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New Bulldogs coach Dean Pay wants club to focus on developing talent to rebuild its culture
DEAN Pay has opened up about how he aims to resurrect Canterbury’s famous culture from the ground up, with a heavy focus on “bringing our own kids through our own systems”.
The Bulldogs’ 48-year-old former premiership winning forward will officially take charge on Friday on a two-year deal after beating his former teammate Jim Dymock for the top job.
In a wideranging interview with The Daily Telegraph, Pay also revealed how he wants to employ a style of footy “supporters are really proud of”.
MATTY JOHNS’ GF PREVIEW: Cam’s the man
Dean Pay wants Canterbury to take control of its future. Picture Kym Smith
Pay also spoke about his plans to get the best out of new recruit Kieran Foran, while hinting at a surprise positional change for Moses Mbye.
While Des Hasler is locked in an ugly legal battle over a $1 million-plus payout, Pay’s message will sound like music to the ears of disgruntled fans and club legends.
The biggest criticism of Hasler from the likes of Steve Mortimer and Terry Lamb was that the club lost its “DNA” during Hasler’s six years in charge.
Asked how he would fix that, Pay said: “I don’t want to bag Des. His record speaks for itself.
“Do you lose your culture? Maybe sometimes you just have to reset it. A different voice, different training methods, different ways of doing things.
“It is really important people understand that I am really looking forward to the challenge. It is a club that I know really well.
“I can’t wait to get up there and sink my teeth into it and get to work. I wish we were starting pre-season tomorrow.”
The club has lost its way in recent years. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Pay said junior development would be a huge focus.
“We want to put a big emphasis on our juniors,” Pay said. “We want to start bringing our own kids through our own systems. That is where we want to get to.
“The club has the foundations of a really good team. In respect to the effort and attitude the players showed during the year, there is a really good strong attitude among the playing group.
“But I will be working hard to develop a game of footy that the supporters are really proud of.”
Pay with the NSW under-20s after a successful 2015 Origin series. Picture: Mark Nolan
It will be Pay’s first crack at being a head coach after more than a decade serving as an assistant under Ricky Stuart, while he also had outstanding success with the NSW Under 20s.
“Deano and Jimmy are both great mates of mine,” Stuart said.
“I don’t think they were going to go far wrong with the two blokes they interviewed. But I am really excited for Deano.
“I have been through so much with Deano as a player and as an assistant coach and I can tell you that the strength of the person is his character.”
Plenty of fans have understandable concerns about Foran’s arrival, given his on and off field troubles over the past year and a half.
Asked if he thought the now 27-year-old would prove a good buy, Pay said: “We definitely think he will be.
“He is a quality player. I just think over the last couple of years his fitness and his body have let him down. “That is the first priority with him. Just to get him fit and healthy.”
He also said he wanted Mbye to settle in one position, conceding that could end up being in the halves, hooker or even fullback.
“I don’t really want to say until I speak to him,” Pay said.
“I have watched him fairly closely and when he gets into a bit of broken field play he is quick and he is strong.
“We have to work out what his best position is and then leave him there.”
Obviously been following the kennel !!!
DEAN Pay has opened up about how he aims to resurrect Canterbury’s famous culture from the ground up, with a heavy focus on “bringing our own kids through our own systems”.
The Bulldogs’ 48-year-old former premiership winning forward will officially take charge on Friday on a two-year deal after beating his former teammate Jim Dymock for the top job.
In a wideranging interview with The Daily Telegraph, Pay also revealed how he wants to employ a style of footy “supporters are really proud of”.
MATTY JOHNS’ GF PREVIEW: Cam’s the man
Dean Pay wants Canterbury to take control of its future. Picture Kym Smith
Pay also spoke about his plans to get the best out of new recruit Kieran Foran, while hinting at a surprise positional change for Moses Mbye.
While Des Hasler is locked in an ugly legal battle over a $1 million-plus payout, Pay’s message will sound like music to the ears of disgruntled fans and club legends.
The biggest criticism of Hasler from the likes of Steve Mortimer and Terry Lamb was that the club lost its “DNA” during Hasler’s six years in charge.
Asked how he would fix that, Pay said: “I don’t want to bag Des. His record speaks for itself.
“Do you lose your culture? Maybe sometimes you just have to reset it. A different voice, different training methods, different ways of doing things.
“It is really important people understand that I am really looking forward to the challenge. It is a club that I know really well.
“I can’t wait to get up there and sink my teeth into it and get to work. I wish we were starting pre-season tomorrow.”
The club has lost its way in recent years. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Pay said junior development would be a huge focus.
“We want to put a big emphasis on our juniors,” Pay said. “We want to start bringing our own kids through our own systems. That is where we want to get to.
“The club has the foundations of a really good team. In respect to the effort and attitude the players showed during the year, there is a really good strong attitude among the playing group.
“But I will be working hard to develop a game of footy that the supporters are really proud of.”
Pay with the NSW under-20s after a successful 2015 Origin series. Picture: Mark Nolan
It will be Pay’s first crack at being a head coach after more than a decade serving as an assistant under Ricky Stuart, while he also had outstanding success with the NSW Under 20s.
“Deano and Jimmy are both great mates of mine,” Stuart said.
“I don’t think they were going to go far wrong with the two blokes they interviewed. But I am really excited for Deano.
“I have been through so much with Deano as a player and as an assistant coach and I can tell you that the strength of the person is his character.”
Plenty of fans have understandable concerns about Foran’s arrival, given his on and off field troubles over the past year and a half.
Asked if he thought the now 27-year-old would prove a good buy, Pay said: “We definitely think he will be.
“He is a quality player. I just think over the last couple of years his fitness and his body have let him down. “That is the first priority with him. Just to get him fit and healthy.”
He also said he wanted Mbye to settle in one position, conceding that could end up being in the halves, hooker or even fullback.
“I don’t really want to say until I speak to him,” Pay said.
“I have watched him fairly closely and when he gets into a bit of broken field play he is quick and he is strong.
“We have to work out what his best position is and then leave him there.”
Obviously been following the kennel !!!