On Monday's 100% Footy earlier this week, Michael Chammas et al pushed the popular media narrative that Jason Ryles is the leading candidate, followed by Josh Hannay with Michael Cheika an outside chance.
When Gus was asked who was "best out there", he offered an ominous warning about having one of those three options as a head coach.
"What that club needs is experience at the top."
"I think it's a big gamble where that club is right now to go from what you had (Arthur and experience) to that and think it's going to improve overnight."
"My experience says it won't (work)".
"All those people you mentioned Michael Cheika, Josh Hannay and Jason Ryles would all be good options to be part of a coaching package, a coaching team."
"But it needs someone to sit above that and fix some of the other issues that they have to make sure everything runs smoothly over the next four to five years."
"And maybe out of that one of those fellas emerges as a future head coach".
"That's nothing against those three men."
One wonders whether Chammas listens to Gus' Six Tackles.
Gus had already put forward a suggestion on SIx Tackles, weeks ago, and has repeated it a few times on that podcast.
It seems the British media took far more notice than our local media of Gus' suggestion for a head coach.
"I have got one suggestion, which I mentioned on this show a couple of week ago - Brian McDermott."
"I think he is at least worth a conversation for that club (the Eels)."
"Fifty-four years of age, vastly experienced, he's fought in the army (as a Royal British Marine). He's been a professional sportsman himself - a footballer and a fighter. He's coached Leeds with great success over there in the UK and he's been over here in Australia for a couple of seasons getting a feel of the NRL."
"It would be left field, and we've often asked if they'd take the punt on a Super League UK coach. But now is a really good opportunity."
"There is nothing experienced over here that's on the market that suits the Parramatta mould and is available for them right now."
"He would be someone I would at least have a conversation with. If not as head coach, at least someone part of their coaching structure going forward."
Gus: The Eels' "wonderful nursery" with the most junior silverware (17-U19) has not translated into the first-grade
Gus: The Eels are a recruitment club & need more big-picture thinking
"Brad Arthur has had 11 years, so it's a bit hard to call him a victim, but Parramatta has never really gotten into developing their own," Gus added.
"They've been a recruitment club, even though they've got a vast junior league and a wonderful nursery."
"It's never really been the fruitful source of future players that they would have liked."
"I mean there are three or four Penrith players in that side - out of their Academy."
"There are more from Penrith than there are from Parramatta."
"I think that, underneath, they need someone that is going to create something for the future."
"Obviously, everyone has the aura of Wayne Bennett and the allure is immense for anyone, and maybe that can solve our problem and that comes into the thinking they (Sarantinos and McElduff) expressed (on May 21st)".
"We have a team we think is capable of winning a premiership, right now. Therefore, we want a bloke who can win a premiership. Therefore, we go and get 74-year-old Wayne Bennett."
He "has shown repeatedly in all of his jobs he's not there to develop the club for the long term. He's there to win you a comp, and then he moves on."
"He doesn't develop staff, he doesn't develop future coaches, he doesn't develop future rosters, he doesn't develop pathways, he's there to just coach the ones picked to play first grade and try to win a comp with it."
"And that's what Parramatta has done (look for the coaching messiah, neglecting other future planning issues) ever since the 80s."
"They've never taken a long-term plan to anything."
"Parramatta have a capable roster that certainly shouldn't be where they are on the ladder."
"They should be doing better, and that's what has cost Brad Arthur his job."
But "I think the club needs more than that (a great head coach) if they want to set the club up for the future."
"Even if a coach came in and got a short-term result, it doesn't necessarily fix it for the long term."
McDermott recruited Sonny Bill Williams to the Toronto Wolfpacks
Snapshot of Brian McDermott's career
The most successful Super League head coach in history
- Super League Titles (4): 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017
- Challenge Cup Titles (2): 2014, 2015
- League Leaders' Shield (1): 2015
- World Club Challenge (1): 2012
- 15 years of top-level SL head coaching experience
A decorated former player
- 250 odd games for Bradford, 5 tests for England, Great Britain
- Super League Titles (3): 1997, 2001, 2003
- Challenge Cups (2): 2000, 2003
- League Leaders' Shield (3): 1999, 2001, 2003
- World Club Challenge (2): 2002, 2012
Broad life experience
- A former combat serving Royal Marine, Gulf War veteran
- A former pro-boxer
- Coached high-achieving, high-performing teams
Head Coaching Finals Record
- 81% (13/16)
- Won four from four grand final wins
Kicking goals with Knights’ defence coach (2023-24)
- 2023 (4th ranked defence) is the highest defensive rank in the Knights’ NRL history.
- Over 2023-24, has seen an overall two-year overall defensive performance that is arguably the best in the Knights’ NRL history
- The previous five years before McDermott's arrival were - 14th, 8th, 7th, 13th, 15th ranked defences
Replies
Yeah right on Gus, not like you have ever sacked a experienced coach and brought in a rooki.......oh wait Ciraldo for Barrett.
But he is right, we need someone with experience with this roster unless you are going full rebuild. If going full rebuild, look at Ryles or Hannay. Win now of next few years? McDermott.
LB, it's not apples with apples, IMO. He is also talking about Parra, not the Dogs. I know some people don't like Gus on here & he can be on the nose. Some might think we have better than Gus on our board, but I'd disagree.
Look at the cultural cleanup job he's done at the Dogs over the last few years.
It's been painful but they've started to see the fruits of it. They're returning back to their DNA roots - as Dogs Of War. And importantly, he's been kicking goals in the Pathways side - his passion.
Ultimately, he probably had more faith or trust in Ciraldo than Barrett.
Essentially, he is saying we don't have enough high-level big-picture planning & leadership - unlike the Dogs.
They basically signed half the panthers roster and assistant coach 🤣 nothing else worked for Gus club has been a mess for 8 years lol
Yep, Eli. You're right. It's the Canterbury Panthers, lol. Would you pass on Stephen Chricton or Kikau? We also have RCG, Hopgood, and Hands. Gus has always maintained there is still a lot of work to do. Yet, if we think everything is hunkey dorey on our side of the fence, we're more deluded than Gus IMO.
No we definitely need a full rebuild and culture shift ect. Have to start soon lol
HOE we have a lot of deluded dopes on here , Gus is in his 3rd year at the dogs and look what he has done ?
Parramatta is a rabble of a club in comparison and the people who run the club have been there a lot longer than 3 years.
Frankie, It's actually surprising how long. Our brains' trust - McElduff, MON, Sarantinos - have been in their current positions since late 2018. Collectively, that's not far off 18 years.
Added to that we also had Waqa Blake and Will Smith from Penrith also.
Coryn, exactly. He's polarizing, but he's such an asset to the game and has a wealth of knowledge & experience. He follows his passion so will sometimes butt heads with others, especially toe-the-line authority figures.
About 30 yrs ago, when he was at the Roosters and coaching Origin and already had a name, he'd often frequent the restaurant I worked at part time (while I was an architecture uni student) near the Roosters' League Club.
God I hated that job lol. Hospitality sucks. Worse than architecture. Lol
But Of the dozen or so times I met Gus, he was such an utter gentleman. One of the most pleasant patrons I'd ever come across. Nothing like the TV-persona hat he wears or the reputation he has. He'd often sit alone, quietly, in deep thought oblivious to time and the world around him.
I just find in the past how he backed up BA and said he was hard done and was not his fault by when he did the same to other coaches. But that is different to this i know.
But overall he is giving himself a sneaky pat on the back and they are heading in the right direction. Mitchell Woods also is a talent at 7. All Dogs need now is a great Prop.
We are not in too bad a shape, but a certain coach can make it much better and same much worse.