NRL 2022: Tim Sheens vs Paul Kent, Michael Maguire, Wests Tigers, future, coach candidates

Tigers general manager of football Tim Sheens had a frosty back and forth with Paul Kent after he was grilled on how the club can sell itself to prospective coaches under a new development plan.

The Tigers parted ways with Michael Maguire with a mandate to instil a development coach, which means inconsistent results could continue over the three year period the club has given itself to develop a young core of talent.

Sheens was grilled on NRL 360 by Kent about why a successful coach like Maguire couldn’t get results at the Tigers and why prospective coaches would want to follow him at the club.

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“That’s something I can’t answer for a million reasons, mate,” Sheens said on NRL 360 when asked why Maguire didn’t work out.

“But it’s a round peg in a square hole. Madge is a good coach.”

Kent questioned Sheens on reports Maguire was not in charge of the club’s recruitment while he was coaching the club.

“We know that about him, but we have been told reports he is not in charge of his own recruitment,” Kent interjected.

“Was that fair to say that he wasn’t in charge of his own recruitment?”

“Garbage,” Sheens replied.

“There is not a player there that he hasn’t signed or re-signed. Not one, mate.

“Initially he had the problem which is what we are facing now with our recruiting into next year.

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Paul Kent and Tim Sheens had a spirited back and forth.Source: FOX SPORTS

“Michael was involved with recruiting into next year. At this stage we didn’t think that was going to work and we needed to have someone who was going to control the club and the recruitment for next year.

“To say he wasn’t in charge is absolute rubbish. He was on our retention committee, mate.

“No decision was ever made without Michael’s approval. None.”

Kent followed up by asking why prospective coaches would want to risk their own long-term careers to come to a club like the Tigers, who haven’t tasted finals since 2011 and have gone through five coaches since Sheens last coached the club himself.

“Let me ask you this then, we both know Michael Maguire is a good coach, you have acknowledged that and seen it first hand,” Kent said.

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Sheens speaks on departure of Maguire | 16:04

“How do you sell the club to any coach? Whether it is a young coach, a development coach, an experienced coach. How do you sell to the coach that you are going to be a club that is determined to turn it around?

“Not only determined to turn it around but knows how to turn it around and will not further impact their career in the future?”

Sheens admitted the buck stops with him as he tries to turn the club’s on-field fortunes around by getting their support systems for the new coach right.

“How we turn it around is we change our policies,” Sheens said.

“We change what we are doing. To start with I am in charge of that so it is up to me now to direct the club and to move forward with that.

“As far as recruitment and other things are concerned the coach will be in charge of that.

“My only role there with Warren McDonnell is to control the salary cap.

“You give a coach free rein and we won’t have a salary cap so they are the only restrictions ever placed on a coach.”

Sheens was defiant that he would have plenty of applications for the Tigers head coaching job, but stressed the importance of getting the appointment right.

“I will be knocked over with applicants don’t worry about that Paul,” Sheens said to Kent.

Madge & Brown depart clubs on same day | 09:47

“The issue is trying to find the right guy to fit. Like I said, a round peg in a square hole doesn’t always fit.

“It doesn’t mean Madge isn’t a good coach. He is going to find a round hole to fit into and I’ve done that and I’ve seen that.

“Every now and then in any business you start off in a honeymoon period and if things don’t work it doesn’t work.

“For going on four years now it just hasn’t worked for whatever reason. For a million reasons.

“But I think Madge is a very dedicated coach and has a very good attitude to whatever he does. He throws himself into it 100 per cent, but we are not getting results, mate.

“We gave him this year to have another shot at it and it hasn’t happened so we have to make a move.

“It is on me and the club to make sure our 400,000 supporters get some sort of results within the near future.”

Nathan Brown explains Warriors exit | 06:32

Sheens revealed the Tigers are looking for a development coach and pleaded for patience from the side’s next mentor and the fanbase.

“We are looking for a development coach,” Sheens said.

“Someone who is prepared to give our youngsters and opportunity. He is going to need to be patient.

“It is not going to be a simple fix tomorrow. Those kids we have got a lot of 21 and under in the club.

“We just have to cherry pick where we need to cherry pick and develop and develop hard and continue our development program, which will be next year and the year after and the year after.

“We have got great pathways now. We are determined to make a fist of that. It will take a little bit of time, but I’m not saying it will be three years before we get a result.

“It will be over the period of three years that we need to get better and better and develop the kids as well as the younger players and the veterans that we will need to pick here and there.”

However, after 11 seasons without finals football and counting, patience is something that will be hard for Tigers fans to stomach.