Phil Gould claims Canterbury can become one of Sydney’s benchmark NRL clubs again after the Bulldogs pulled off a major coup by luring him back to the kennel.
Canterbury dropped a bombshell on Friday night by confirming Gould would join them as general manager of football as they seek to turn the struggling club around.
Already contracted to the Warriors, Gould was approached by the Bulldogs for a second time this year on Thursday night.
With COVID-19 limiting his ability to set up structures in New Zealand, Warriors owner Mark Robinson agreed to release Gould to the club where he got his first head coaching role and guided a premiership win in 1988.
And while Gould said he was still happy to help the Warriors at a pathways level, a mammoth task now awaits him at Belmore.
The Bulldogs have not played finals since 2016, having been in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon for most of the past four seasons.
“I know the Bulldogs club very well. I have followed them with great interest all my life,” an emotional Gould told Nine’s post-match coverage on Friday night.
(Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
“It’s an all-encompassing role. It’s a very special club.
“It’s always been a marquee club in Sydney and I want to return it to that level.”
Gould held a similar role at Penrith, brought in during 2011 as a coaching director with a whole-of-club approach to turn the Panthers around.
He eventually left in 2019, but by then the Panthers had their envied junior system sorted out before reaching last year’s grand final.
And while Penrith’s junior base is far bigger than the Bulldogs’, Gould indicated he would take a similar eye to the bush in a bid to help bolster the club’s talent pool.
“There has already been a lot of hard work done at the Bulldogs that you probably don’t see,” Gould said.
“Their salary cap is looking good and there are opportunities over the next couple of years if they need to make changes to the roster.
“Whatever is in the local area we will support and develop it. And we’ll set the pathways up.
“I would imagine too that there is opportunity in country areas for Bulldogs to have a role in nurturing from those areas too.”
Gould won two premierships as a player at the Bulldogs before becoming the youngest coach to claim the major prize as a 30-year-old in 1988.
His return 32 years after he last coached there comes after he was first approached by chairman John Khoury before Magic Round this season.
However at the time he believed he could still make a significant indent for the Warriors before COVID again took hold.
Part of the Bulldogs’ offer was to allow Gould to continue working with the Warriors pathways, while he also had the lure of reuniting with Canterbury coach Trent Barrett.
“We firmly believe that he can help to drive us forward to getting back to where we need to be as a premiership contender once again,” Khoury said.
elvis
Roar Rookie
Gould won two premierships as a player at the Bulldogs. No he didn't. Lost the 81 grand final playing for Newtown. Injured in 84 didn't play in the Grand Final which Canterbury won Injured in 85 didn't play in the Grand final which Canterbury won. Terrible luck, no wonder he was so motivated as a coach.
matth
Roar Guru
I see your Gould and raise you an Ikin! Oh Jesus :shocked: :shocked:
Guest eh.......GUEST.....A Nothing....commitment phobia...
Mitcher
Guest
Good to see you’re up getting your sustenance this morning. Build up that strength. There’s a big Sunday ahead.
How the fluck could I not? What team was he contracted to???????? Am I supposed to refer to them as team x or some silly thing?
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Great , Warriors can now come off the " most hated teams" list Bulldogs now get top billing
Devil's advocate
Guest
Of course you'd agree to be the GM of the worst team. The only way is up... He'll claim all the credit for the tries JAC will score, even though he'd score them anyway without Gould.
Tony
Roar Guru
This will be a classic case of Gould gets the credit, if the Dogs climb off the floor, while Barrett will get the blame
Cyril Snodgrass III
Guest
Trent Barrett must be delighted to know that Canterbury is bringing Gould in to look over his shoulder Penrith have improved out of sight since Gould left.. .as for Gould's time with the Warriors...the results are less than impressive Whenever Gould talks on the TV...I always turn the sound to mute
mushi
Roar Guru
And you made it warriors specific
mushi
Roar Guru
The Penrith thing is just the obvious, try and get players before they play for other clubs. Retention is cheaper and easier than recruitment. That this is seen as some secret sauce shows the poor quality of most boards demanding short term results.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
defer to the proven man. Gould wouldn't have taken the job if he wasn't given the power
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
'twill be sold as a positive to future opportunities
Rellum
Roar Guru
It could but not likely......surely
Rellum
Roar Guru
He keeps talking about fhe failure of the State cups to produce players and how the NRL should have three grades and not have anything to do with the State teams. Give Gould any power in QLD (that sentance alone is evidence enough that Gould would never work in QLD ) the State league would be reduced to what the BRL us now and the BRL might disappear.
Paul
Roar Guru
Yeah, I don't think Gus would have cut oranges for a footy team in a lot of years.
Paul
Roar Guru
The issue I think the Doggies will have, is the line in the sand. There's clearly lots of cross over in a number of areas, especially when it comes to money and recruitment & retention. In most Clubs, the coach has a large say in who they want and the administration works to see if they can match up the money. In this case, there's Barrett, Gould and the money people. It will be fascinating to see how this relationship plays out.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Lol. Hi Pail. Cutting the oranges is more like Tommy R, not sure Gus would do it. Lol
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi Rellum. Why do you think he would be trying to kill Q cup? (I not asking that rudely or sarcastic)
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Hi The Barry. I think it good. If only one of his big things is getting the Jr’s right and he does it his ahead of many similar to him. A club getting development and JR’s is what the NRL should be doing. Good move by dogs