Buzz Rothfield: Warring Eels' fault that Ricky Stuart left Parramatta coaching deal early

THE Parramatta Eels have only themselves to blame for the early departure of Ricky Stuart as head coach. 

THE Parramatta Eels have only themselves to blame for the early departure of Ricky Stuart as head coach.

In the end it was boardroom instability that convinced the former State of Origin and Kangaroos coach it was time to go.

That’s why he picked up the phone and reluctantly broke the news to embattled Eels chairman Steve Sharp last night.

Rebuilding the Eels from the rugby league scrapheap is the toughest and most demanding job in the game.

It requires all parties working in the one direction - the players, the coaching staff, the football club employees and the board.

Right now the club is split down the middle. The bloodshed from club elections earlier this season has created a massive divide.

Rookie chairman Steve Sharp has been unable to pull the warring parties together.

Stuart found it difficult to work under those circumstances. It’s hard enough to rebuild without all the distractions.

The great Jack Gibson once famously said that winning premierships starts in the front office.

In other words, you can’t win competitions without the right people in the boardroom.

On the day Dave Furner was sacked as coach of the Canberra Raiders, I predicted Stuart would be their next coach.

The Raiders might have struggled on the field but at least they had strong management.

Many have attacked Stuart on social media for walking out on the Eels just one year into a three-season deal.

It's true that he left the Cronulla Sharks before his contract was up, too.

But this time he has made the right call.

YOUR VOTE: WAS RICKY RIGHT TO LEAVE THE EELS? OUR POLL BELOW

Parramatta has gone backwards this year, winning their second wooden spoon in a row.

They need a complete overhaul. A new coach, new management, new players.

The NRL should even step in to ensure it happens because right now they are holding back the rest of the game.
Television ratings and crowds are down this season because this once-powerful force of Sydney’s west is struggling so badly.

Neil Henry should be appointed immediately as head coach in a package deal with Peter Parr as chief executive. Under-performing players should be shown the door.

And the NRL should have a say in the appointment of new independent directors, because there is no sign of the club recovering next year under its current management model.

As for Stuart, his coaching reputation is on the line in Canberra next year. He simply cannot afford another bad year after disappointing stints at the Eels and the Sharks.

In my opinion he is a better coach than his more recent results indicate.

He has a wonderfully talented playing roster at Canberra that hopelessly underperformed this year.

And he also has a stable management all working in the one direction … unlike at Parramatta.