Why Michael Maguire cancelled his interview with the Canterbury Bulldogs

MICHAEL Maguire was poised to interview for the Canterbury Bulldogs coaching job last season, but something he discovered about the club caused him to cut it short.

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DES Hasler withdrew from the New Zealand coaching job because he said it appeared the Kiwis were looking for someone who was probably still not aspiring to be an NRL coach.

Michael Maguire met with Canterbury after Hasler was sacked last season. Before the interview started he asked to see the club’s books to assess its salary cap position.

Once he saw the books he immediately terminated the interview. He was not prepared to waste everybody’s time by taking it any further.

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Maguire was confirmed as Kiwi coach on Friday.

The former premiership winner with South Sydney was coveted by both the Bulldogs and the Titans after he left the Rabbitohs at the end of last season.

He’s contracted to coach the Kiwis through the 2021 World Cup, but that could be cut short if an NRL job came up.

The Bulldogs salary cap nightmare is well known — a series of back ended deals from the Hasler era have crippled their ability to target big name players.

Hasler has left the club in total disarray.

Former Kiwi international Greg Eastwood is earning $800,000 and playing reserve grade while star outside backs Josh and Brett Morris will be moved on at season’s end to ease the cap pressure.

The club is also shopping around Moses Mbye, who is under contract until the end of 2020.

Fan favourite and former captain James Graham was also let go, only to experience a resurgence with St George Illawarra.

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