If Brad Arthur had any decency he would step down and give Eels' fans some happiness.
What’s The Buzz: Brad Arthur rubbishes suggestions he is set to quit Eels
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur fires up over speculation he is set to depart the club and talk that his players lack the fitness to compete in the NRL.
Brad Arthur is fuming about constant speculation over his coaching future at Parramatta.
We had a terse exchange when I phoned him last week to ask if he would walk away from the job if his team failed to make the top eight for the second year in a row.
“You were on NRL 360 spraying the hell out of me,” he said. “You’re saying I’m not the right person for this job. If you don’t think I can coach, fair enough, but you need to own what you said.”
My comments about his future were made after the Eels’ capitulation in Darwin two weeks ago against an understrength Dolphins side – on a night he himself said “we gave up.”
So I put it to Arthur that there was talk he would quit if the team failed to make the top eight, taking the decision off the club administration.
“I don’t know who told you that rubbish,” he said, “I won’t be walking away from anything. Never.
“I’m not going to walk out on the team. We’ll fight our way out of it. The club can make whatever decision they feel is right, but I’m not walking away.”
Arthur’s Eels have been dubbed the NRL’s 40-minute footy team.
Fox Sports Lab stats reveal Parramatta would be running second in the competition behind the Broncos on a first-half premiership ladder this year. But they drop to 14th for second-half performances.
Arthur denied the players were not fit enough.
“It’s got nothing to do with our fitness or that we’re getting tired,” he said.
“We’re not managing the game properly. We’re beating ourselves with second-half fade outs and we’ve got to fix it. The bottom line is we’ve got to play for 80 minutes.”
The Eels have won just three of their eight games this year.
They have the bye this weekend but then two tough games against the Broncos and Melbourne Storm, both without skipper Clint Gutherson and halfback Mitchell Moses.
Replies
When we signed Foran in 2015 I thought that was the making of us if hadn't have fallen off the horse I think we are in a totally different situation we are in now.
Bradley your mother just called, she says shut up and dont speak untill you know what your talking about.
PS Those things didn't stop us as it showed we were willig to pay. WE had no one likely to come to the club at that point, we had a salary cap to spend......hindsight can be great when it suits you,.
Brad make sure you don't go back for your "hat" next time.
I remember that Canberra game foran had a blinder I thought wow how good is this I still believe if we didn't get done for the cap we had a massive chance to win the comp in 2016.
I agree - we were the best Sydney team that year before the cap issue. Better than the sharks who ended up winning.
You watch Foran playing now he reminds me of Gutho just plays to the wheels fall off a tyre with not much left but what he's got he gives it whole heartedly.He's one of my favourite players of all time.He's tough as nails still goes deep into the line without any fear
Well if anything, it was a blessing in disguise as we got Moses instead, that was better for us as a future.
Foran signing along with Jennings, Wicks, Gordon and Scott was a nice recruitment drive. 2017 saw the benefits after picking up Moses who turned out to be better for us.
It's not that hard is it even BA mentioned it if they want me gone the board need to show some back bone and make the decision outside if that it's business as usual.
What is he going to say? "I don't know, maybe i might, depends". I mean i like his go down fighting attitude, would rather that in a coach. But also he shows once again he snaps under pressure. 2021 he did when losing to Manly by 50. 2022 when Fittler's name came up also. Now i know some coaches would do same, Bellamy even if you brought that up but Bellamy is that type of personality. Same with Stuart, he would snap but does it everyweek. BA doesn't do that. He could have said mate i would never do that etc. and make him self look better.
But when it gets to a point like this he goes into the the defence mechinism and sells himself with comments like last week "We haven't lost the squad". Like saying the board "See, see" But the way he snaps at when feeling pressure can seap into the club, it can rub off on the players. Now next Friday, regardless of Reynolds being out, we will be under the pump with not only Moses but also Gutherson being out. If we pull off a win i mean it would be impressive and BA pulled a rabbit out of his arse. But with these types of comments coming out now, surely it is up to the players to put up or shut up. It would be ironic if Souths in round 12 is the game where it is the final straw where we come off back to back losses to Melbourne and Brisbane.
We have lost 10 of our last 16. Losing to Brisbane and Melbourne like expected will make it 12 of 18. Not a great look at all. BA is in unfamiliar territory where even the media aren't on his side anymore. He is feeling it now Demetriou is out of the firing line. Media need a new punching bag and BA is there for the taking.
The problem is like myself the media has backed him and kept him covered in cotton wool to a extent. Yes the normal rubbish come out about his job is under pressure and so on but nothing like this. The footy shows and mostly everyone in the media are starting to see that we need a change. If this was most other coaches they would be going even harder.
I get we have a key player of the team out, that still doesn't cause massive same old issues in defence, the team just folding when the pressure comes on. The good coaches always have a back up plan, find a way to win or at least be close in games. We look like a park footy team after a big night. He said about the second half fade outs, the first half hasn't been much better.
Any coach wouldn't want to walk. He has to put the club first and realise he has done a lot for the club and team, but he is only to remembered for the bad and ugly if he can't turn around the season.
How are the media the problem.
The problem lies in the guys with the higher pay grade.If these guys can't make a decision that's got nothing to do with the media.
If any club is influenced by the media there screwed regardless.All this comes down to is strong leadership that's all this is all these other scenarios are made up opinions.
All the board have to do is weigh up what there seeing daily look at what's coming up and make the decision.Having fans and media having to push them in a certain direction screams of how weak we as a club really are.
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