STEPHEN Kearney is set to be confirmed as Parramattta's new coach within a week after meeting the entire Eels board Tuesday night.
Sport Confidential can reveal Kearney travelled from Melbourne to front all seven Eels directors for over an hour at Parramatta Leagues Club. The in-person visit represents the final step in Parramattta's pursuit of Kearney, which began in earnest over a month ago when CEO Paul Osborne travelled to Victoria for a secret meeting with the Kiwi mentor. It's believed Parramatta officials are leaning toward offering Kearney a three-year deal, the same tenure his predecessor Daniel Anderson failed to complete after being sensationally sacked by the Eels on Sunday night. And should Kearney get the job, there will be little or no chance of Matt Orford resurrecting his NRL career in blue and gold. While Anderson encouraged talks with the 2008 Dally M medallist because he felt the Eels need an experienced half to be competitive, Kearney is understood to be looking elsewhere.
ONE possible option for the Eels could be Johnathan Thurston, who, if you listen to the grapevine up north, is on extremely thin ice at the Cowboys. The club's new directors and CEOs have taken a very dim view of Thurston's recent arrest, and there's been talk about cutting the maestro half loose just five months after he inked a $2 million, three-year extension. We still reckon he'll remain a Cowboy in 2011, but without the responsibility of being captain. Should he go, however, the Eels still have big bucks to spare from their futile bids for Quade Cooper and Brett Kimmorley.
THATS IN TODAYS PAPER
Replies
I don't think Thurston is going to come to us though.
They may say there is bad blood between he and the Cowboys, but he is their marquee player, so I doubt he'd be leaving at all.
and great news that kearey doesnt want orford. Coach looking forward.
Parra are adamant that they can develop Brad Murray who has alot of skill and talent and just needs time, and that we will see a different daniel Mortimer next year.
A mortimer that isnt busy tackling all game and will be trained properly by kearney and the coaching staff.
AND this JT rumour is actually not that farfetched.
He is extremely unhappy at NQLD and will look to have his contract bought out, with the similar figures parramatta have left in the cap.
Even if we dnt get JT, still think we can do something very good next year without Orford.
Cowboys are not looking to get rid of him for no reason.
He is a big headed egotistical GRUB who will destroy the Eels the same as he has destroyed the Cowboys.
We get him then stick your head between your legs and kiss 2011 to whenever GOODBYE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But then he is exactly the sort of sleezebag Osbourne and Co would love.
We sign him and you will get a rest from my ravings and rantings until he is gone because I would be out of here - BUT QUICK>
If he is signed he should get NO more than Morts and that is still paying overs for him.
Thats not speculation - its is absolute unequivocal FACT! He wont play for us in 2011, 2012 or any years after that - even if we offered him $2million a year
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