Paul Sironen unloads on sacked Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor

BALMAIN legend Paul Sironen has unloaded three years of frustration and anger after the Wests Tigers sacked coach Jason Taylor on Monday.

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BALMAIN legend Paul Sironen has unloaded three years of frustration and anger on Jason Taylor after the Wests Tigers coach was sacked.

“Karma is a bitch,” Sironen told The Daily Telegraph.

One of the game’s great gentleman, Sironen lifted the lid on the bitter infighting at the Tigers.

Taylor’s departure prompted Sironen to post a frank message on his Facebook page, saying: “Good riddance & don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”

The legendary Tiger then hit out at Taylor for his role in sacking him as an assistant to the club’s Under 20s side in October 2014.

Sironen was part of the Under 20s staff when he was dismissed by Taylor.

He also expressed his disappointment over the treatment of his son Curtis, who is now at Manly after being punted by the Tigers.

“I’m one of the people smiling,’’ Sironen said. “The bloke came in and got rid of me when I was employed by the club in a role with the 20s without any discussion.

“He just said see you later and he got rid of all the under 20s fulltime staff and he got rid of my son last year.

“So it’s dead set not that hard to see why I’m smiling.

“It’s a great day. When a bloke comes in and sacked me and then got rid of my son, I think I’m entitled to feel pretty good.

“To be honest I’ve bit my tongue for the last couple of years and said bugger all.

“Out of respect to my boys I’ve said nothing. But now he is gone I feel vindicated that I can say something.

“I’m not a vindictive sort of bloke and guys who know me will tell you that, but I’ve got a smile on my face.”

Curtis Sironen was let go by the Tigers late last year.

As one of the Tigers’ greatest players with 246 first grade games to his name, Sironen feels for the franchise after Taylor’s sacking.

The joint-venture club have now dismissed five coaches since the team’s inception in 2000, including Wayne Pearce, Terry Lamb, Tim Sheens and Mick Potter.

Sironen, though, believes the Tigers had to part ways with Taylor.

“I just don’t think Jason was the right bloke to be coach,” he said. “He might have been a good technical coach or an assistant coach.

“I recall a conversation with Curtis when he (Taylor) first got appointed. It was with Mitch Pearce and he had nothing but good things to say about him.

Now-former Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor leaves Concord Oval yesterday. Picture: Brett Costello

“But being an assistant at the Roosters and looking after their attack is a lot different to being a head coach at the Tigers. They are two completely different roles.

“Jason was appointed on the recommendation of a Brian Smith report.

“Grant Mayer got Smith as a consultant to interview everyone in the club and as a result of that JT got the job.”

Sironen also voiced his disappointment about his son Curtis’ exit from the Tigers to join cross-town rivals Manly this season.

“He (Curtis) wasn’t happy,” he said. “He was told to go back to reserve grade last year and work on some points of his game.

LISTEN: The Monday Bunker crew dissect all the fallout from the Jason Taylor sacking plus review a massive weekend in the NRL.

“I thought his form improved and he was playing okay at State Cup level, but when things went pear shaped was when he gave Curtis six minutes against the Warriors at the end of the season.

“He was then told he’d play against Canberra, but less than 24 hours before the game he told him he wasn’t playing.

“Curtis was shattered.”

Sironen praised the appointment of Andrew Webster as the Tigers’ interim coach. Fortunately for the Tigers, Webster is back at the club after he was released by Taylor in 2013.

Sironen believes the long-term assistant coach and former Balmain SG Ball mentor has the potential to have a long NRL career.

“I’m really happy Andrew will now get his chance with the first grade team,” he said.

Taylor was sacked by the Tigers after heavy losses in their last two matches.

“I worked with Andrew and Todd Payten at under 20s level at the Tigers and they both helped bring through a lot of guys like Woods, Brooks and Moses.

“When Andrew came back from England at the end of 2011, we gave him the job as the Balmain SG Ball coach in 2012 and he delivered a premiership after 30 years.

“He then went to working with the 20s, before Taylor came and he left.

“Thankfully one of the good things Mark O’Neill did was get Andrew back to the club in an assistant role.

“If the board decide to go with Andrew or get an experienced coach like Ivan Cleary, then so be it.

“I’ve watched all these kids come through the junior grades at both Balmain and Wests. I just want to see them fulfil their full potential and have the success I know they can have.”