Sheens, Pascoe and Hagipantelis addressed the group, answering questions from a team eager to know what will be next for the club. In the short term, the answer is Brett Kimmorley, who rose to the Concord an hour after Maguire’s departure on the news that he would be the coach of the NRL team for another 12 weeks, or more if he works a miracle and breaks the decade. -Long hoodoo finish.
Suggestions for a mass exodus of allegedly disappointed players were out of the question. They left the facility one by one, avoiding questions on the way out. Captain James Tamou politely stated that he would respect the wishes of the club and would not comment on the matter. Following the departure of the players, Sheens directed the cameras alongside his new interim coach to defend the club’s decision.
President Lee Hagipantelis arrives at the Tigers headquarters to give the bad news to Maguire. Credit: Oscar Colman
“Madge is realistic,” Sheens said. ″ I knew I was under pressure. We talked about the money we spent on development. This is the path we must follow. We need someone for at least three or four years to prove it. The children in our first grade group are only 21 years old. We have some great under-19s. They are not just results but our future. My role is to talk about where we will be in three years. ″
The Tigers will take their time to work on their next move. You can be sure that Cameron Ciraldo will be at the top of his list, not that Sheens is giving a lot.
“My phone will heat up in the next few days,” he said. ″ We can sit and look at it. We will go to the market. We didn’t want to disrespect Madge when she went to people before she was on paper
In Ciraldo, the Wests Tigers would get the development coach they are looking for. A mentor known for his ability to connect with players, having coached people like Jarome Luai, Dylan Edwards, Nathan Cleary and James Fisher-Harris when they were teenagers.
Michael Maguire moments before being fired by the club. Credit: Oscar Colman
Some in Penrith joke that Nathan would only leave his father to play with Ciraldo, such is the respect the NSW midfielder has for the coach who brought him to the ranks.
The Tigers believe they are embarking on a journey similar to that of the Panthers many years ago, when they invested in youth and relied on the development of talent from the ranks to become stars. Ciraldo is only 37 years old and would become one of the youngest in the history of the NRL if he took the step next year.
Trent Robinson was 35 years old when Sydney Roosters supreme Nick Politis drew him from the Catalans to take over from Brian Smith after his team finished 13th in the 2012 season. Robinson is now in the company of the greats of all time.
Michael Maguire leaves Concord for the last time. Credit: Oscar Colman
Many have already advised Ciraldo not to even consider the work of the Wests Tigers. But despite all the criticism of the joint venture’s exploits on the field, the Wests Tigers as a club are in a solid financial position, now spending $ 2 million more on the football department than during Jason Taylor’s last season. in 2017.
Concord’s new $ 75 million center of excellence will open in July.
The roster is still a work in progress, but there are green shoots in the lower grades and some hope in the form of incoming recruits Api Koroisau and Isaiah Papali’i next year.
In Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday night, Phil Gould warned that the Tigers weren’t reading the room well if they fired Maguire.
Tim Sheens and Brett Kimmorley in front of the cameras on Tuesday evening following the decision to remove Maguire. Credit: SMH / Oscar Colman
“I tell you, there are half a dozen players ready to walk with him,” Gould said.
Sheens scoffed at this suggestion. The Tigers saw it as an attempt to undermine their hopes of attracting a coach that the Bulldogs may also want. Let the Games begin.
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