Newcastle ends Hagan rumours
By Brent Read
January 11, 2006
Hagan ... the club is seeking clarification about his situation. Pic: Brett Costello.
NEWCASTLE officials are ready to talk to Michael Hagan this week in an attempt to head off continuing speculation the premiership-winning coach has agreed to join Parramatta in 2007.
Knights chairman Mike Tyler said yesterday the club was likely to seek clarification of Hagan's situation before the weekend.
Hagan has been strongly linked with Parramatta, where Brian Smith has been told 2006 will be his last season in charge.
That link has only been strengthened by Newcastle's failure to offer Hagan an extension to his contract, which expires at the end of this season.
Hagan denied last night he had signed to coach Parramatta next year, but Tyler is clearly fed up with the rumour-mongering.
"We'd certainly like to know because if that's the case we will move much more quickly then we might have," Tyler said.
"Our position at the moment is Hagan is a nice bloke, we want to do the right thing.
"The rumours are running thick and fast. We have a football committee meeting on Thursday. We will discuss lots of things."
Hagan and his manager Peter Tracey held talks with Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald last month.
Tracey was unavailable for comment last night while Fitzgerald was reluctant to discuss the situation, although he said the Eels were on target to name Smith's replacement before the start of this season.
Tyler reiterated the club's decision not to offer Hagan a contract extension was purely results-driven and nothing to do with comments last season in which the coach criticised the club's facilities and financial status.
"Hages has a year to run on his contract, he will be coaching the team for this season," Tyler said. "We were concerned with winning the wooden spoon for the first time. The motivation of the board is results."
From: http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,17785933-23214,00.html
Good news, I think. It will provide a more stabilised environment for the players if they know what is happening with the coach. But I wonder if the Knights intend to offer him a contract for 2007 at this meeting, if not, the only thing I can see coming out of it is confirmation he will be going to Parra next year!
It will certainly be very interesting to see what the results of the talks are though ... I can't wait to find out!