By Alan Nicolea
October 23rd 2008 @ 12:19am
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Heartbroken Hagan casts away from Eels
Pressure was building on Michael Hagan the moment he signed on to coach a Parramatta Eels side with arguably the most gifted, yet inconsistent of playing rosters in the NRL.
After winning a premiership with the Newcastle Knights in his first year as coach, Hagan seemed the perfect replacement for then departing Eels mentor Brian Smith - the two swapping roles, with Smith heading to the Hunter and Hagan going to Parramatta.
When he arrived at the Eels, a man of Hagan’s coaching reputation was expected to guide Parramatta to a premiership. The players at the club were full of international experience, while some of the younger brigade were filled with talent.
Hagan had at his disposal potentially more to work with than he ever did at the Knights. Indeed, he would oversee and bring in potential superstars such as Jarryd Hayne, Krisnan Inu and Feleti Mateo into a team deemed real premiership material.
In his first year in charge, Hagan nearly brought long-suffering Eels fans an elusive Grand Final birth, eventually falling just one game short against the eventual premiers the Melbourne Storm.
And when one says just short, Hagan was very close in achieving mission impossible.
Playing a Storm side at the Telstra Dome in a Preliminary final was considered one of the hardest finals road trips ever.
But Hagan’s Eels nearly pulled off a significant coup with Parramatta matching their opponents right up until a disallowed try to Krisnan Inu broke their backs.
The loss severely dented Hagan’s resolve.
When league’s centenary year rolled around, Hagan and his Eels did not even qualify for the finals series, finishing the season a disappointing eleventh, a far cry from the rosy predictions cast before.
Again Parramatta underachieved, and Michael Hagan was left to wonder how on earth he could continue leading one of the most frustrating clubs in the NRL.
In the end, he couldn’t.
After coaching a team that can drive even the most hardened of souls to tears, good and bad, Hagan simply had enough.
In the end, he cited family and health issues as his reasons for departing the Eels coaching position, in the process sacrificing a $300,000 dollar payout check.
But at a club as inconsistent as Parramatta, no one can blame Hagan for deciding to return to a lifestyle far more secure than any Eels performance in 2008.
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oikee said | October 23rd 2008 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
I have already picked Daniel Anderson to coach the eels Alan, and also i will tell you that Steven Kearney will coach Penrith, its a perfect fit for both of these coaches. The rest are safe for now, after the Mass Gathering we will be looking forward to the WCC and then the season kicks off again. Its starting to become a very long year, but looking forward to next year already, will be getting the big t/v out the back room next year so it might get pretty busy weekends.
oikee said | October 23rd 2008 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
Wonder if rusell crowe and the rhinos have anything planned for australia day.? usa
Alan Nicolea said | October 23rd 2008 @ 5:22pm | Report comment
Oikee
Kearney has the makings of a great first grade coach. There is a mental toughness about him that will do either the Eels or Penrith the world of good.
I hope New Zealand put up a great show against the Kangaroos. Most of all though, i hope there is a sellout at the SFS.
Westy said | October 23rd 2008 @ 7:31pm | Report comment
I like or study backline play although I feel more comfortable in Rugby I do appreciate good league backline play.I believe that Parramatta’s extended exposure to Brian Smith has severely affected their ability to produce or play attacking backline football. Hagan persisted with Smith’s split halves philosophy that greatly limits the freedom of movement of the half back and 5/8 having to play or stick to distinct sides.
Smith was a very good coach of centres and second rowers but as a rather mundane halfback himself who never fully appreciated a creative halfback. He preferred a very structured and static approach with little pace or step in his halves or opportunity to do their own thing. Hagan did not change this strategy.
I have seen the best ball playing lock or 5/8 in league for a long time and a potential rugby player of real skill and pace that would put Sonny Bill to shame in a young player called Mateo.The opportunity to play Smith / Finch and Mateo at 6/7/13 was lost. Parramatta would use their backline and the second pass would be to a prop or second row who literally could not pass. Bash barge when anyone who watched would have loved to have seen Smith on the same side as Finch and Mateo taking on defenders. To his great credit a defensive coach in Hasler has seen the wisdom of playing your 5/8 on the same side as the half and the Manly backline looked superb. A ball playing lock in Stewart also helped. Hagan was stale.
Alan Nicolea said | October 24th 2008 @ 8:00am | Report comment
Westy
In the end everything did prove stale for the Eels and co. but i think Hagan did rather well in his first year at Parramattta. They played some exceptional football at the right moments and they attacked with no end against the Storm in that preliminiary final loss. In 2008 there were few moments of brilliance from the eels and when they were on, they got defeated by the Broncos at Suncorp in what was a defining game in the context of their season. If they would have won that game, i feel that could have pulled the trigger for an Eels revival. It wasn’t to be though.
oikee said | October 24th 2008 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Thats why i think Anderson is the way to go, his english style game will do wonders for parramatta, also with the crack-down of grappling will further help his cause. Cant wait for league in oz to open up a bit more, 2 refs could be the go. imagine a ref at the ruck getting the players off the ball carrier faster, the speed would be unreal. And then the scrum would be used as a rest stop for the players, lets face facts, they need to have a break at some stage. This is another reason why i dont think the srum should be a contest, the players are knackered.
Alan Nicolea said | October 24th 2008 @ 10:32am | Report comment
Oikee
I feel you do not need two refs for some enthralling football action. In 2005, the game was at its peak as a spectacle and we only had the one referee officiating the game. I think some minor changes on the way players tackle these days could be the key in promoting attacking league again.