Cleary is a great coach, let's make no bones about that. I've said plenty of times before that I don't understand the scepticism. If he's available to come back to NZ, we sign him. Pronto. He's rebuilt shitstorms like us before. Hold on, he's rebuilt our shitstorm before. And Penrith's. Then got absolutely knifed by Gould in something out of a murder mystery. Toovey, I'm not as sure about. He's not rebuilt clubs before. So I'm not massive on him. It's debateable whether he rode Hasler's coattails and kinda carried it off because he was a club legend.
But here's the thing. After 8 losses on the trot last year and 3 I think it was to start this year (thank you Newcastle) then being what was it, 3-7 at the bye? 4-6? Whatever it was...throughout that whole time, Doyle had to think 'gee, this guy might not be it'. From there, a contingency plan had to be in place. He had to be speaking to managers of coaches etc, or coaches themselves. My fear is that he hasn't been, and he has blind faith in McFail. Before Tangalife or anyone else comes out defending him, I have said before I'm a massive Doyle fan (or was). He is a great businessman. But at no stage in his business career that I'm aware of has he had to balance the faith in his main employee and a contingency plan. That doesn't happen outside league, or in his previous NRL role in regular employment matters. If someone's not up to it, he lets them go THEN finds the next guy. That's not applicable here. He needs to know now that if/when McFail's role is no longer tenable, then the next guy comes in. It can't be Morgan because he happens to be there, it has to be Morgan because he's better, and will do a top eight + job. It can't be anyone apart from someone who will do a top eight + job. But it kinda has to happen now if we miss the eight, because Matulino may go. Tui may go, signings may be missed because they don't want to play in a rabble under McFail. RTS may go to rugby. Who knows??? You cannot keep a guy after 3 (2.75 seasons) whatever who clearly can't coach, just because the previous CEO was a complete f**king dunce and re-signed him with no one snapping at our heels and no real intel on how good he'd be.
It's almost sad I get this wound up in it but I've not enjoyed this season one bit, and it sucks. The 2 hrs I enjoy after a hard working week, family/kids etc and I've either not watched, not enjoyed it or kinda half hoped we'd lose so a new coach would come in.