Whether we like it or not every year every NRL and probably AFL related newspapers, podcasts & opinion pieces will always rank the coaches safety ratings, the coaches feeling the pressure and all that kind of stuff. I'm sure it's even worse in English Soccer. Last year 3 NRL coaches got sacked at some stage during the season Griffin, Holbrook and Sheens. The year before Brown, Barrett and McGuire got sacked. The two people responsible for sacking Barrett are still the two decision makers at our club. NRL is a results driven business. If there is every any heat on the decision makers at any club they will throw the coach off a bus to save themselves whether it's our club or another club. No decision maker has sacked themselves before sacking a coach. Bennett one year at Broncos avoided the heat on him by sacking all his assistant coaches. There's more politics and self preservation in Rugby League then there is in politics itself.
On average 2-3 coaches are sacked every year. When was the last time a coach didn't get sacked. I personally think Ciraldo for pressure is probably no.4 he's safe for his job in 2024 but he's under pressure. Demetriou is a deadman walking. Arthur will be feeling some pressure. The coach who should be under the most pressure is Payten. He needs to prove 2022 wasn't a one-off year. What makes the situation more dangerous for Demetriou, Arthur and Payten is that those 3 clubs are all ripe for Bennett to walk into as they all have good cattle ready to go. Fitzgibbon is another coach who should be under pressure as well. He escapes it all. Marshall, Flanagan and Hasler all have leave passes for this year.
Ciraldo is under pressure to deliver results within the next 2yrs. He won't lose his job in 2024. He is under pressure to get results and to continue results into 2025 to continue his time at the club. 2025 is his big year. Ciraldo came to the club with massive hype. This roster bar Addo Carr has been either signed or re signed by Gould meaning it's their team. Blaming the players card was used last year to save Khoury being challenged not they needed too they were never firing a shot for the board and blaming the players or past era's can't be used this year as so much fanfare has been about Barrett's team being all moved on so that excuse is out the window. This adds further to pressure on Ciraldo. Gould has had a history of sacking coaches or getting coaches sacked even if signing them to new deals or saying they will be here for another 10yrs. I repeat Ciraldo is safe for 2024 unless something really dramatic happens.
I haven't read this actual article as every year and every type of publication/podcast they're all the game. I would be safe in saying it's not an agenda against our club or any club. It's just the way it is. We need to get over thinking everyone is against us. We can change the narrative naturally by winning football games. Of the clubs who finished bottom 5 last year. Bennett is heading into his last year. 3 of those clubs sacked coaches mentioned above. Ciraldo is the other.
We all agree we need to see massive improvement this year as it's now Gould's roster and Gould's coach. Ciraldo has to deliver on the roster. Pressure to perform, pressure to deliver results, not under any job pressure in 2024.
Where Ciraldo may feel the heat this year if results are poor is Bennett is lurking for an NRL gig. He would take an NRL role over the Kiwis role any day of the week and some more. We wouldn't be in Bennett's sights. Remember Gould claims even though the dates and facts don't match up to him approaching Bennett for 2019. Bennett denied it, all the dates back up Bennett's version of the story, don't put it past Gould to make a play for Bennett to say I was right I wanted Bennett all that time ago. Ciraldo performs this year or Bennett quickly finds a new club no discussion about Bennett with us happens. Simple.
Lets go through the 17 clubs and the safety rating of their coaches. On average 2-3 sacked every year. Where it's all murky for a few coaches is Bennett is available as an NRL coach.
1. Cleary Penrith. 3 premierships in a row, best coach & off field official that club has ever had, father of the best halfback in the game. He has taken Penrith to levels that club has never seen before. He's the safest in the game.
2. Walters Brisbane. He got them to the grand final last year. Reynolds as captain loves him. The old boys faction all love him. He handled the Cobbo situation very well.
3. Bellamy Melbourne. Likely to retire this year. 2nd longest serving coach at the one club, longest in most successive seasons for the one club. He picks and chooses his time.
4. Webster Auckland. The success of last year buys him safety for all of this year. Needs success in at least 2024 or 2025 to be safer.
5. O'Brien Newcastle. The end of season run saved him for this year needs a good start to the year. Might feel pressure if 2023 was a one-off.
6. Robinson Easts. Politis loves him. He's safe. Robinson does what Politis wants. Politis controls all the recruitment and key decisions. Robinson obliges. Roosters have by far the best team in the competition Robinson should be feeling pressure he won't because of how the club is operated and controlled.
7. Fitzgibbon Cronulla. Landing AFB has kept him safe until 2025. He's showed he wants a bit of generation change moving on Graham, Moylan and Tracey. Will need to blood the young blokes. Failure to do so might lead to question marks on him.
8 Stuart Canberra. Has found ways to keep this club competitive on paper we should demolish them. He's bought himself safety this year by saying he's bringing in a new generation. Best mates with the CEO. Both are connected to the owners Queanbeyan Leagues. Very safe no matter what.
9. Demetriou Souths. He has lost all control there, the players run the show and only a run into at least week 2 of the finals will save him. Will be nervous about Bennett being available especially as he can control Mitchell and Walker. Them 2 and Crowe would being Bennett back in a heartbeat.
10. Arthur Parramatta. The 2nd longest serving coach currently for a club after Bellamy at Melbourne. He's had a good run. Needs to make a run beyond week 1 of the finals and will be watching his back until Bennett's future is secure.
11. Seiblod Manly. He really has the team on paper to finish top 4. Manly's problem continues to be an over reliance on one player. Outsiders at Manly really have to prove themselves or they're out. If the season doesn't go to plan an outside chance of being sacked. The longest serving outsider to coach Manly was Graham Lowe 3yrs & only one not to be sacked.
12. Payten North QLD. I really believe he should be the coach under most pressure. He needs to prove 2022 wasn't a one-off. He has a blistering roster on paper that should challenge top 4. He has to deliver results. Another coach that will feel nervous if results don't happen and Bennett hasn't got a 2025 club.
13. Bennett/Woolf Redcliffe. Last year there and his standing in the game means he goes out on his terms there. They've announced a succession plan. Woolf will need to keep that club in an upwards direction. His pressure year will be 2026.
14. Hasler Gold Coast. The club amazingly announced Holbrook's sacking and Hasler's signing without a single leak. He has a leave pass for this year unless something dramatic happens. He's safe for 2yrs.
15. Ciraldo Canterbury. His job is safe for 2024. He is under pressure to deliver results now that this is Gould's roster and he's Gould's coach. He has to begin performing. 2025 will be the year he has to deliver results regardless of how this year goes.
16. Flanagan St George. Like Hasler he has a leave pass for this year. Dragons are a club that tends to give coaches a bit of time. He's safe for the next 2yrs. Absolute spoon specials for this year still Flanagan is safe. There's an acceptance they dug themselves a hole and Flanagan has been charged to get them out of it like Gould with us. They're in a position where we were in 2020. Where they are in 3yrs will be is when Flanagan feels pressure.
17. Marshall Wests Tigers. This year Benji is very safe and the club right now is Richardson and Benji with no board. Richardson has already backed Marshall on 3 big decisions successfully getting Luai, moving on Nofo and sacking Fulton. He needs results in 2025 with Luai and a newly structured board which we don't know where it might and will shape the club.
So looking at the 17 clubs the coaches I have under the most pressure in order:
1 Demetriou
2 Payten
3 Seibold
4 Arthur
5 Ciraldo
6 Fitzgibbon
7 O'Brien
*8 Marshall
9 Robinson
10 Stuart
11 Webster
12 Walters
*13 Hasler
*14 Flanagan
15 Bennett
16 Bellamy
17 Cleary
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