Why Paul McGregor changed his tune on Dragons future | Buzz Rothfield
Phil Rothfield spoke to Paul McGregor last Saturday and the Dragons coach insisted he would not walk out on the club — so what changed in the days leading up to his departure?
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Paul McGregor always said he’d never walk out on the St George Illawarra Dragons even as recently as last weekend.
After round four this year when the Saints were belted 22-2 by the Canterbury Bulldogs, McGregor did a live interview on NRL 360.
Asked if he would step down, he said: “Not a chance, I’m not a quitter. You don’t quit on people you believe in.”
It was as if he was offended by the question.
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Last Saturday afternoon your columnist spoke again to McGregor for 15 minutes.
He told me exactly the same thing. That he would not chuck it in. Nothing had changed.
Further conversations with club powerbrokers on Monday and Tuesday convinced him otherwise.
He had lost the support of directors who had stood by him for a tumultuous two years.
He’d also lost the senior players.
Too many team changes. Too much uncertainty and too many losses on the scoreboard.
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It’s incredible how McGregor’s mood changed in the 48 hours from the conversation we had on Saturday when he was defending himself and his record.
It must have been the payout deal.
On Thursday he said: “We haven’t met performance expectations over the past 18 months, and I take acceptance of responsibility.
“I understand a fresh face and new voice is needed to move the club forward.”
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In the end just eight wins from the last 31 games forced the Dragons to look in a new direction.
As revealed in The Daily Telegraph on Monday, Dean Young will be charge after the Parramatta Eels game when McGregor leaves the sheds for the last time.
It’s a big job for a rookie coach at a proud club with so much talent but so little recent success.