FOR months Brad Arthur has stayed silent about rumours he is being headhunted to take Geoff Toovey’s job at Manly next year.
But in the countdown to Friday night’s opening round grudge match against his old club, Arthur finally broke his silence, admitting he’d had a gutful or the constant innuendo.
While refusing to confirm or deny he or his management had been approached by Manly, Arthur was adamant his only commitment was to Parramatta - and his players.
The Eels are today set to announce Tim Mannah will be the sole captain in 2015, but all week the build up about this match has been about Manly’s past, and Arthur’s future.
“One thing I have always said was that I will not get involved in rumours or innuendo,” Arthur said.
“I don’t want to sound like a smart-arse.
“But all I want you to do is say that I am committed to the Parramatta football team and I am committed to the playing group right now.
“I am not going to make promises that I am doing this or doing that because who knows what happens in two years.
“Parramatta might want to get rid of me. So it is outlandish to make statements about the future.
“But the message I want made clear is that I am committed to this playing group because that is what I am.
“I want the players to know I am committed to them and they know that anyway.
“I don’t want to say anything about the whole Manly thing and I don’t want to say anything about my contract because it has all been dead and buried for me.
“It was done and dusted a couple of months ago.
“I am not going to add more fuel to the fire at this stage.”
Asked if his Parramatta players had been asking him questions following the recent speculation about his own future, Arthur added: “No. We don’t talk about anything that gets brought up in the media.
The Manly Sea Eagles are set to lose star five-eighth Kieran Foran to NRL rivals Parramatta.
“I don’t talk to them about recruitment, they don’t ask.
“To be honest I don’t think they care.
“They know where I stand.
“They know how much I want to coach them and they know how passionate I am about the club so they don’t need to ask.”
Arthur also would not be drawn on Kieran Foran’s future, or if he felt sorry for the Manly playmaker, who is tossing up whether to join Arthur at the Eels next year or stay at Manly.
“Mate, the only people I feel for at the moment are the 17 players who are getting ready for our game against Manly in round one,” he said.
“It has been a long pre-season for everyone and I know everyone is just itching to get out on the field and play a game of footy.
“These are the ones that count now.
“The animosity between us an Manly, I think that is more the media building it up.
“It is just another game of footy to us. Round one is as important to round five and round 25.”
He was also adamant the bad blood between Manly and Anthony Watmough would not impact the Eels’ new enforcer on Friday night.
“He is also proud of his time at Manly and appreciative,” Arthur said.
“It is going to be tough.
“These blokes have been playing for a long, long time.
“I am sure once he gets out on the field he will only be worried about what he needs to do to get the result our team needs to get.”
Replies
no co captains.
Yeah looks like the brow is a sole sister...I mean sole captain.
I don't mind that there isn't co captains. Peats, Sandow, Choc and Hoppa will all be barking orders anyway.
If Manly wants a new coach why don't they approach Ricky? It'll do them a world of good in having RS (hehehehehe) go on, Manly, ask Ricky (hehehehehehehe)
The reason he did is because of the lying, destabilising, trouble makers who claim to support our club but are truly only interested in their perverse political games. The sooner such people leave our club the better it will be for everyone including players and coaches.
When our Head Coach has to do an interview to deny your BS rumours then take it as a simple truth: You're not helping!!!
- only the most naive foolish dope would compare Brad Arthur's integrity to a deceiving, dishonering, lying peanut that is Ricky Stuart.
could it be angry daniel anderson spreading these rumours?
Whilst I applaud the single Captain approach I am not too sure I am overly happy with that position going to Timmy.
Don't get me wrong - he is a great toiler and metre eater BUT, too much in the Hindy style of skipper to my way of thinking.
Then again (just to confuse my own comments) who do we really have to take on the role?
THREE MORE SLEEPS - THREE MORE SLEEPS - THREE MORE SLEEPS.
Who is the captain when he is off the field?
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