Ivan Cleary’s move from Wests Tigers to Penrith leaves many questions
IVAN Cleary’s defection from Wests Tigers to Penrith Panthers has left a tail of hurt behind it and with no explanation from the man himself yet, there are many questions to be answered.
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SO much for the so-called “misinformation”.
Ivan Cleary’s Donald Trump impersonation has now grown a bit tired.
Kind of like what Phil Gould accused Cleary of being a few years ago when he sacked him.
Cleary now owes it to Wests Tigers fans to give them an explanation.
They have been patient.
They have been supportive.
They trusted Cleary.
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Now they have understandably grown tired.
And at the very least they deserve answers.
When Cleary sits down to discuss his new multimillion-dollar coaching deal at Penrith, perhaps he could start by revealing what exactly was the “misinformation” he was referring to when he constantly and vehemently claimed it was his intention to see out the remainder of his contract at the Tigers.
Putting to bed one of the worst kept secrets in the game, the Tigers at the weekend agreed to a settlement with Penrith that cleared the way for Cleary to team up with his son Nathan in 2019.
It also opened the door for Michael Maguire to take up a three-year deal at the Tigers, while
Cleary has signed a five-year term at the club that previously punted him in 2015.
And even better, Cleary can go in confident that if his deal worth an estimated $1 million-a-season falls over he should get his payout regardless.
That was the case when Gould sacked Cleary with a year to run on his contract just three years ago.
It is understood Cleary was paid out in full after being told by Gould that he needed a break.
Ultimately it was the Tigers who stepped up to offer him a lifeline.
And didn’t they rally around him.
It was one of the NRL’s most uplifting stories in 2018.
The way the Tigers went one-in and all-in on Ivan’s “bus” was inspirational.
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But that still didn’t stop Cleary, obviously, determining the Panthers were a better career option going forward, despite the fact he had two years to run on his current deal.
Cleary may well have intended to see out the remainder of his contract but once he agreed to coach Penrith in 2021 that left his position untenable.
Surely he is not that naive, or is he?
It will make for an interesting media conference the first time Cleary sits down beside Gould to tell the reasons behind his move.
Cleary again did not answer calls from The Daily Telegraph as the story broke around him last week.
It is becoming a habit.
For months now, Cleary has dragged this on without barely uttering a word, refusing to explain his side of the story.
He came across as calm and calculated every time he was questioned in media conferences, basically inferring this was all a media beat up.
Fake news, as Trump would put it.
At first, most people in rugby league backed him.
But ultimately, even his closest allies wondered what the hell he was up to.
Why the silence?
Cleary could well have good reason for making the move but his sustained silence has only led to confusion and ultimately anger from many fans.
And now he has gone to Penrith, without so much as an explanation.
While Tigers’ fans will understandably be bitterly disappointed, The Daily Telegraph understands the Tigers will be well compensated financially.
They also get a premiership-winning coach with a far superior strike rate.
Throughout his career, Maguire boasts a 62 per cent winning record compared to Cleary’s 48 per cent.
Don’t misinterpret this.
Cleary did an outstanding job bringing the Tigers back together after years of turmoil.
And he deserves credit for that.
But the circumstances behind his exit have just about destroyed all the goodwill.
Cleary will now go to Penrith to take charge of one of the NRL’s best rosters, where there is no longer any room for excuses.
The job for Cleary now will not be to rebuild a roster but his reputation.
Cleary coaching his son at Penrith should be one of the NRL’s most uplifting stories.
Instead what has transpired is almost un-Australian.
Again, he quit a club with two years to run on his contract to join a club that sacked him three years ago.
It just seems absurd.
Maybe Ivan can set us straight.
Because at some stage he is going to have to explain exactly what “misinformation” he was referring to.
At the very least that is what the fans he left behind deserve.