Insane lengths Phil Gould went to sign next coach Cameron Ciraldo

Phil Gould was desperate to keep his pursuit of new coach Cameron Ciraldo secret, going to elaborate lengths to hide his tracks.

How Gus got his man.

Phil Gould went to elaborate lengths to hide his tracks as he chased new Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo’s signature, holding 10 secret meetings which saw the CCTV cameras turned off in the venues.

Ciraldo has been the most wanted signature in coaching and has been linked to every vacant role in recent years despite not having held a head coaching role until now.

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The Penrith assistant coach was unveiled last weekend after a long drawn out process.

The Bulldogs have been without a permanent coach since Trent Barrett left the club in May.

Gould has been burned before by CCTV footage, most notably when Viliame Kikau signed for the Bulldogs for 2023 but an image of the Panthers star in a Canterbury polo shirt.

In a column from Danny Weidler on the Sydney Morning Herald, the extra lengths were revealed.

Ciraldo visited Bulldogs headquarters twice under the cover of darkness and the only leak was when the in-demand coach was snapped by a punter having lunch with Craig Laundy, the son of major sponsor Arthur Laundy.

It sent the rumour mill into overdrive but the club’s football boss Phil Gould denied Ciraldo had met the club’s board.

Phil Gould is the master. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Speaking on 100% Footy on Monday night, Gould said the secrecy was essential to land Ciraldo, especially after the Tigers’ botched attempt to sign him.

“You know nothing about the process we’ve been through,” he said.

“Nor do I have any obligation to answer that question, nor answer your question, nor answer for any of the things I’ve said over the last few months, all of which, at the time, were true.

“It’s exciting for Cameron and it’s exciting for our club. Keeping in mind with respect to Cameron and Panthers, because he has got a big job to do there for the rest of the season.

“This is the next step in his coaching career and I believe he will be a career coach. It’s a very important brick in the wall for what we are trying to build at the Bulldogs.

“He’s been an integral part of the club’s success. He has done probably a better apprenticeship than most coaches that come into this role.”

Ciraldo has the support. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Ciraldo will become the youngest coach in the game as he turns 38 in October but will join a team with plenty of familiar faces, including star half Matt Burton and incoming second rower Viliame Kikau, who are also Panthers alums.

He will also add Eels hooker Reed Mahoney.

Ciraldo has been a brilliant development coach in his time at Penrith, becoming the club’s under-20s assistant in 2014 after retiring his 94-game NRL playing career following the 2013 season.

He then became the under-20s head coach in 2015, winning the premiership that year but losing in the grand final in 2016.

He was promoted to the NRL assistant position in 2017 under Anthony Griffin and other than a short stint as caretaker later that year and filling in when Ivan Cleary had knee surgery earlier this year, he has developed strong credentials to go to the next level.