Penrith Panthers sack coach Anthony Griffin on the eve of NRL finals
PANTHERS supremo Phil Gould has revealed he sacked Anthony Griffin because the coach had lost the dressing room. LISTEN to Buzz Rothfield’s interview with Gould.
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PANTHERS supremo Phil Gould has revealed he sacked Anthony Griffin because he had lost the dressing room and the support of his coaching staff at Penrith.
He said he acted on the outcome of a recent management review into the coaching staff, despite the fact the Panthers are running equal fourth on the ladder and that Griffin had taken the team to the finals in every year.
“The general feeling (from the review) amongst coaching and the players is that he didn’t have much support,” Gould said.
“The board had just had enough and I said if you’re going to move on you’ve got to tell him straight away. In the end I made the call.
“It’s part of what we do. We do it with kids, players, staff and coaches.”
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Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher alerted Griffin’s manager Wayne Beavis about the decision over the weekend but agreed to wait until Monday to tell the coach.
I asked Gould why, when approached by The Daily Telegraph last month, he denied Griffin was facing the chop.
“The mail was bad then,” Gould said.
LISTEN! Buzz Rothfield grills Phil Gould on the reasons behind the sacking of Penrith coach Anthony Griffin.
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“Sometimes it doesn’t work out and you’ve got to make changes in terms of the long-term interests of the club. I had to be the one to tell him.
“It’s not nice. It’s never easy. We’ve tried very hard.”
Gould said the players had not been informed and most had to read about it on the internet and social media.
“I haven’t told the players because it happened quickly,’’ he said. “I don’t know how they’ll react.
“It’s unfortunate. We decided we wanted a new coach for 2019 and it was only fair we let him know and not do it behind his back.
“They’re playing awful at the moment. Everyone’s a bit frustrated. What’s looked like a good year, hasn’t (been) in some places.”
Asked if they could still win the competition, Gould said: “Not the way they are playing at the moment.”
On Griffin, he said: “I spoke to him and then he spoke to the CEO to get his settlement and organise a press release.”
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Gould said Cameron Ciraldo would take over as head coach for the remainder of the season. Recetly retired hooker Peter Wallace will assist Ciraldo.
The club is no rush to appoint a successor for 2019.
“I will keep an eye on the process,” he said.
Gould said he had no plans yet for next season.
“I’ve no idea who we want at the moment,” he said. “It definitely won’t be Trent Barrett.”
Panthers Group CEO Brian Fletcher released a short statement on Monday afternoon.
“There has been much speculation and rumours about the club and head coach Anthony Griffin over the last few weeks,” the statement read.
“After discussions with Anthony Griffin it is time to end that speculation. By mutual agreement, the club and Anthony have agreed to part ways, effective immediately.
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“Anthony departs the club after much success, having taken the Panthers to the finals in the last two years and leaves the club on track for another finals appearance in 2018.
“We would like to thank Anthony for his service to Panthers and wish him well for the future.”
Griffin will be paid out more than $1 million for the final two years of his contract, an extension which Gould announced at the club’s presentation night last October.
Gould had continually denied reports Griffin’s job was on the line and only last weekend rejected claims Manly coach Trent Barrett would be coaching Penrith.
Gould was forced to defend rumours in June that Griffin’s influence was being diluted at the club.
“We have 22 full-time people working in football at the Panthers Academy. Everything is overseen by head coach Anthony Griffin,’ Gould told The Daily Telegraph in June.
“It’s a huge job these days. It’s not like the old days where the head coach did everything.
“The best coaches today rely heavily on their specialist staff members across all areas of coaching and development.
“Cameron Ciraldo has been Anthony’s assistant NRL coach for the past two seasons and is an outstanding young coach.
“He has recently been joined by Peter Wallace who has already shown us what an asset he will be to this club in his new role.”
Asked had Ciraldo taken over some of Griffin’s duties, Gould said: “No. He works for the head coach.”
If one more journalist suggests Trent Barrett &/or John Cartwright are coming to Panthers next season, I will scream. Read my lips: ITS NOT HAPPENING. It’s never been suggested. It’s never been considered. Apologies to fans of both clubs. I don’t know who starts this stuff.
— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) August 2, 2018
Griffin has made the finals in his three years at the club and has the Panthers running in equal fourth position on the ladder with St George Illawarra four weeks from the finals.
A high ranking Panthers official recently confirmed there had been some tension and recent disagreements between the pair over the direction of the side.
And that Gould had instructed assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo to take on a bigger role.
I’m told senior players have been disgruntled with Griffin for some time. Some players have made it clear they wouldn’t remain at the club if Griffin was coach.
— Matt Logue (@mattlogue7) August 6, 2018
This is the second time Gould has cut short the tenure of a Penrith coach in recent years.
He also sacked now Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary in 2015, a year before his contract was up, before subsequently appointing former Broncos boss Griffin.
The club is coming off back-to-back come from behind victories against the Sea Eagles and Raiders.
The Panthers are expected to release a statement on Monday afternoon.