doggzfan4lyf
Kennel Participant
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2006
- Messages
- 122
- Reaction score
- 16
STEVE Folkes will quit as coach of the Bulldogs at the end of the season after 11 years as head coach of the club.
He told Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg of his decision early this afternoon and told his players just before a 2pm training session.
"I have been giving the matter plenty of thought in recent weeks and I feel the decision is the right one and not only for me but for the club as well, ",a statement from Folkes read.
"My decision will end the speculation that's been rife for the past few months about my future and will enable me and the players to get on with the job of winning football matches and being in contention at the business end of the season."
Folkes said he planned to continue coaching and hoped to remain in Australia but would move overseas if necessary.
"I reckon I still have another 10 years ahead of me as a coach and this decision will enable me to reinvent myself once my obligations with the Bulldogs finish, " he said.
Folkes' assistant, Kevin Moore, is tipped to replace him in 2009. Michael Potter and Daniel Anderson are the other contenders.
Folkes said it will be extremely strange not having an association with the Bulldogs as he has been with the club as a player and coach continuously for the past 31 years.
"The Bulldogs are very special to me and will continue to be long after I move on, he said.
Under Folkes coaching, the Bulldogs won the NRL premiership in 2004 the same year he was named Dally M coach of the year and were grand finalists in 1998, semi-finalists on three occasions (1999, 2001 and 2007) and preliminary finalists twice (2003 and 2006).
Folkes played 247 first-grade matches for the club, was a member of four premiership-winning teams, represented NSW in nine Origin games and made five Test appearances.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23497649-5001021,00.html
He told Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg of his decision early this afternoon and told his players just before a 2pm training session.
"I have been giving the matter plenty of thought in recent weeks and I feel the decision is the right one and not only for me but for the club as well, ",a statement from Folkes read.
"My decision will end the speculation that's been rife for the past few months about my future and will enable me and the players to get on with the job of winning football matches and being in contention at the business end of the season."
Folkes said he planned to continue coaching and hoped to remain in Australia but would move overseas if necessary.
"I reckon I still have another 10 years ahead of me as a coach and this decision will enable me to reinvent myself once my obligations with the Bulldogs finish, " he said.
Folkes' assistant, Kevin Moore, is tipped to replace him in 2009. Michael Potter and Daniel Anderson are the other contenders.
Folkes said it will be extremely strange not having an association with the Bulldogs as he has been with the club as a player and coach continuously for the past 31 years.
"The Bulldogs are very special to me and will continue to be long after I move on, he said.
Under Folkes coaching, the Bulldogs won the NRL premiership in 2004 the same year he was named Dally M coach of the year and were grand finalists in 1998, semi-finalists on three occasions (1999, 2001 and 2007) and preliminary finalists twice (2003 and 2006).
Folkes played 247 first-grade matches for the club, was a member of four premiership-winning teams, represented NSW in nine Origin games and made five Test appearances.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23497649-5001021,00.html