Michael Maguire’s time at the Wests Tigers has reportedly all but come to an end, with the club set to begin its hunt for a new head coach.
Michael Maguire’s time at the Wests Tigers has reportedly all but come to an end, with the club set to begin its hunt for a new head coach.
Despite being contracted for a further two seasons, Maguire’s future has been under a dark cloud ever since the club began it’s end of season internal review.
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The Tigers finished 13th to top off a disappointing season that ended in a humiliating 38-nil loss to the last-placed Bulldogs.
According to a News Corp report, Maguire is expected to get the axe unless the club has a last-minute change of heart.
The board reportedly met last week and according to News Corp there’s been a shift in support for Maguire.
The football committee was asked for further recommendations surrounding Maguire and those recommendations will be put to the board, who will ultimately make the call.
Fox League’s James Hooper expects Maguire to finish up at the Tigers within the next seven days.
“I don’t like to say it because I have the upmost time and respect for Madge as a coach and also as a bloke, but I would be surprised if Madge is at the Tigers beyond the end of this week,” he told Triple M.
“Their review has been ongoing of the football department, it’s been all-encompassing.
“Originally we were told it was going to be CEO Justin Pascoe and head of football Adam Hartigan doing it, then we learned the chairman Lee Hagipantellis, Tim Sheens and one of the board members were also involved in the process as well.
“So I think the Tigers will have a board meeting later this week. The board hasn’t rubber stamped or ratified anything yet, but that’s the way it looks as though the cards are going to fall.”
News Corp reports Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo is at the top of the Tigers’ coaching wish list, however if he opts to remain under Ivan Cleary, the likes of Super League coaches Steve McNamara and Kristian Woolf as well as the England international team’s coach Shaun Wane are all said to be in the mix.
The Tigers brought back their 2005 premiership-winning coach Tim Sheens this year in a head of football performance role.
However Hooper expects that role will be expanded.
“I think one that will shake out of it is on the back of the decision around Madge, I don’t think they’ll make the announcement immediately, but the way it’s tracking is that Sheens will end up being the coaching director,” he said.
“Whatever title they want to give him, he’s going to be sitting over the top of everything in relation to the football club and that’s a good thing.”
Originally published as Wests Tigers on the brink of sacking coach Michael Maguire
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