I’m going to come right out and say it. Tim Sheens is not to blame for the current disarray at the Wests Tigers. The facts are there in black and white (and orange).
The Tigers missed the finals in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Any other coach would have been gone. Daniel Anderson can only dream of Parramatta being similarly gun shy. The form was on the board.
Fans, and more importantly club executives, still drunk on the coattails of the 2005 premiership win, have blindly stuck with the man who brought them an elusive yet unexpected title.
After bombing in 2012, and with a ridiculously favourable termination clause in his favour, the board struggled to pull the trigger on Sheens without placing their club under financial pressure.
Surely Sheens can’t be criticised for negotiating such a great deal in a job of such notorious insecurity.
Point the finger at the front office. CEO Steve Humphreys has been at the helm since 2008, and framed Sheens’ most recent contract extension to 2014 despite those four post-premiership years in the abyss.
Now the Tigers are confronted with a ridiculous situation, in which they are trying to keep Sheens on the books to avoid paying him out, in some sort of vague role overseeing a discontented, overrated and power-hungry roster.
Humphreys and Sheens should both get cardboard boxes. Only then can the Tigers start afresh from 2013.
yewonk
Guest
i have heard all sorts of rumours something has happened at the tigers as a result of fallout anyone care to expand
Kev mac
Guest
THe players have a lot to answer........ if they can't play and win games then they should be punted. The CEO and Board ....... they should not commit to spend more then they can earn . The back Office has a lot to answer ....... over paying Players and coaches is just plain dumb. Here is a tip ........ use Local Juniors instead of buying tired worn out players IE B Anasta. Go out and get Sam Wara back from the Western Force ...... he can run , kick , score tries and read a game. , he can also play in numerous positions. Would he cost a fortune .... I don't think so. Tim Sheens has done a good job over the years ...... the players need to perform ...... that is what they are paid to do.
Dixie
Roar Guru
Agree absolutely Booners, no need to let those small details get in the way. The buck stops with CEO, and his responsibility for the current Sheens deal (I haven't checked on that either). He has sacked Sheens on the back of this year's performance, but placed the club in a perilous position by agreeing to a ridiculously poor termination payout. Are you suggesting Humphreys didn't know about or shouldn't have considered the club's run from '06-'09?
Booners
Guest
Dixie - might want to check your facts " CEO Steve Humphreys has been at the helm since 2008" - when in fact he took over at the end of 2009 - meaning he has taken the team to 2 top 4 finishes and as soon as the club has missed the finals he has sacked the coach. Can't get much more demanding of success then that - but hey don't let the facts get in the way of a good rant.
Dixie
Roar Guru
Spot on Will, two top four finishes in 2010 and 2011. Should Wests Tigers fans accept this season's effort on the back of the last two years? Come on. That's exactly the same cycle that kept Sheens at the club until this point. Not making the 8 is an unacceptable outcome for any coach. The blame needs to go back to those who jumped into resigning Sheens after 4 seasons of rubbish.
Will Sinclair
Guest
"Fans, and more importantly club executives, still drunk on the coattails of the 2005 premiership win, have blindly stuck with the man who brought them an elusive yet unexpected title." Dixie, you specifically make reference to 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012. So what happened in 2010 and 2011?
Billy Bronco
Guest
If some of the senior players performed to their pay grades, Sheens would still be coach, and none of this rubbish would have happened. Sheens didn't coach the flick passes over the sidelines, the inept kicking game of a so called superstar, the lazy missed tackles etc etc If some of these players pulled their fingers out, Wests would have won a few more games and would have made it into the finals etc. NRL environment is such a fickle one. If the above took place, then we would be reading about Furner being punted etc.......... Sheens was sabotaged by the players he protected.........stabbed in the back!
waterboy
Guest
Well said. But add your target's sights to the Board and specifically the Chairman Trodden, as well. They are the ones that ratified the extension of Sheens contract and were hoodwinked about Penrith being interested in Sheens and panicked signing him to the new deal. Dont blame Sheens. Sheens is a political animal, and has done outstandingly well for himself to stretch his tenure for 10 years plus a further 2 more contracted, on 3 finals appearances. The writing was on the wall when the previous CEO Longmuir wanted to make Sheens more accountable for performances. The Board led by Trodden backed Sheens in that stoush and Longmuir got punted. Sheens has been playing this Board and the new CEO Humphreys off a break ever since. Maybe if Trodden had concentrated a bit more on his own club rather than being part of the NRL Club Council, the Tigers would not be in their current disasterous position. The Board's explanation of the current situation is laughable, how they want him to go into a development role. What the current Australian coach? A $450K per year development officer? If Sheens cant pick up another head coaches role in the NRL that is advantageous to his current position why would he go? And can someone tell me how it is financially advantageous to the Tigers to pay Sheens his $450K for the next 2 years in a development role, plus the cost of a new coach and have him festering in the back ground of an organisation, over just getting rid of him and paying him out. About the only advantage I can see is in the first scenario the Board and Humphreys hope Sheens will be that frustrated or demeaned in his new role that he will leave of his own accord, and save the club the payout. Fat chance. Sheens has ran rings around the Board and Humphreys from day one, why would he stop now? The Board have to go, and the new Board's first agenda item....punt Humphreys.