Parramatta Eels must sort out Clint Gutherson, Brad Arthur futures

The Eels have brand new $360 million stadium ready to unveil next week, yet don’t have a coach or a captain to lead them into the future. What’s worse, it looks like they are in no rush to address it.

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Every time Parramatta look like they are about to get things right, they find a way to screw it up.

It really is an uncanny ability the club should put a patent on.

The Eels have the brand new $360 million Bankwest Stadium ready to unveil next week, yet don’t have a coach or a captain to lead them into the future.

What’s worse, it looks like they are in no rush to address it.

It’s about time the club’s new general manager of football Mark O’Neill and chief executive Bernie Gurr got on with business before this goes pear-shaped.

The club also has 13 other players coming off contract this year, including Mitchell Moses, Manu Ma’u and the respected and loyal Tim Mannah.

But locking up Brad Arthur and Clint Gutherson is the key.

Let’s start with Gutherson’s predicament.

While I am not a Parramatta fan, the great Mick Cronin is.

And right now the Eels legend is with the rest of us, utterly confused as to why the club is holding out on giving their inspirational skipper a new deal.

Not only is Gutherson, 24, entering his prime, he can play any position in the backline.

Clint Gutherson is the key to Parramatta’s future. Picture: AAP

If Brad Fittler was naming his NSW team tomorrow, it would be hard to go past Gutherson for the bench utility spot.

But that doesn’t go close to explaining what he means to Parramatta, as a player and person.

As Cronin said: “I remember when he came back from injury last year, he was the one bloke who was hurting … it looked like it mattered to him. As a Parramatta supporter, that is what you want to see.”

The delay in negotiations is not of Gutherson’s doing, and it’s not Arthur’s fault, either.

Arthur had his retention and recruitment powers stripped from him last year when O’Neill walked through the door.

LISTEN! Matty Johns is back with his latest podcast and with Paul Kent and James Hooper runs the rule over struggling team, takes a look at what makes a great halfback and has his say on the modern coaching problem. Plenty of laughs to be had as well.

O’Neill has been dealing with Gutherson’s agent Sam Ayoub since late last year and they are still not close to working out a deal, despite what the club would like fans to believe.

Initially, Gutherson was tabled a two-year offer said to be worth $450,000 for the first year and $500,000 for the second. Weeks later that was increased to $500,000 for each year.

Understandably, Ayoub not only wanted a longer deal but an offer in line with Gutherson’s market value. About $700,000 a season is the figure I have been told.

In today’s market, that is not asking for a king’s ransom for the player known at Parramatta as the “King”.

There are conflicting reports from rival clubs that the asking price for Gutherson is as high as $850,000.

Clint Gutherson is entering his prime, and can play any position in the backline.

The truth will come out when Gutherson makes a call on his career.

But as Cronin said, who could the Eels buy to replace Gutherson for a better price?

It is not as if James Tedesco, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Kalyn Ponga or Tom Trbojevic are on the market, and they would all cost significantly more.

“Usually the ones you can buy are the ones their own clubs don’t want,” Cronin said.

“And they made him captain for a reason. You don’t make a bloke of his age captain if you are thinking of letting him go.”

You’d think not.

But Ayoub has said if no deal is done by this weekend, the door will be open to rival clubs. Already three have expressed interest.

Gutherson does not want to leave, but Parramatta are playing a dangerous game. And it only leaves Arthur in a more vulnerable position as he fights to keep his job.

To a point, I can understand why negotiations with Arthur have been delayed given there are no other NRL head coaching positions up for grabs.

But it doesn’t make it right what they are doing to Arthur.

Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur is also coming off contract. Picture: John Appleyard

If Arthur has proven one thing, through the salary cap crisis and since, it is that he has the club’s best interests at heart. Like Gutherson.

And he has shown again this year that he can coach. But it is almost like Arthur is again being forced to coach with one hand tied behind his back.

Not only are the Eels playing $700,000 under the salary cap — which seems ridiculous for a club that is not on the breadline — but Arthur has to contend with 14 players coming off contract.

Yet he has managed three wins from four games, the only loss against premiers the Roosters after the Eels stood toe-to-toe with them for most of the match.

But there will come a point soon when all this uncertainty starts to have a negative impact. And when that happens, you know Arthur will be held accountable, not those above him who have allowed this to fester.