The BA Interview

Brad Arthur knows all about the glory years. He has a photo of himself with Mick Cronin at Cumberland Oval from 1981 stashed away in the family home to prove it. Mum and Dad are Eels tragics. Nan attended almost every match. Oh, the memories.But to Arthur, reflecting on Parramatta's past only highlights the failures of a club that has been waiting three decades to relive its former glories.Play VideoStorm must hold up fast starting EelsCraig Bellamy admits the aggressive Parramatta style will need to be contained from the first siren if Melbourne are to be triumphant."It's great that we have a really good history but, seriously, this place just can't be about the `80s all the time," Arthur says in a reluctant interview with Fairfax Media on the eve of the club's return to the finals series. "It's time we started creating our own piece of history."Tim Mannah sums it up best. He'd know. Together with Jarryd Hayne, the pair were the most vocal in their support for Arthur when it seemed a fait accompli the board would appoint Jason Taylor as Ricky Stuart's successor after a horror 2013 campaign.RELATED ARTICLESParramatta can repeat feat of 1986, says last Eels coach to taste gloryMitchell Moses dares to dream of premiership"Man, that was a rough year," the captain says. "Half our playing squad got sacked. Our coach walked out on us and there wasn't any light at the end of the tunnel. Then Brad walked in."This story has been two years in the making. That's how long it has taken to convince Arthur to drop his guard, sit down for a coffee and tell it how it is.AdvertisementLEAGUE HQ NEWSLETTERGet the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox.By submitting your email you are agreeing to Fairfax Media's terms and conditions and privacy policy .He only did it when convinced this was what the supporters wanted. That they wanted to hear his story."What's it going to be about?" he repeatedly asked. "I don't want it to be about me".SHARESHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARESHARE ON TWITTER TWEETLINKPassion: Parramatta coach Brad Arthur.Passion: Parramatta coach Brad Arthur. Photo: AAPYeah, of course. But how can you tell the story of how Parramatta were able to recover from a massive salary cap scandal that ripped the club apart to reach their first finals in eight years the very next season without talking about the man responsible?Arthur doesn't like the attention. Hates it. And he goes to great lengths to avoid it.SHARESHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARESHARE ON TWITTER TWEETLINKFinals time: The Parramatta Eels are in NRL finals one year after a salary cap scandal ripped the club apart.Finals time: The Parramatta Eels are in NRL finals one year after a salary cap scandal ripped the club apart. Photo: AAP"If we go to dinner with friends out at Rouse Hill, we go early," Arthur says in a rare insight into the man behind the coach. "My wife, Michelle, knows I want to get in and out. She gets asked all the time to go places and she says, 'No, Brad won't go.' I'd rather sit here and everyone walk past and not know who I was. But yeah, I know, it comes with the job."Indeed it does. And right on cue, just as he finishes explaining how uncomfortable he feels being the centre of attention, the interview comes to a halt."Please, excuse me," a middle-aged man walking through a little shopping strip in Oatlands says. "I just wanted to congratulate you, mate."Fantastic. I've been an Eels supporter since I was born. Lived in the area, went to Parra Marist and played for Marist. Mate, you're doing a sensational job there. We're proud of your efforts. Everyone that I know is really proud of you. True blue and gold, mate. Honestly, you can stand tall and proud, mate. You're doing a great job."Arthur's discomfort is clear. In typical fashion, he plays down his role in the transformation of the club. "We've got a good bunch of boys down there," he replies. "Everyone's really good."But this particular fan isn't having any of it. "No, mate, it's the man that makes it click," he says. You know how to talk to them."Arthur has always been well received by the Parra fans. The same can't be said of other coaches who have taken on the poisoned chalice of trying to bring back the blue-and-gold glory days.It says much about Arthur that his popularity endures despite the fans having suffered some difficult times in the four years they have been waiting to play finals football under his watch.Perhaps it's because the supporters could finally see that even though they were not making regular finals appearances, their team was having a good, old-fashioned dig? Maybe it's because Arthur, with the help of his wife, replies to every fan who writes to him, whether they are offering support, criticism or coaching advice."You know what, they're entitled to their opinion," Arthur says. "Without them, I wouldn't have a bloody job. Whether they love you or don't like you, you need them. That's why we always get back to them."Or perhaps they see what Mannah saw when he fronted the board with Hayne to vouch for Arthur four years ago."Ricky was a good coach, but I don't think he fit the culture at our club," Mannah says. "Brad gets Parramatta. It's engraved in him. That shows in the way he goes about it and the passion he shows. He's made for this club."It's that love and commitment to the Eels that kept Arthur from walking away when any sane man would have jumped ship.A few years ago, he had the opportunity to leave behind the political infighting, the turmoil, the drama and the back-stabbing.He had a job waiting for him at another club. Probably for more money, too. Why didn't he leave?"The players. And also, this is my area, this is where I'm from," he says. "It's not my club, but I played junior footy here. Everyone keeps saying when Parramatta get it right, it's the sleeping giant of the NRL. I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to be part of the team that made it possible. Also the coaching staff – Peter Gentle and Steve Murphy have been through just as much as I have."Never at any stage did they say this is all too hard. They have had my back. I trust them with my life. Blokes like Tim Mannah made a lot of commitments and sacrifices for this club. He was really strong and supportive of me earlier in the piece. Blokes like that, you develop a bit of a bond with these blokes. It's hard to walk away from that."You'd imagine he maybe would have become bitter with those responsible last year for almost tearing down everything he had tried to build since taking on the head coaching role in 2014.But he bears no grudges. Even though last year he coached his side to enough wins to play finals football the Eels still had the same Mad Monday schedule as the wooden-spooners."I know a lot of people had their names tarnished, but everyone who has been here in the past has contributed in some way to where we are now," Arthur says. "Like our training facilities, the old board were responsible for getting that together."OK, so no grudges. How about regrets?"No, because everything that has happened has led us to where we stand right now."Then a pause as he rushes off to help an elderly lady pick up the avocados she spilt leaving the shop. "Actually, there is one thing," he says as he returns to the table.Here we go. Kieran Foran? Anthony Watmough? Jarryd Hayne? Nathan Peats?"In that first year in 2014, I went against my gut instinct in the Newcastle game up there in round 25. We won the toss and had the strong breeze and we elected to run into it when my gut feeling was to go against it. I went against my instinct. I reckon that cost us the semis. We win that game, we play finals football."So hang on. Salary cap scandal, high-profile player departures, criminal investigations, board member sackings, off-field dramas … but the one regret he has in four years is not running against the wind?"Yeah, because I always go with my gut instinct, but that day I was influenced to change my mind," he says.The Eels lost that game. And the next. They missed the finals and in the ensuing days lost their megastar fullback to the NFL.Just as it looked as if they were building to something, Arthur had to start again."I'm grateful because I was given an opportunity on the back of no success, really, until now," he says. "That's allowed me to stick to the plan and look at the long-term vision of what the club should look like. But, the demands are now that we need to be successful."Every week you feel like you're under the pump. Every week you need the results. As soon as you lose one game, you can't lose the next. You lose two, the pressure becomes great."Arthur has always been renowned as a players' coach. So many have joined the club just to play under him. But why did the club, which had already decided on Taylor, decide to take a punt on a relative unknown."I don't know. I think I got lucky," Arthur says. "Jason Taylor had the job and I was on my way to Bali. We were in the car in the tunnel getting into the airport when my phone rang. Because I had been told that I had the job, didn't have the job. It was on and off."Then they rang me and told me I got it. I was on the phone the whole time I was checking in. I got on the plane and got to the other end and it was all done."The players say the club would have fallen apart last year if it wasn't for Arthur. In a club stripped of 12 competition points, most would have lost the will to fight. But under Arthur their resolve only strengthened."I was their leader. My responsibility was to the players," he says. "And also to our fans and members. We said right at the start that we wanted to be a team that created our own history. If we were going to do that we couldn't be known as a team that gives up or doesn't care."A lot of these guys had been here a long time and been through some hard times. They were sick of it. They had enough of it. They wanted to be competitive. They wanted to win."And win they have. Sixteen times, to be exact, the most any Eels team has won in 12 years. Just three more victories, starting with Melbourne on Saturday, and Parra's famous `80s history will become just that.Wait Up! 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He just lost usFive burning questions: Melbourne Storm v Parramatta EelsFIXTURELADDERNRL 2017 SEASONPrevNextTELSTRA PREMIERSHIP FINALS ROUND 1CRO18 - 26BRIFULLTIME SCGSCBY6 - 12MELFULLTIME Belmore StadiumSOU18 - 34WSTFULLTIME ANZSTG42 - 10PENFULLTIME UOW Jubilee OvalNQL20 - 16CBRFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumGCT18 - 32SYDFULLTIME CbusNZW26 - 22NEWFULLTIME MSSMAN12 - 20PARFULLTIME LottolandSYD14 - 6BRILIVE ASMEL16:10, SAT 09 SEPPARAAMIMAN19:40, SAT 09 SEPPENASCRO16:10, SUN 10 SEPNQLASTELSTRA PREMIERSHIP FINALS ROUND 2SYD28 - 24CBYFULLTIME ASNZW10 - 26MELFULLTIME MSSBRI20 - 21NQLFULLTIME SUNNEW34 - 26GCTFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumMAN18 - 38SOUFULLTIME LottolandCBR16 - 42CROFULLTIME GIOWST2 - 36PENFULLTIME CSSSTG16 - 34PARFULLTIME WIN19:55, FRI 15 SEPTBA19:40, SAT 16 SEPTBATELSTRA PREMIERSHIP FINALS ROUND 3MEL14 - 12BRIFULLTIME AAMICBY24 - 12NZWFULLTIME Forsyth Barr StadiumGCT26 - 14PARFULLTIME CbusNEW18 - 24SOUFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumPEN12 - 14SYDFULLTIME PeppNQL8 - 30MANFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumCBR46 - 6WSTFULLTIME GIOCRO10 - 16STGFULLTIME SCGS19:55, FRI 22 SEPTBA19:40, SAT 23 SEPTBATELSTRA PREMIERSHIP FINALS ROUND 4SOU6 - 20SYDFULLTIME ANZPEN40 - 0NEWFULLTIME PeppBRI13 - 12CBRFULLTIME SUNMAN36 - 0CBYFULLTIME LottolandPAR6 - 20CROFULLTIME ANZGCT26 - 32NQLFULLTIME CbusWST14 - 22MELFULLTIME VASSTG26 - 12NZWFULLTIME UOW Jubilee Oval19:15, SUN 01 OCTANZROUND 5CBY10 - 7BRIFULLTIME ANZSYD12 - 18MANFULLTIME ASNQL20 - 6SOUFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumCRO19 - 18NEWFULLTIME SCGSCBR30 - 18PARFULLTIME GIOMEL28 - 6PENFULLTIME AAMINZW28 - 22GCTFULLTIME MSSWST6 - 28STGFULLTIME ANZROUND 6BRI32 - 8SYDFULLTIME SUNNEW12 - 22CBYFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumPEN20 - 21SOUFULLTIME PeppMAN10 - 35STGFULLTIME LottolandGCT16 - 42CBRFULLTIME CbusNQL16 - 26WSTFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumNZW22 - 10PARFULLTIME MSSMEL2 - 11CROFULLTIME AAMIROUND 7CBY24 - 9SOUFULLTIME ANZNEW6 - 24SYDFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumBRI24 - 22GCTFULLTIME SUNMAN26 - 30MELFULLTIME LottolandCBR20 - 8NZWFULLTIME GIOSTG28 - 22NQLFULLTIME WINPEN2 - 28CROFULLTIME PeppPAR26 - 22WSTFULLTIME ANZROUND 8CBR18 - 20MANFULLTIME GIOSOU24 - 25BRIFULLTIME ANZPAR18 - 12PENFULLTIME ANZNQL24 - 12NEWFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumCRO12 - 16GCTFULLTIME SCGSWST18 - 12CBYFULLTIME ANZSYD13 - 12STGFULLTIME ASMEL20 - 14NZWFULLTIME AAMIROUND 9BRI32 - 18PENFULLTIME SUNSOU8 - 46MANFULLTIME ASNQL6 - 26PARFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumGCT38 - 8NEWFULLTIME CbusCBY16 - 10CBRFULLTIME ANZWST16 - 22CROFULLTIME VASNZW14 - 13SYDFULLTIME MSSSTG22 - 34MELFULLTIME WINROUND 10CBY14 - 30NQLFULLTIME ANZSTG14 - 18CROFULLTIME UOW Jubilee OvalWST8 - 28SOUFULLTIME ANZPEN36 - 28NZWFULLTIME PeppMEL36 - 38GCTFULLTIME SUNMAN14 - 24BRIFULLTIME SUNNEW34 - 20CBRFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumSYD48 - 10PARFULLTIME ASROUND 11CRO18 - 14NQLFULLTIME SCGSNZW14 - 30STGFULLTIME FMG Stadium, WaikatoBRI36 - 0WSTFULLTIME SUNGCT10 - 30MANFULLTIME CbusPAR16 - 22CBRFULLTIME ANZNEW20 - 30PENFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumCBY18 - 24SYDFULLTIME ANZSOU6 - 14MELFULLTIME nibSROUND 12SOU16 - 22PARFULLTIME ANZNZW28 - 10BRIFULLTIME MSSCRO9 - 8CBYFULLTIME SCGSCBR24 - 16SYDFULLTIME GIOROUND 13MEL40 - 12NEWFULLTIME AAMIPAR32 - 24NZWFULLTIME ANZSTG16 - 12WSTFULLTIME ANZSYD18 - 16BRIFULLTIME ASNQL20 - 8GCTFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumMAN21 - 20CBRFULLTIME LottolandCBY0 - 38PENFULLTIME ANZROUND 14CRO13 - 18MELFULLTIME SCGSMAN18 - 14NEWFULLTIME LottolandBRI24 - 18SOUFULLTIME SUNGCT12 - 34NZWFULLTIME CbusPEN24 - 20CBRFULLTIME CarPPAR6 - 32NQLFULLTIME TIOWST18 - 40SYDFULLTIME CSSCBY16 - 2STGFULLTIME ANZROUND 15SOU36 - 20GCTFULLTIME ANZMEL23 - 22NQLFULLTIME AAMICRO24 - 22WSTFULLTIME SCGSPAR24 - 10STGFULLTIME ANZROUND 16NZW21 - 14CBYFULLTIME MSSWST14 - 26GCTFULLTIME CSSNQL14 - 12PENFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumCBR20 - 30BRIFULLTIME GIOSYD25 - 24MELFULLTIME AOSTG32 - 28NEWFULLTIME UOW Jubilee OvalCRO18 - 35MANFULLTIME SCGSROUND 17PAR13 - 12CBYFULLTIME ANZGCT20 - 10STGFULLTIME CbusBRI12 - 42MELFULLTIME SUNSYD12 - 44CROFULLTIME CCSMAN26 - 22NZWFULLTIME nibSCBR18 - 31NQLFULLTIME GIONEW12 - 33WSTFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumSOU42 - 14PENFULLTIME ANZROUND 18SYD14 - 12SOUFULLTIME ASPEN16 - 8MANFULLTIME PeppMEL6 - 22PARFULLTIME AAMICBY20 - 18NEWFULLTIME Belmore StadiumROUND 19NZW22 - 34PENFULLTIME MSSCBR18 - 14STGFULLTIME GIONEW22 - 34BRIFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumGCT30 - 10CROFULLTIME CbusMAN28 - 16WSTFULLTIME LottolandSOU10 - 23NQLFULLTIME BPROUND 20BRI42 - 12CBYFULLTIME SUNSYD28 - 4NEWFULLTIME ASCRO26 - 12SOUFULLTIME SCGSPEN24 - 16GCTFULLTIME PeppCBR14 - 20MELFULLTIME GIONQL24 - 12NZWFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumSTG52 - 22MANFULLTIME WINWST16 - 17PARFULLTIME ANZROUND 21PEN16 - 8CBYFULLTIME PeppNZW12 - 26CROFULLTIME MSSPAR28 - 14BRIFULLTIME ANZNEW21 - 14STGFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumSOU18 - 32CBRFULLTIME ANZSYD22 - 16NQLFULLTIME ASMEL40 - 6MANFULLTIME AAMIGCT4 - 26WSTFULLTIME CbusROUND 22CBY4 - 20PARFULLTIME ANZSTG24 - 26SOUFULLTIME SCGNQL8 - 26MELFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumNEW26 - 10NZWFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumGCT0 - 54BRIFULLTIME CbusCRO12 - 30CBRFULLTIME SCGSMAN36 - 18SYDFULLTIME LottolandPEN28 - 14WSTFULLTIME PeppROUND 23SOU28 - 14CBYFULLTIME ANZPAR10 - 29NEWFULLTIME ANZBRI32 - 10CROFULLTIME SUNSTG42 - 16GCTFULLTIME UOW Jubilee OvalMEL16 - 13SYDFULLTIME AAMIPEN24 - 16NQLFULLTIME PeppNZW16 - 36CBRFULLTIME MSSWST30 - 26MANFULLTIME VASROUND 24PAR30 - 8GCTFULLTIME ANZSOU36 - 18NZWFULLTIME ANZBRI24 - 12STGFULLTIME SUNNEW12 - 44MELFULLTIME McDonald Jones StadiumSYD22 - 18WSTFULLTIME ASNQL16 - 26CROFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumCBR22 - 26PENFULLTIME GIOCBY30 - 16MANFULLTIME ANZROUND 25BRI34 - 52PARFULLTIME SUNCBR46 - 28NEWFULLTIME GIOWST14 - 22NQLFULLTIME CSSGCT14 - 26CBYFULLTIME CbusMEL64 - 6SOUFULLTIME AAMICRO14 - 16SYDFULLTIME SCGSNZW21 - 22MANFULLTIME MSSPEN14 - 16STGFULLTIME PeppROUND 26NQL10 - 20BRIFULLTIME 1300Smiles StadiumPAR22 - 16SOUFULLTIME ANZSYD20 - 16GCTFULLTIME ASMAN28 - 12PENFULLTIME LottolandMEL32 - 6CBRFULLTIME AAMINEW18 - 26

"Preston will need a massive upgrade especially considering he should have played origin this is one player I'd off $$ dogs can't compete with Williams and Preston on the edges would be great hard running defensively strong "

Replies

Dave September 8, 2017 at 9:27pm

The extra BS hurt my eyes

but i love the bush coach
macca September 8, 2017 at 10:00pm

Go boys great coach brad a parra man through and through
My Bob September 8, 2017 at 10:06pm

What a load of gibberish
fake midget pseudoachondroplasia September 8, 2017 at 10:21pm

I want thank you and others that post these stories but how about deleting the crap before submitting the blog. It might take you couple mins but saves a lot more people the same amount of time. Some people will give up and not read it so missing the value and point of posting it.

I have submitted a blog or 2 with similar messages and ads and took lot longer on my mobile to clear crap but got on computer I deleted the ads and extras within minutes. If can't do it just post the link or wait for someone else add blog.
Parra fan on The Hill September 8, 2017 at 10:54pm

I bet even FF had a teat in his eye.

Good stuff!!
Tentonz September 8, 2017 at 11:03pm

I think I just cried a little bit...
HKF September 8, 2017 at 11:13pm

Spags actually said Ricky Stuart was the best eels coach since Gibson.
Turpy September 8, 2017 at 11:18pm

From a young age BA was a very tough footballer.
BA is the Cameron Smith of coaches. Tough, Smart, forever improving.
HKF September 8, 2017 at 11:40pm

Yeah all that shit that went down the last few years has put us in a good place, as painful as last year was we are better off for it.
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown September 8, 2017 at 11:45pm

Its impossible not to respect this man, as a supporter we may not have to agree with every decision he makes but its impossible not to respect the type of man Brad is, what he stands for and how genuine he is.

Fongy, i think its time you seriously re-asses your thoughts on Brad and maybe even admit youve made a misjudgement, and we all make those, dont be too proud to realise you might have been taking a stance for the wrong reasons.