Monday, May 31, 2004
Pressure mounts on Smith
Brian Smith admitted at the post match press conference that the pressure on him was as great as any in his 20 year coaching career.
When asked if this was his greatest coaching challenge, Smith said: "It's up there, times are very tough."
"I started coaching first grade in 1984 and this is a reminder that you get no credit points for doing 20 years' service. They were tough times at Illawarra and they are tough now but I fought my way through those times back with the Steelers."
"I feel pressure all the time in this job but I have no control over anything other than to coach. I'm doing that to the best of my ability so it is up to others to make any decisions. There are agendas in the game which are extremely fierce and the power of the media are stirring the pot."
"I know what I've got to do and I'll just stick at it the best I can. You feel pressured all the time in this job. I have no control over anything other than what I do as a coach, which is what I like to do and I will continue to do to the best of my ability. If others decide that's not good enough . . . that's the prerogative of being in professional sport.
"A lot of great coaches, and far better coaches than me, have the same experiences as me. Things just don't seem to run for you when you're in a certain passage of a season or career or whatever it might be. All I can say is that I'll keep working hard at it, and we've got a lot of good people in our organisation who won't back off. We'll keep trying hard."
That pot kept getting stirred today with The Daily Telegraph running a story: "Smith's days numbered".
The Australian wrote that "the noose is tightening around Brian Smith's neck" and reported that radio broadcaster Ray Hadley, who has been Smith's most vocal critic was at the ground holding up a sign that said "try" every time the Tigers went over.
In the Herald, Brian Smith went down in the Winners and Losers column as this week's Loser. "Another day, another loss for Parramatta and their outspoken coach. Yesterday's 33-6 drubbing from Wests Tigers makes it five defeats on end for the Eels - the past three by an average of 29 points. Despite the howls of disgruntled fans who have followed the once mighty club's slide since its grand-final appearance in 2001, the often prickly Smith still looks stuck fast to Parramatta, with the high costs involved in paying out his contract making those endorsements from his employers sound more convincing than they usually do in similarly troubled football clubs around the world."
The Tele did quote both Alan Overton and John Fitzgerald as saying even after another heavy loss, Smith had their support. Senior players also defended their boss.
In a Sydney Morning Herald article, Nathan Hindmarsh said: "We're missing a bit of confidence at the moment. Heads are down because we know we're a much better team than we're going. We've got Nathan Cayless and Aaron Cannings to come back from injury, Adam Peek is suspended and Adam Dykes and John Morris are in reserve grade, so it's not like we haven't got the team to do it. We've just got to get them on the paddock. I wish we could wait it out but it's up to the players - we've got to do something about it."
In the Telegraph article, Daniel Wagon siad: "We just haven't been good enough over the past few weeks. There seems to be all this pressure on 'Smithy' but there should be more blame on the players.
"We're the ones out there missing the tackles and dropping the ball. You blokes [media] need to look more at us."
At the press conference Smith was also asked why he had dropped both Adam Dykes and John Morris: "We're at the point where we have to take some risks".
When asked if this was his greatest coaching challenge, Smith said: "It's up there, times are very tough."
"I started coaching first grade in 1984 and this is a reminder that you get no credit points for doing 20 years' service. They were tough times at Illawarra and they are tough now but I fought my way through those times back with the Steelers."
"I feel pressure all the time in this job but I have no control over anything other than to coach. I'm doing that to the best of my ability so it is up to others to make any decisions. There are agendas in the game which are extremely fierce and the power of the media are stirring the pot."
"I know what I've got to do and I'll just stick at it the best I can. You feel pressured all the time in this job. I have no control over anything other than what I do as a coach, which is what I like to do and I will continue to do to the best of my ability. If others decide that's not good enough . . . that's the prerogative of being in professional sport.
"A lot of great coaches, and far better coaches than me, have the same experiences as me. Things just don't seem to run for you when you're in a certain passage of a season or career or whatever it might be. All I can say is that I'll keep working hard at it, and we've got a lot of good people in our organisation who won't back off. We'll keep trying hard."
That pot kept getting stirred today with The Daily Telegraph running a story: "Smith's days numbered".
The Australian wrote that "the noose is tightening around Brian Smith's neck" and reported that radio broadcaster Ray Hadley, who has been Smith's most vocal critic was at the ground holding up a sign that said "try" every time the Tigers went over.
In the Herald, Brian Smith went down in the Winners and Losers column as this week's Loser. "Another day, another loss for Parramatta and their outspoken coach. Yesterday's 33-6 drubbing from Wests Tigers makes it five defeats on end for the Eels - the past three by an average of 29 points. Despite the howls of disgruntled fans who have followed the once mighty club's slide since its grand-final appearance in 2001, the often prickly Smith still looks stuck fast to Parramatta, with the high costs involved in paying out his contract making those endorsements from his employers sound more convincing than they usually do in similarly troubled football clubs around the world."
The Tele did quote both Alan Overton and John Fitzgerald as saying even after another heavy loss, Smith had their support. Senior players also defended their boss.
In a Sydney Morning Herald article, Nathan Hindmarsh said: "We're missing a bit of confidence at the moment. Heads are down because we know we're a much better team than we're going. We've got Nathan Cayless and Aaron Cannings to come back from injury, Adam Peek is suspended and Adam Dykes and John Morris are in reserve grade, so it's not like we haven't got the team to do it. We've just got to get them on the paddock. I wish we could wait it out but it's up to the players - we've got to do something about it."
In the Telegraph article, Daniel Wagon siad: "We just haven't been good enough over the past few weeks. There seems to be all this pressure on 'Smithy' but there should be more blame on the players.
"We're the ones out there missing the tackles and dropping the ball. You blokes [media] need to look more at us."
At the press conference Smith was also asked why he had dropped both Adam Dykes and John Morris: "We're at the point where we have to take some risks".
