- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Ivan Cleary back at the foot of the mountains after being unceremoniously and patronisingly sacked by Phil Gould at the end of 2015?
A week ago, any sane rugby league pundit or fan would have baulked at this notion. But being a NRL coach is a ruthless and unforgiving profession. Now that Anthony Griffin has been asked to vacate his contract at the Penrith Panthers, speculation is red hot that Ivan Cleary will unite with son Nathan and force the Wests Tigers to release him.
Despite Ivan’s now infamous ‘get on the bus’ cry and his reputation as a loyal, dedicated coach, speculation is rife that he will return to the club and general manager who let him go after being named Dally M Coach of the Year a mere 12 months prior. Penrith have the facilities, finances and roster to achieve premiership glory but most importantly, they have Nathan Cleary.
Young Nathan, a State of Origin winner about to enter the third finals series of his three-season long NRL career, is the reason why many respected journalists and industry insiders believe loyal Ivan will seek to leave the Tigers after undergoing a massive rebuild since becoming head coach.
The rebuild isn’t over, but the proverbial damage is already done. Players like Russell Packer were lured to the club for the chance to work with Cleary. Cleary has been widely praised for his commitment to rebuilding the club where instability has run rife since Tim Sheens exit in 2012.
Is Ivan Cleary headed west from Wests? (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Now Nathan becomes the unsuspecting, innocent pawn in a battle he didn’t ask to be a part of. Neither did Ivan, but alas.
Nathan was stated repeatedly over the past six months that he wasn’t been thinking about, nor we will he entertain, speculation of his playing future post-2019 until his 21st birthday in November.
A mature and measured response from one of the most promising talents in the game whose future is constantly being analysed, criticised and speculated on in public forums. There is no bond quite like that of father and son, and I’m sure this would be the impetus for Ivan to even consider asking the Tigers for a release.
But I don’t know how a self-respecting coach who has asked for and received the dedication of players and fans alike as his team continues to rebuild from disaster, could contemplate leaving it all behind just to coach his son.
Nathan Cleary is 20 years old. Ivan is only 47. Both have ample time to continue playing and coaching, and don’t need to rush into an agreement in fear that they’ll never be able to collaborate professionally.
Ivan Cleary is a very intelligent and serious coach. I struggle to fathom how he could ever be comfortable walking out on the Tigers before his contract ends, let alone back to Penrith after he was undermined and blindsided.
The arrogance of the Phil Gould and the Panthers to approach Ivan of all current head coaches – let alone attempt to induce breach of contract from any head coach – is staggering.
Phil Gould has denied he’s been pulling the strings at Penrith. (Photo: Tony Feder/Getty Images)
On NRL 360 tonight, Luke Lewis, who played for Penrith during their 2003 premiership win, summed it up best. Why would you want to return to a club and general manager who doubted your ability and sacked you for not being good enough while you are at a club who believes in what you are doing?
In this instance, family ties are not enough. The duty of a coach to fans, players, stakeholders and management are wide-ranging and crucial. Phil Gould was patronising and egotistical in his assessment of Cleary’s sacking in 2015, and shouldn’t be rewarded with Ivan’s skill and expertise because father and son want to work together.
To manipulate the allure of family to rectify his own mistakes with Cleary and Griffin is a serious blight on his integrity and reputation.
Phil Gould offered an apology to the fans of Manly after the rumour mill suggested current head and assistant coaches Trent Barrett and John Cartwright were being poached to replace the out-of-favour Griffin. He owes one to the Wests Tigers also.
Loyalty and integrity and pillars of the game and should be motivating factors behind every decision made by coaches, players and management alike.
Cleary is gifted and an extremely skilled coach, and going back to Penrith would be insulting not only to the Tigers players and fans who have readily welcomed him into their community, but to himself.
After all, what happened to the bus?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.