the highest-paid in the country, earning even more than All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
Whether or not they entice Storm coach Craig Bellamy - who appears to be their No1 target and would command an astronomical price tag - the club will have to pay a significant sum to meet their stated aim of luring the "best coach possible" to Auckland.
But the Warriors' search for a replacement for Brian McClennan comes at a time when NRL coaches have never been such precious commodities. There is not a plethora of proven coaching talent; demand far exceeds supply. Add in the new A$1 billion broadcasting deal and candidates are able to seek premium salaries.
Australian reports have indicated that Bellamy, who comes off contract at the end of next season, could command up to A$1.2 million ($1.5m) a year for his next deal given his outstanding recent coaching record and reputation.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler is said to earn around A$850,000 ($1.1m) at Belmore, while Wayne Bennett's deal at the Knights is believed to be more than A$1.5m ($1.9m).
Former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry was said to have earned around $500,000 a season (including win bonuses). Hansen is believed to be on a similar deal.
"We want to get the best coach possible," Warriors CEO Wayne Scurrah told the Herald on Sunday. "[The money] is all speculation at this stage and I don't want to comment on that. Let's just say we are after the best person we can get and there are a number of factors that go into that scenario."
Warriors owners Owen Glenn and Eric Watson have a combined net worth of around $1 billion, so writing a few large cheques should not be an issue, especially as coaches' salaries are not part of the salary cap. As seen with Bennett and Hasler, the right offer can turn heads.
Scurrah seems impressed by the effect Hasler has had at the Bulldogs, who are runaway leaders of the table after finishing outside the play-offs in three of the past four seasons.
"There has been a transformation there almost immediately," says Scurrah. "How good is that team after years of disappointing results?"
A complicating factor is the urgency of the Warriors' situation. Scurrah wants someone in place before the start of pre-season on November 1, ideally in the next month. This will be crucial. The club also hopes to appoint a football manager and support staff. Logically they cannot be confirmed until the head coach is in place.
The club also hopes to sign two or three more players for the 2013 season and are believed to be well under the salary cap at present.
"We have the ability to spend more [on players]," says Scurrah, "but we are spending more than ever before. There are still a few spots open for next season and ideally that would be done in consultation with the new coach. But if a high quality player becomes available, we wouldn't risk losing the chance to sign him."
There is reason for optimism over Bellamy. He may be ready for a new challenge after 11 years in Melbourne and has always had a lot of respect for the Warriors organisation.
He enjoys the opportunity to develop talent and would relish the mountain of local talent available at New Zealand's only NRL club.
Bellamy is also accustomed to working in an environment where league is not the major code in town.
However, he is also likely to be pursued by the Roosters and Dragons. The Dragons have shown their ability in the past to snare a big name (Wayne Bennett) but the Roosters seem the real danger. Owner Nick Politis may not have the financial resources of Glenn and Watson but he has unparalleled influence in the corridors of power. In the words of one league identity, "he usually gets what he wants".
The Storm will also fight to keep Bellamy as will the players; Cooper Cronk is said to have a get-out clause in his contract and could join Bellamy at his next club but it is doubtful that both Cameron Smith and Billy Slater could also be squeezed into a new team.
Bellamy tried to make light of the situation when quizzed by Australian media on Friday.
"I didn't really know until this morning that I'm going to earn all this money if I go over the ditch," joked Bellamy. "I suppose it could be worse and no one would want you ... it's part of the game, speculation about players and coaches.
"At the end of the day, I'm on contract here till the end of next year and I've never broken a contract before and I don't particularly want to start now."
While Bellamy may be staying out of it, it is hard to believe his manager John Fordham has not already been in contact with the Warriors.
Of the other big names, Bennett is unlikely to uproot his family, though Knights owner Nathan Tinkler's recent financial issues may change his situation at Newcastle.
Roosters coach Brian Smith has an excellent record, though he has yet to take a team to the title.
Daniel Anderson has good and bad history with the Warriors while Mal Meninga, Stephen Kearney and David Kidwell are all unproven as head coaches at NRL level.
Before McClennan was appointed, the club considered around eight CVs before settling on their shortlist of McClennan, Tony Iro and John Ackland.
Scurrah expects "an even more robust process" this time. "We have a brand new board and Owen [Glenn] is very engaged. It will be more robust than ever."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10829491
 

Micistm

Bench
Messages
4,470
My gut feeling is there is already someone in deep talks with the Warriors, hence Blueys fast exit. Someone perhaps coaching a team already in finals contention, so cannot be released yet...?
If not, they are worse amateurs than we thought. While we've focussed on the Warriors, and bagged them for performances (and fair enough), we haven't looked enough at (A) The Players, and (B) Other teams falling from grace this year, which has happened as well. Failed to meet the expectations, dropped from their positions last year...
While I'm happy to accept it hasn't been good enough, I can't help thinking more and more Bluey is taking a sole rap for what was a poor all round performance from pretty much most associated with this team this year. And you can't help but feel it was arrogance and complacency. And that goes for fans as well. I know I expected them to make the finals and go deep into it.
 

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
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11,524
Agreed. I think the skids were under Bluey from quite early on. All will be revealed in the fulness of time.
 

ramraider275

Juniors
Messages
93
We have to go with a new coach who has been to finals and won a premiership, not up for the rookie's and unproven coaches. Anyway lets see how deep the Watson/Glenn warchest is? Everyone has a price....
 

Warmess

Juniors
Messages
870
I think highly likely they started talks with other coaches after the loss to the Sharks. Let up two 18 point leads and from there we could see everything was unravelling. The part that worries me is that we want to have the next coach named within a month. If they're serious about Bellamy then we won't know where he's signing until at least November.

Bellamy/Hasler/Bennett are the only options if they're serious about what they were talking about a couple of months ago. Two of those guys definitely won't be coming our way.
 

Skinner

Coach
Messages
13,581
There is a good chance that none of the three will be coming over. Bellamy is not a lay down misere.
 

Warmess

Juniors
Messages
870
I wouldn't be surprised if we don't get any of them tbh. I actually doubt we'll get Bellamy, but they are the only options we can seriously hound for if Glenn/Watson are serious about this.

Owen Glenn strikes me as a guy who gets what he wants, but I highly doubt he'll pay crazy overs, which is what Bellamy may want to come over here.
 

joseph1

Juniors
Messages
460
I was just about to suggest Sheens. He is under immense pressure at Wests and is certainly high profile, which would prove Scurrah's ramblings to have a grain of truth. If he gets shown the door at Wests he could surely be shifted East over the Tasman. The potential benefit being of course that Benji can activate his get out clause - come home, and join Johnson as the face of NZ rugby league and ideally NZ sport. I would be unconvinced that he and Marshall would do a great job here, since they seem to have become a bit stale as a partnership, but Benji's face would do wonders for club membership over the break, which must be about to sag, given the last 7 weeks. What think you all?
 

Rich102

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,524
If Bellamy is unavailable I would go for Hasler.

Offer him 3.5 million.

After all he was smart enough to get Inu for nothing and motivate him to play.

Keep the dogs honest.
 

Izz

Bench
Messages
3,740
If he wins the premiership this season, dangle the carrot of taking three different clubs to premierships in consecutive seasons... :D
 

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