Phil Gould lost the boardroom over the coaching saga at Penrith

Less than a month ago Phil Rothfield sent Gus Gould a short and sharp text message about his future at the Panthers. His response was just as curt.

Phil Gould denied he was about to walk out the door at the Panthers.

• Panthers to make Gould redundant
• Struggling Panthers feeling the pinch

Less than a month ago I sent Gus Gould a short and sharp text message.

Tuesday, March 19, 4.05pm. “There’s mail around you are going to quit Panthers?”

He replied: “No”

It’s been the game’s worst kept secret that Gus had lost his grip on power at the struggling Panthers.

When he sacked Anthony Griffin four weeks before the finals series last year — six months after giving him a two-year contract extension — he lost the boardroom.

Despite what they said, Ivan Cleary and Gus Gould were unable to work together during their second stint together at the Panthers. Picture Gregg Porteous

It was then that chairman Dave O’Neill opened negotiations to get Ivan Cleary back to Penrith without Gould’s knowledge.

Until then Gus had been the hirer and firer.

Gould was out talking to Wayne Bennett about coaching the Panthers in 2019 without a clue that O’Neill was finalising a deal with Cleary.

His position had become untenable. How it lasted through to April is a miracle.

Cleary was prepared to quit the Wests Tigers, but only on the proviso that, if he returned to Penrith, Gould could not interfere. He would report to the CEO and/or chairman, not Gus.

Phil Gould denied he was about to walk out the door at the Panthers.

Cleary even said in a recent TV interview on Fox Sports that Gould’s job was done at Penrith.

That there was nothing left for him to do.

The junior pathways he built had been finalised. The academy was done.

Still, Gus couldn’t let go.

It has been to his enormous frustration that he couldn’t involve himself in recent weeks.

The Panthers are two from six and playing poorly.

It was an ugly end to the Phil Gould/Anthony Griffin partnership. .Picture: Gregg Porteous

Just yesterday Cleary, Cameron Ciraldo and Peter Wallace met for their regular Tuesday coffee to map out their plans for the weekend.

There was no sign of Gus. He has been out of the equation since Cleary signed.

Occasionally he’d be seen around the sheds but not to help with the coaching.

Off the field Gould has done a fantastic job.

His profile and connections at the big end of town have delivered resources not previously available for Sydney NRL clubs. Yet on the field they have underachieved.

The #5yearplan that became an 8-year-plan is now done and Gus is gone.

Originally published as Phil Gould lost the boardroom over the coaching saga at Penrith