Phil Gould throws interim Panthers coach Cameron Ciraldo under the bus in NRL Footy Show interview

IF the Penrith Panthers have a bus, club supremo Phil Gould just threw interim coach Cameron Ciraldo under it during his bizarre blast on last night’s The Footy Show.

THE Wests Tigers looked a rejuvenated team at the start of the season because coach Ivan Cleary had a bus and he convinced everyone at the club to get on-board.

Cleary may want to weigh up very carefully any decision about joining son Nathan at the foot of the mountains though, because if Penrith have a bus Phil Gould just threw interim coach Cameron Ciraldo under it.

The Panthers supremo was on Channel 9’s The Footy Show last night responding to comments sacked Penrith coach Anthony Griffin made on NRL360 on Wednesday.

The bizarre interview began with Gould saying he wasn’t “going to sit here and judge Anthony Griffin for the world to see,” before the man they call Gus did in fact go on to judge the hell out of Griffin on national television.

Phil Gould had some choice words for Anthony Griffin on last night's The Footy Show.

Gould slammed Griffin’s alleged inability to delegate, denied Griffin’s claims on the state of the club when he arrived at Penrith and outlined (again) why he felt Griffin had to go.

But the most cringe-worthy aspect of Gould’s spray came when he addressed Ciraldo’s place in the team, saying the now-caretaker coach attempted to resign twice due to his relationship with Griffin, only to be talked out of it by Gould.

“I have utmost respect and confidence in Cameron Ciraldo. He’s been a wonderful ally for Anthony Griffin,” Gould said.

“He has assisted that man loyally and without question.

“He did come to me and resign twice for the way he was treated by the head coach.

“Twice I talked him into staying.”

And with those comments it was ‘good luck’ to Ciraldo as he attempted to conduct his first press conference today as head coach of the Panthers.

Penrith Panthers interim coach Cameron Ciraldo conducts his first press conference since Anthony Griffin was sacked. Picture: Brett Costello

After doing his utmost to nurse a playing group through extremely stressful off-field issues threatening to derail their tilt at the premiership, Ciraldo found himself being dragged into the very mess he’d been trying desperately to ignore.

We hear it all the time when NRL clubs find themselves battling to contain the internal politics raging within their organisations: the coaches just want to talk football.

Ciraldo certainly would have.

But he didn’t get that chance this week.

Thanks to Gould.

As predicted, questions for Ciraldo were centred around Gould’s spray last night.

“Yeah that’s true,” Ciraldo was forced to confirm this morning. “At the time of me doing that I thought it was in the interests of me and the club. But I got talked around twice and I’m glad I’m still here.

Sacked Penrith coach Anthony Griffin appeared on NRL360 on Wednesday. Picture: Toby Zerna

“I’m disappointed to see all the headlines around at the moment but the people within these four walls know what we’re about.

“We (Ciraldo and Griffin) had a working relationship but I did everything possible up to Monday to help him with the team.

“Whatever job title I have I just want what is in the best interests of this club.”

So, if you see Ciraldo limping around the Gold Coast this week ahead of the Panthers clash with the Titans spare a thought for the interim coach.

He didn’t just get hit by a Panthers bus.

He was pushed under it by someone he thought he could trust.