NRL Tackle: Lee Hagipantelis and Justin Pascoe must walk to save Wests Tigers more embarrassment
The two men who have presided over the embarrassment that is the Wests Tigers must stand down or be sacked by the board, writes Paul Crawley.
Paul Crawley
Heads must roll at Wests Tigers but it’s not Tim Sheens or Benji Marshall who should be on the chopping block.
It has to start at the top with chairman Lee Hagipantelis and chief executive Justin Pascoe.
You can’t just sack Sheens and/or Marshall and allow the same officials who employed them to go on their merry way.
And calls for Sheens to stand down immediately in the wake of the shambolic 74-0 loss to the Cowboys and hand Marshall full control right now are just as ludicrous.
The reason Marshall was put on a five-year deal only last July was because he had next to no previous coaching experience coming into the job.
Yet it was the club officials who still determined it was the best way forward after a decade of not playing finals football, and going through a stack of other head coaches in the process.
That is why Sheens must stay on now because what the Tigers can’t afford is to make a club legend the next man thrown under the bus if Marshall is catapulted into head coaching before he’s ready.
But the buck has to stop somewhere and it is Hagpitantelis and Pascoe who need to be made accountable.
Hagipantelis took over as chairman in November 2019 while Pascoe was appointed in September 2015.
And since Pascoe took over the club has gone through coach after coach, player after player, but the same sorry story keeps playing out like a broken record.
Their supporters always seem to point to the fact the club is a far better financial position than it was prior.
Who gives a crap if on-field performances have not improved, but in actual fact have gone backwards?
The decision to bring in new head of recruitment Scott Fulton and the unrest that has caused is another decision the board and administration must wear.
It is not Fulton’s fault that he was thrown into this position, but it was pure madness he was appointed without the full knowledge of the head coach and coach-in-waiting.
That simply would not happen at any of the successful clubs.
Then you had the decision to let Luke Brooks walk out the door to join Manly next year without a better halfback option signed to replace him.
We all know Sheens and Marshall wanted to keep Brooks, but others weren’t on the same page.
Now it is Sheens and Marshall who have been left to deal with the fallout.
I also feel for Sheens who is 72 and was out of the NRL a long time before they rushed him back from England to save a club that was already the laughing stock of the league.
Now some people want to make Sheens the latest scapegoat so the people who employed him in the first place can save face.
What a bloody embarrassment.
Look I prefer to be constructive and avoid the call to just sack everyone.
But as Pascoe and Lee have said themselves, this is a results driven industry.
It's type for new people at CEO, Chairman and Board.
Top 8 2023
Pascoe will bring out his graphs showing membership and revenue increases to justify his position. He’s done is job and is now hanging on too long. I overheard him talking to someone recently complaining about how he is portrayed in the media. Well perception is reality and whether he believes it or not it’s time to move on.
Pascoe will bring out his graphs showing membership and revenue increases to justify his position. He’s done is job and is now hanging on too long. I overheard him talking to someone recently complaining about how he is portrayed in the media. Well perception is reality and whether he believes it or not it’s time to move on.
Well said
Perception is reality- but in this case it's more than perception - the outcomes from decisions made under JPs time as CEO, make it clear its time now to move on.
The issues such as the Anzac jersey, benji text, etc are really annoying.
But the 2 big decisions that have made it clear to me, was:
1. to make Sheens coach at the expense of having a GM Football - roles we really need fully time experts in both.
2. To bring in Fulton without consulting Sheens (coach and GM) and Benji (next coach) which has obviously upset the Apple cart. And in Lee's own words was an opportunity brought to the board by the CEO.
I think the decision to make Benji a fulltiem coach after rocky 2 years as assistant is still to prove if that was a good idea or not
But it's now time for a new CEO. I can't see any further value JP can now add
Top 8 2023
Pascoe will bring out his graphs showing membership and revenue increases to justify his position. He’s done is job and is now hanging on too long. I overheard him talking to someone recently complaining about how he is portrayed in the media. Well perception is reality and whether he believes it or not it’s time to move on.
The minute that Pascoe and Lee put their hands up taking responsibility for the Fulton appointment, they take responsibility for the consequences of it which includes Brooks and Joffa.
It's time.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
https://articles.listnr.com/sport/james-hooper-blasts-under-fire-tigers-boss/
journos going for Pascoes jugular
It's time.
you hold a powerful position in the fan base Garry. The pod should start to agitate for real changes. Supporters are behind the 8 ball in terms of being able to influence change. We need to start to consolidate the resistance to those who have custody of this club.
https://articles.listnr.com/sport/james-hooper-blasts-under-fire-tigers-boss/
journos going for Pascoes jugular
well earned
It's time.
you hold a powerful position in the fan base Garry. The pod should start to agitate for real changes. Supporters are behind the 8 ball in terms of being able to influence change. We need to start to consolidate the resistance to those who have custody of this club.
IMO that is an unreasonable expectation. Gary and the guys on the pod and in particular with the Ambush, form a very valuable conduit between the club and fans. This provides a very valuable mechanism for the club to get information to fans and for Gary and the ambush guys to feed fan info through management.
it’s not Gary’s responsibility to agitate for the removal of Pascoe or anyone in management and by doing so would torch the bridge between fans and the club
It's time.
you hold a powerful position in the fan base Garry. The pod should start to agitate for real changes. Supporters are behind the 8 ball in terms of being able to influence change. We need to start to consolidate the resistance to those who have custody of this club.
Make sure you listen to tonight's pod when it drops tomorrow.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
It's time.
you hold a powerful position in the fan base Garry. The pod should start to agitate for real changes. Supporters are behind the 8 ball in terms of being able to influence change. We need to start to consolidate the resistance to those who have custody of this club.
IMO that is an unreasonable expectation. Gary and the guys on the pod and in particular with the Ambush, form a very valuable conduit between the club and fans. This provides a very valuable mechanism for the club to get information to fans and for Gary and the ambush guys to feed fan info through management.
it’s not Gary’s responsibility to agitate for the removal of Pascoe or anyone in management and by doing so would torch the bridge between fans and the club
yes perhaps it’s unfair. part of fan engagement is co-opting the fan groups into being complicit with the existing management. That’s just a fact and it’s not to blame the pod or the ambush but negotiating for incremental improvement from the existing management legitimises the management. The last month of decision making by the club should demonstrate that the existing management doesn’t deserve to hold that position. There must be change.
IMO that is an unreasonable expectation. Gary and the guys on the pod and in particular with the Ambush, form a very valuable conduit between the club and fans. This provides a very valuable mechanism for the club to get information to fans and for Gary and the ambush guys to feed fan info through management.
it’s not Gary’s responsibility to agitate for the removal of Pascoe or anyone in management and by doing so would torch the bridge between fans and the club
Honestly, that is my concern as well, but it's at the point now where I think it might be past that. I have been feeling quite down today as the Ambush has been a lot of work for a number of people and I think it is now at the point where I think after tonight's pod that will be blown up and all of that effort in building this will be undone.
I just think that is the point we have reached, this club takes a step forward and then within days does something stupid and it's 5 steps backwards.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
IMO that is an unreasonable expectation. Gary and the guys on the pod and in particular with the Ambush, form a very valuable conduit between the club and fans. This provides a very valuable mechanism for the club to get information to fans and for Gary and the ambush guys to feed fan info through management.
it’s not Gary’s responsibility to agitate for the removal of Pascoe or anyone in management and by doing so would torch the bridge between fans and the club
Honestly, that is my concern as well, but it's at the point now where I think it might be past that. I have been feeling quite down today as the Ambush has been a lot of work for a number of people and I think it is now at the point where I think after tonight's pod that will be blown up and all of that effort in building this will be undone.
I just think that is the point we have reached, this club takes a step forward and then within days does something stupid and it's 5 steps backwards.
For the long term good of the club, something has to be done. It is definitely time.
The only way the club is going to listen is if the supporter base stops putting up with this. Don’t renew memberships, don’t show up to games, don’t buy the merchandise.
We excuse so much as fans. I’ve been a member for 11 years. Every time I renew, the process is amateurish. The website, littered with typographical errors, club not following through with requests, supporter packs not being delivered on time. I let it go, for the love of the club.
Time for some tough love. Hopefully others will follow.
For the long term good of the club, something has to be done. It is definitely time.
The only way the club is going to listen is if the supporter base stops putting up with this. Don’t renew memberships, don’t show up to games, don’t buy the merchandise.
We excuse so much as fans. I’ve been a member for 11 years. Every time I renew, the process is amateurish. The website, littered with typographical errors, club not following through with requests, supporter packs not being delivered on time. I let it go, for the love of the club.
Time for some tough love. Hopefully others will follow.
I will renew but if nothing changes may not attend games.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
