2019 Coaching Staff and Football Department

Since Wests took over we have lost Woolford, Potter, Ayoub and Mooney - all guys handpicked by Brown.
We have signed Shepherd, Cupples and Woolf - guys who don't seem to have any previous connection with Brown, or with the Knights.

 

Looks like Brown is gonna have to throw something extra into the butter chicken to make up for this, msg maybe?

 

Ahhh I get it. Another conspiracy theory.

Personally more interested in JFK and MM!

 

Not sure I am reading conspiracy theory into any of this...Gardiner said when Tony Ayoub was leaving that they would only be looking to recruit those willing to move family here to take up roles in future and that was going to be a baseline criteria and I think that related to both players and coaching staff.

Mooney is a great loss to our structure and will be hard to replace but, if his family is still in Sydney (which I didn't realise), he was always likely to be a short to medium term piece of our jigsaw.

One of the things that interests me now is...we haven't really heard anything from the football advisory group that Gardiner set up when Wests took ownership - I wonder what role they are playing because they have been conspicuous by their absence since they were formed and I would think they should be part of the discussion now? Maybe the intent is for them not to be engaged with media but I find it interesting that we've heard nothing since they were set up, certainly not that I've come across anyway.

 

Only thing that puzzles me out of this is why didn't Mooney move his family to Newcastle in the same way we try to get players to do same. Hard to talk someone into it if doing the old "don't do as I do do what I want you to do. We would expect a player signed for 3 years to move into the area.

 

Most of Mooney's work would have been in Sydney or Brisbane or Auckland anyway.
No point in his family living in Newcastle while he spent his time talking to players in Cronulla, Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as catching games and networking is Western Sydney most of the time.
I'd be surprized if his job required him to spend more than about 30 days a year in Newcastle.

 

Well the article did say he was burned out & it was an all consuming job, not necessarily spending time away from a family abroad. I remember one time Brown said that it was easier to convince players to Newcastle because him & Mooney had made the move themselves & could help ease the concerns of players.

 

I read the "all consuming" part meaning even when he wasn't working, at home with the fam, he was working. It is that type of role.

He wants to take a step back from that sort of involvement and responsibility to enjoy his life and family a bit, can't fault him for that.

Potter was fired basically so didn't "leave" to go twiddle his thumbs.

 

Nutty the conspiracy is with Billy!

 

From Sporting News so take this with a grain of salt:

The mail is that NRL head of football Brian Canavan is heading to the Knights to help oversee the club’s revival under their new owners.

Canavan is one of the most experienced officials in the game and a good man manager who knows what it takes to make a football club tick.

Only a few days ago, the Knights parted company with General Manager of Football Darren Mooney.

Mooney told the media he was tired of the stress and long hours and wanted to spend more time with his family.

But I’m hearing he was told there was no job for him in 2019, opening the way for Canavan’s possible entry.

 

Must admit that does not inspire or fill me with hope...

Canavan hasn't been sighted in his tenure at NRL Headquarters since he took up the role, any tough issues that have needed to be addressed he has sat on his hands whilst Greenburg has been the sole front person and I would say he has been no more than a puppet under Greenburg.

I have some faith that Gardiner and the Wests Group are capable of doing their due diligence if he is being considered as a candidate but I don't have faith he is going to be anything but a major step down on Mooney

 

I highly doubt he would be taking Mooney's position as he has always been a CEO/COO. I suspect Gardner may be stepping back and Canavan taking over

 

TOOHEY'S NEWS | NRL head of football Brian Canavan is poised to become director of football at the Newcastle Knights

Brian Canavan spent 18 years in senior roles at the Sydney Roosters including CEO and had a short stint at the Gold Coast Titans before being poached by the NRL to become head of football.

But another career change is on the cards with Canavan poised to be handed the new title of Director of Football at the Newcastle Knights.

The club has wasted no time in spreading the net far and wide to replace former football general manager Darren Mooney, who departed late last week.

Knights CEO Phil Gardner has been inundated with applicants chasing after the job and has already spoken to a number of people.

He was giving little away when we spoke during the week but he did reveal he was looking outside Newcastle with the job to go to someone with plenty of experience who has held a similar position at an NRL club in the past.

That put an end to speculation about the chances of a certain former Knights player who sounded out the club about the position the moment Mooney left.

Names like Peter Parr from the Cowboys, Melbourne Storm’s Frank Ponissi and newly-appointed Warriors head of recruitment Peter O’Sullivan have all been tossed up this week.

But Canavan, who had dealings with Gardner during the process that saw the NRL hand over ownership to Wests Group, is at the top of the list.

The only issue that may block his appointment is the NRL not letting him go.


https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5647492/column-tooheys-news-knights-zero-in-on-new-football-boss-as-alex-returns/

 

The obvious move would be for Canavan to move in to the CEO role replacing Gardner when he steps aside.

McKinnon is returning to assist Pezet in a role he won't be doing shortly. Must be staying on to assist Canavan?

Any chance McKinnon is learning the ropes to take over as head of football once Pezet takes Gardners role?

 

The Wests group had a review of the structure and Mooney's position, as it was, no longer exists.
Many roles have changed.
We haven't really been told who is doing what now, or what roles they are trying to recruit for.
Canavan might take on all of Mooney's roles and even more, or he might only be doing a small part of Mooney's job.
Pezet might be the new recruiting guy.
It's all speculation.

 

Canavan will be confirmed as new head of football tomorrow according to an article in the Herald.

 

The fact that we as a club are now in a position to attract a person of Canavan's experience and stature in the game is huge! People talk about attracting high profile players to the club, it starts in the front office and having Canavan on board is a huge boost to the clubs credibility! This guy has a long and successful career and the benefit of his experience cannot be understated. Welcome to the new world brothers!

 

Gardiner seems to have appointed a manager for the football dept who can take over most of the roles of the old CEO - or Matt Gidley's old role - rather than the role Mooney had - which was more a jumped up recruitment guy.
He has also appointed a marketing guy who can also take on a lot of management type responsibility.
Basically Gardiner is replacing himself with guys who can run the club and give him a report to keep him up to speed, so Gardiner can go back to his day job of running a business about 20 times the size of the Knights.