PARRAMATTA boss Paul Osborne has admitted he can't guarantee coach Daniel Anderson his job.

In an extensive interview, he also spoke for the first time about his secret trip to Melbourne to interview Stephen Kearney and declared the pursuit of Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper is genuine.

Will Daniel Anderson be coaching Parramatta in 2011?

"There has been no decision made to the contrary. Like any business, we will review all aspects of the performance of the football team, and all the club's operations, when the time is right. That will happen at the end of the season. We all realise there was a lot of expectation on the team at the start of the season, which we haven't met to date."

Why did you fly to Melbourne on Monday to meet with Stephen Kearney?

"I took it upon myself to have an informal chat so I knew if Steve might be an alternative should the board decide to review the coaching position at any stage in the future; be it next year, the year after or the year after that. I want to establish that I was under no directive from the board to do so, it was my decision. I hope we keep winning and the coaching position won't be an issue, but I thought it was due diligence to know what options might be there in the future.

"I want to reiterate, no decision will be made in regard to whether there will be any change to the coaching staff until the season is completed and we review all aspects of our operations."

Does this mean Anderson will be sacked at the end of this season?

"No."

There is speculation Anderson has lost the dressing room. Is this true?

"Not that I am aware of."

Jarryd Hayne said last night that Anderson has his full support. Does that change anything?

"Obviously, as far as any review is concerned, the feedback of the players is important. I have never doubted Jarryd's support of the coach."

What are the senior players saying about the Anderson situation?

"You would hate this to derail your finals charge. They are professional footballers desperate to play finals."

Some would say that after making last year's grand final and being beaten by a team well over the salary cap, you haven't shown much loyalty to your coach by even meeting with Kearney?

"I think I've said all I want to on the coaching position."

You lose Nathan Cayless, Feleti Mateo, Kris Keating and Krisnan Inu next season and you're struggling in the halves. The Eels are yet to sign a player for next year, what's your answer to filling that void?

"I'm conscious of that, but we are in discussion with a number of players and hope to be not too far away from some announcements. It's all about getting the right players and sometimes that can take time. We'll be judged at the end of the process, not during. It's no secret we are looking to bolster our young halves and we have some other irons in the fire. The good thing is that we have a very good squad to build on and have retained Origin players like Tim Mannah and Jarryd Hayne long term, plus some of the bright young talent and experienced players."

 

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Replies

  • i wish Osborne would just leave - he has ripped this club apart and is killing the club. Do us all a favour and rack off!
  • Anderson probably shot himself in the foot when he said that he had nothing to do with getting Parra to last years Grand Final. He said the team just managed to turn things around.
  • Sneaking about behind Anderson's back is disrespectful and sneaky, this is what coward's do. The board should be supporting their coach not backstabbing him. Anderson took the Eels to the Grand Finals last year, they are just out of the top 8 this year. This is a sneaky act from the board, the board that I will not be voting for next year. Daniel Anderson should stay on as coach.
  • thats what they were saying on the Sunday Roast. THey were talking about how his honesty probably cost him and most coaches would have made it look like they were solely responsible for the performance turnaround. Honestly, even though he doesnt give himself credit for it, he should. You cant coach a few teams to a grandfinal and be considered a bad coach. He is obviously doing something right!
  • Something else they said on the Sunday Roast was quite accurate too. Coaches like Neil Henry and Tim Sheens must see all the attention DA is getting and the doubts about his future, and thinking to themselves "How lucky am I?" Sheens has only once since 1996 or 1997 taken a team he has been coach at to the Finals and Neil Henry, despite having Thurston, Tonga, LOD, Bowen etc etc, has failed to get the Cowbots playing anything like good footy on a consistent basis since he's had the job up there.
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