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It’s the secret Gold Coast meeting that doesn’t fit the narrative being peddled by those who are insisting Trent Barrett was surprised by a board meeting on Monday to discuss his future and sacked by football manager Phil Gould.
On the Thursday night before Canterbury played Newcastle in Brisbane to kick off Magic Round, Barrett and his agent, Wayne Beavis, met with Gould and Bulldogs recruitment manager Peter Sharp at Omeros Bros restaurant. I can’t tell you what they ate, but I can tell you what they discussed. Going into that dinner, Barrett was more than aware of the growing pressure. He knew a loss the following night would see the knives out for him.
When Gould got off air on Sunday night after calling the football for Channel Nine, he got a message from Beavis to say Barrett had quit. Some have claimed he quit when he found out about the board meeting; that he was stunned by the news. However, he already knew about the meeting and its announcement in the media on Sunday afternoon was no surprise for Barrett.
The board sub-committee that was to meet last Monday to discuss several matters, including team performance, had actually met on two previous occasions in the weeks leading up to Barrett’s departure, following the losses to the Broncos and Raiders. The same matters had been discussed at those meetings.
Barrett was aware those meetings had taken place. Gould’s recommendation on both occasions was to be patient and support the coach.
The players were told on Monday that Barrett had quit. Most didn’t flinch. However, Jackson was upset and Jack Hetherington was furious. They also knew they were the group that, ultimately, put Barrett in this situation. And they have been told, in no uncertain terms, they are all on notice. Very few are safe, contract or no contract, and that includes the big names.
Barrett too needs to accept his share of the blame for the club’s dismal start to the season. His recruitment was desperate, his coaching was too advanced for the team, and he didn’t change. It has been his biggest fault as a coach; an inability to listen and learn from past mistakes. That stubborn approach saw him lose the faith of powerbrokers at Manly when he was coach and it came back to bite him at the Bulldogs.
Weidler
On the Thursday night before Canterbury played Newcastle in Brisbane to kick off Magic Round, Barrett and his agent, Wayne Beavis, met with Gould and Bulldogs recruitment manager Peter Sharp at Omeros Bros restaurant. I can’t tell you what they ate, but I can tell you what they discussed. Going into that dinner, Barrett was more than aware of the growing pressure. He knew a loss the following night would see the knives out for him.
When Gould got off air on Sunday night after calling the football for Channel Nine, he got a message from Beavis to say Barrett had quit. Some have claimed he quit when he found out about the board meeting; that he was stunned by the news. However, he already knew about the meeting and its announcement in the media on Sunday afternoon was no surprise for Barrett.
The board sub-committee that was to meet last Monday to discuss several matters, including team performance, had actually met on two previous occasions in the weeks leading up to Barrett’s departure, following the losses to the Broncos and Raiders. The same matters had been discussed at those meetings.
Barrett was aware those meetings had taken place. Gould’s recommendation on both occasions was to be patient and support the coach.
The players were told on Monday that Barrett had quit. Most didn’t flinch. However, Jackson was upset and Jack Hetherington was furious. They also knew they were the group that, ultimately, put Barrett in this situation. And they have been told, in no uncertain terms, they are all on notice. Very few are safe, contract or no contract, and that includes the big names.
Barrett too needs to accept his share of the blame for the club’s dismal start to the season. His recruitment was desperate, his coaching was too advanced for the team, and he didn’t change. It has been his biggest fault as a coach; an inability to listen and learn from past mistakes. That stubborn approach saw him lose the faith of powerbrokers at Manly when he was coach and it came back to bite him at the Bulldogs.
Weidler