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Paul Kent believes Phil Gould’s training takeover is the beginning of the end for Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett and has questioned how players can trust him after sending “mixed messages.”
It comes as Braith Anasta — a premiership-winner with the Bulldogs — declared the club has “gone backwards” under Gould and Barrett.
Foxsports.com.au revealed on Wednesday that Gould delivered a sensational spray to the playing group and took over Tuesday’s training session.
“Trent Barrett’s in the review room, he’s got his first grade team there and he’s got his New South Wales Cup team in there,” Kent explained.
“Suddenly with a bit of a theatrical bang the doors open and in walks Phil Gould. He then spends the next 10 minutes essentially praising the reserve grade side for their win.
“But then the tone turned and Gould then turned on the first grade side and gave them all a bake — and I mean all of them. He particularly focused on the spine and among the spine the guy as we know, I spoke to people in the room who said he was particularly savage on Kyle Flanagan.
“Not just Kyle himself, they were all getting it, but Kyle did come in for special consideration which then had everybody back on their heels because as everyone knows in the game Gould can give one of the best bakes around.
“They walked out of the review and go onto the field, Trent Barrett stands at the sideline and lets Gould go out and run the session.”
News Corp journalist Brent Read suggested that it was a “set up,” which matches what Barrett told foxsports.com.au, saying “I’ve absolutely got no dramas with it.”
“Gus is the master of theatrics, spin and deception,” he said.
“This reeks to me of a set-up.
“Gus has gone in there and I’m sure he’s spoken to Trent about this and that team deserved a bake after how they played. So rather Trent delivering the spray and losing the playing group — because I would suspect the way they’re playing that’s already at risk of happening — Gus has given it himself.
“And maybe it’s his way of showing support for Trent Barrett, so Trent Barrett isn’t the bad guy in this situation and he doesn’t have to be the one to deliver that sort of news to the players and Gus is happy to put himself in that position to be the fall guy.”
Kent agreed that “it could well have played out that way,” but pointed out how Gould has taken control at clubs in the past — and it hasn’t ended well for the coach.
“The problem is this he’s done this before with Ricky Stuart and cost him his job at the Roosters after time,” Kent said.
“He fell out with Graham Murray when he was coaching director at the Roosters before Ricky Stuart and Graham Murray went to his grave, God bless him, blaming Phil Gould for what happened to his career at the Roosters.
“Then you have what happened at Penrith with Ivan Cleary, he sacked him because he was too tired.”
It’s for that reason that Kent believes Barrett is on his way out of Belmore.
“That noise in the distance is the funeral march that’s just begun,” he said.
“Generally when it happens this way it never ends well. And I think that’s pretty much the way this is going to now head. It’s going to take a lot to see if Trent Barrett can be saved.”
Phil Rothfield agreed, saying “it’s a massive vote of no confidence in the coach and his assistants too.”
However Read believes Barrett can save his job by winning games.
“Ultimately his fate rests in his own hands, if he wins football games he keeps his jobs and he’s not winning games,” he said.
“But he’s not allowed to coach,” Kent hit back.
“Tell me another coach that’s been made to stand on the sideline while his head of football or any other person involved in the club has come out and run the session over him.”
Anasta, who was a part of the Bulldogs squad that last won a premiership, said regardless of whether it was a “ploy or tactic” by Barrett and Gus it’s “still bad” and the club “is still in a lot of trouble.”
“I just can’t fathom the position they’re in… they’ve gone backwards and they’ve got Trent Barrett and Gus Gould — two of apparently the most smartest minds in the game – but the club is going backwards,” Anasta added.
It comes as Braith Anasta — a premiership-winner with the Bulldogs — declared the club has “gone backwards” under Gould and Barrett.
Foxsports.com.au revealed on Wednesday that Gould delivered a sensational spray to the playing group and took over Tuesday’s training session.
“Trent Barrett’s in the review room, he’s got his first grade team there and he’s got his New South Wales Cup team in there,” Kent explained.
“Suddenly with a bit of a theatrical bang the doors open and in walks Phil Gould. He then spends the next 10 minutes essentially praising the reserve grade side for their win.
“But then the tone turned and Gould then turned on the first grade side and gave them all a bake — and I mean all of them. He particularly focused on the spine and among the spine the guy as we know, I spoke to people in the room who said he was particularly savage on Kyle Flanagan.
“Not just Kyle himself, they were all getting it, but Kyle did come in for special consideration which then had everybody back on their heels because as everyone knows in the game Gould can give one of the best bakes around.
“They walked out of the review and go onto the field, Trent Barrett stands at the sideline and lets Gould go out and run the session.”
News Corp journalist Brent Read suggested that it was a “set up,” which matches what Barrett told foxsports.com.au, saying “I’ve absolutely got no dramas with it.”
“Gus is the master of theatrics, spin and deception,” he said.
“This reeks to me of a set-up.
“Gus has gone in there and I’m sure he’s spoken to Trent about this and that team deserved a bake after how they played. So rather Trent delivering the spray and losing the playing group — because I would suspect the way they’re playing that’s already at risk of happening — Gus has given it himself.
“And maybe it’s his way of showing support for Trent Barrett, so Trent Barrett isn’t the bad guy in this situation and he doesn’t have to be the one to deliver that sort of news to the players and Gus is happy to put himself in that position to be the fall guy.”
Kent agreed that “it could well have played out that way,” but pointed out how Gould has taken control at clubs in the past — and it hasn’t ended well for the coach.
“The problem is this he’s done this before with Ricky Stuart and cost him his job at the Roosters after time,” Kent said.
“He fell out with Graham Murray when he was coaching director at the Roosters before Ricky Stuart and Graham Murray went to his grave, God bless him, blaming Phil Gould for what happened to his career at the Roosters.
“Then you have what happened at Penrith with Ivan Cleary, he sacked him because he was too tired.”
It’s for that reason that Kent believes Barrett is on his way out of Belmore.
“That noise in the distance is the funeral march that’s just begun,” he said.
“Generally when it happens this way it never ends well. And I think that’s pretty much the way this is going to now head. It’s going to take a lot to see if Trent Barrett can be saved.”
Phil Rothfield agreed, saying “it’s a massive vote of no confidence in the coach and his assistants too.”
However Read believes Barrett can save his job by winning games.
“Ultimately his fate rests in his own hands, if he wins football games he keeps his jobs and he’s not winning games,” he said.
“But he’s not allowed to coach,” Kent hit back.
“Tell me another coach that’s been made to stand on the sideline while his head of football or any other person involved in the club has come out and run the session over him.”
Anasta, who was a part of the Bulldogs squad that last won a premiership, said regardless of whether it was a “ploy or tactic” by Barrett and Gus it’s “still bad” and the club “is still in a lot of trouble.”
“I just can’t fathom the position they’re in… they’ve gone backwards and they’ve got Trent Barrett and Gus Gould — two of apparently the most smartest minds in the game – but the club is going backwards,” Anasta added.
RFM has barely step foot on a paddock for 2.5 seasons. Jackson is on the decline. I’d say he doesn’t walk into any starting pack at the moment. Ava is a bench player. Patolo, BBO are both kids. Averillo is overhyped at this stage.