NRL 2021: How Bulldogs landed Phil Gould | What’s the Buzz

The Bulldogs had given up all hope of landing Phil Gould, but one phone call changed everything, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.

Phil Gould has joined the Canterbury Bulldogs

Two weeks ago the Canterbury Bulldogs had given up all hope of bringing Gus Gould back to Belmore.

Then it was a phone call, Sunday, July 5, 10:35 am, that changed it all.

Your columnist on one end of the line, Bulldogs chairman John Khoury on the other.

This was the morning after the 66-nil flogging to the Manly Sea Eagles at Bankwest Stadium, one of the darkest days in Canterbury history.

Khoury had been in the job for only six months and was lost for a solution.

His concern was fan outrage and membership backlash more than the scoreboard the night before.

I told him there was only one way to fix this mess – by signing Gould to implement the same ‘five-year plan’ that has been so spectacularly successful at the Penrith Panthers.

“He’s already knocked us back and wants too much money,” Khoury said.

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Phil Gould has joined the Canterbury Bulldogs

I then informed him of the rumour that Gould was now unsettled in his job at the Warriors.

That he should try again. That Covid was preventing Gus from properly doing the job he had started in pathways and junior development.

I even rang the Bulldogs’ billionaire major sponsor Arthur Laundy to get him on board ... the one man with deep enough pockets to quickly fix Khoury’s concern about the costs.

Gould would want three times the normal salary of general managers of football at most clubs. Probably $1 million.

For all our run-ins over the years, there is no questioning his ability to get the job done, even allowing for all the controversy and soap operas along the way.

It had to be explained to Khoury that Gould would bring more than his salary back into the club.

Phil Gould was reportedly unsettled in his role at the Warriors due to Covid. Picture: AAP.

Like Craig Bellamy. Trent Robinson and Wayne Bennett, players would sign under Gus for less money. A $600,000 player would join the Dogs for $500,000.

He would also attract huge corporate support through his connections and by turning the club into a competitive and successful outfit from the basket case it has been for years.

So Project Gus was up and running.

Khoury’s last words were: “Okay, I’ll have another crack at him … and I’ll keep you in the loop.”

Next day in The Daily Telegraph we published the following item: “Shoosh: Which Sydney-based club still hasn’t given up hope of convincing Phil ‘Gus’ Gould to quit the New Zealand Warriors to oversee a much-needed football department shake-up and major overhaul of their roster.”

And then on Friday morning the Bulldogs got their man.

Gus was back at Belmore … thanks to The Daily Telegraph.

Originally published as NRL 2021: How Bulldogs landed Phil Gould | What’s the Buzz