THE EX Kevin Walters

[Muros]

If they haven’t already, players are really going to get the shits if every time they do or say something privately that upsets Kevvie it makes it’s way into the media via one of his unofficial spokesman.

Wasn't it mid last year the "Kev has lost the dressing room" line got traction ... at which point (on 3,2,...) Tallis launched into a spirited defence of Kev.

 

[BroncosFever]

What we're expecting aren't miracles. They're realistic expectations for the biggest Rugby League club in the world.

Being the biggest Rugby League club in a salary cap competition doesn't make us the best Rugby League club, unfortunately

 

[theshed]

They were teammates & he was a very left field choice considering he has zero experience in the nrl.

I dont think he is a replacement for matterson, murmurs of him being appointed predates even the form slump I think?

Looks like you were right about this one. I was trying to be optimistic but sounds like Ikin has had nothing to do with it.

 

[Dexter]

“Ben Ikin went for the CEO’s role and he missed it, that job is the boss,” Tallis said.

Kevvie went for a few Head Coach Positions and missed out until the old boys used the media to bully the club into hiring him.
They're still doing his dirty work .
I'm doing my best to view this objectively because I think the club has to see where Kevs coaching takes us but it seems Kev and his pals are happy to run to the media when it suits.
One thing is for sure, the old boys won't be around to share any blame if/when this turns to shit.
One of the reasons I'm no fan of KW is he was ok with the club he has so much passion for getting torn apart by the old boys while they campaigned for him.

 

[Kimlo]

Here you go:

“The CEOs don’t get sacked – the coach does (if an NRL club fails to get results),” Tallis fired on Triple M’s Sunday Sin Bin show.

“All these guys ... what are they called, football managers or directors of football, it’s a made-up title.

“It’s absolutely made up.

“Basically, the football manager should be a lackey for the head coach unless you are Phil Gould (Bulldogs football boss).

“These guys (other NRL football chiefs) all think they are Phil Gould.

“Let me tell you, Phil Gould’s role (at Canterbury) was made for Phil Gould, there aren’t too many people like him who can go to an organisation and be the boss.”

“Ben Ikin went for the CEO’s role and he missed it, that job is the boss,” Tallis said.

“The role for Benny, if I’m Benny Ikin, is, ‘Kevvie what do you need me to do? Hey mate, do you need anything else?’

“That should be it, that should be his job description.

“There are joint decisions these days (at NRL clubs) because if the coach has too much power, you can see how clubs get the salary cap out.

“Does Kevvie run the team? Does Kevvie talk about the players they want at the recruitment desk? Absolutely.

“But the two coaches I had, Brian Smith and Wayne Bennett, no-one is on their page. They make the decisions. They live by it.

“At the end of the day, it’s the coach gets moved on (if he fails to get results).”

Tallis is a dickhead.

This saga reeks of Walters crying to his dickhead mates to back him up.

If push comes to shove I'd rather Ikin over Walters any day.

 

[Dexter]

Can't wait until Johns gets involved.

 

[tommy]

“The role for Benny, if I’m Benny Ikin, is, ‘Kevvie what do you need me to do? Hey mate, do you need anything else?’

“That should be it, that should be his job description.

 

[Fitzy]

Didnt Ikin take over Nolan's job when he was sacked??

And if so do people think that Nolan was Bennett's boss?? Or Ponissi is Bellamy's boss??

The head of football works collaboratively with the coach to get results... they're equals on an org chart and both report to the CEO. They're meant to have a handle on recruiting, pathways, etc. so the coach doesnt have to bother with it and cam just coach the team.

If the coach says can we get player X, the head of football has to go look for who's available to fill that role and then they work together to get the right person in.

The only place that differs is dogs with Gould and tigers with Sheens.... they've basically been given full reign over the football department because the CEO doesnt want a bar of it.

Neither were/are the coaches bosses but to be fair neither are that far off. I definitely wouldn’t say either Craig or Wayne outrank/ed them despite there huge stature. Rather they just work synonymously both with astounding power and on some decisions either outrank each other depending on what area it aligns within the football department. Craig holds a lot of power but I beg to argue these days the boss in that town is ponissi. Very powerful man cause the CEO doesn’t seem to be to involved.

Now onto our situation I don’t know how all you see it but Ikin is far more valuable and far more educated on how to operate a football department. I’d argue only things Kev really gets a say in and deserves to get a say in is the coaching/tactics and the lineup. Ikin’s squad management so far has been on point for 14-16 months in the job considering the clusterfuck of a recruitment and retention team he inherited when he joined. I wouldn’t quite say he is kev’s boss but he outranks him in most facets of the football side of things.

 

[heartly87]

there is more clubs than you know that have family connections within them

That is correct but you could argue that apart from the Panthers it not easy sailing. The Eels fans seem to think it is an issue at that club. Selection there have been fairly questionable at times. The other club that comes to mind is Manly and you could argue that they put a lot of money down to keep the Turbos together. The team is also on a knife edge and they are apparently having player issues, I bet having three brothers sticking together could go either way depending on what side of the divide your on.

Having family playing together I see mostly as a good thing but the captain and coach is often thwart with danger. I played in such arrangements and even small things can make players question selections or comments. Things like "Billy put in for you guys today", "Billy tackled his heart out", "You young blokes should follow Billies example at training", can be read the wrong way by the team. It could all be true but if that player is not the best in the club and one of the best around it is hard slog for a coach and his son. Especially in a game that only allows a certain amount of players to be selected.

I don't think Kev has been selecting based on nepotism, I honestly think Billy deserved to be in the squad. But he is not good enough to hold others like Paix out or prevent us bringing anyone else in. So if I was in control of the books I would be moving him on sooner rather than later unless no other option is available.

 

[Broncapz]

Man U are the biggest football club in the world and look at their form.
we're in a rebuild so you're going to have to deal with the shit that comes with it.

Dallas Cowboys say 'Hi!'

 

[Swordfish]

“The role for Benny, if I’m Benny Ikin, is, ‘Kevvie what do you need me to do? Hey mate, do you need anything else?’

“That should be it, that should be his job description.


View attachment 19894

Exactly! The arrogant big mouthed dickhead can go fucked. All these so called “old boys” are making Kev look more silly. They need to shut the **** up for Kevs sake and let the people capable in DD & Ikin run the show.
Somebody, please tell Kev to stop this nonsense & get on with Ikin in a more amicable way.

 

[Foordy]

there are 3 ways to look at this:

1. you can use this to fuel an anti-KW agenda

2. you can take DD at his word that there are no issues between the two. and that “Having differing opinions and challenging each other’s views, including mine, across a long season isn’t a bad thing. ...

FYI James Graham agrees with this comment when he said:

“The last thing you want in that relationship is a ‘Yes man’ and someone who just agrees with everything (a head coach) says,” Graham said.

“You need to have difficult conversations at this level.”


3. assuming every word in the article is true, and that Ikin was relegated to the NRLW team and Grassroots issues. if Ikin has an issue with KW because of this, then his anger or frustration is aimed at the wrong man. KW doesn't have the power to relegate Ikin anywhere ... that is a DD job. maybe he was upset he didn't get a say on KW extension (also on DD)

 

[theshed]

there are 3 ways to look at this:

1. you can use this to fuel an anti-KW agenda

2. you can take DD at his word that there are no issues between the two. and that “Having differing opinions and challenging each other’s views, including mine, across a long season isn’t a bad thing. ...

FYI James Graham agrees with this comment when he said:

“The last thing you want in that relationship is a ‘Yes man’ and someone who just agrees with everything (a head coach) says,” Graham said.

“You need to have difficult conversations at this level.”


3. assuming every word in the article is true, and that Ikin was relegated to the NRLW team and Grassroots issues. if Ikin has an issue with KW because of this, then his anger or frustration is aimed at the wrong man. KW doesn't have the power to relegate Ikin anywhere ... that is a DD job. maybe he was upset he didn't get a say on KW extension (also on DD)

You’re ignoring the issue of Kev airing it out in the media. You’re ignoring Tallis making Kev look like an idiot.

I am not looking to blame it all on Kev. I think it makes all of them look bad but Kev shouldn’t of made his comment to the media. He should also tell Tallis to stop running to his rescue.

 

[Sproj]

You’re ignoring the issue of Kev airing it out in the media. You’re ignoring Tallis making Kev look like an idiot.

I am not looking to blame it all on Kev. I think it makes all of them look bad but Kev shouldn’t of made his comment to the media. He should also tell Tallis to stop running to his rescue.

I’ve kind of switched off league at this point. What did Tallis say?

 

[Swordfish]

there are 3 ways to look at this:

1. you can use this to fuel an anti-KW agenda

2. you can take DD at his word that there are no issues between the two. and that “Having differing opinions and challenging each other’s views, including mine, across a long season isn’t a bad thing. ...

FYI James Graham agrees with this comment when he said:

“The last thing you want in that relationship is a ‘Yes man’ and someone who just agrees with everything (a head coach) says,” Graham said.

“You need to have difficult conversations at this level.”


3. assuming every word in the article is true, and that Ikin was relegated to the NRLW team and Grassroots issues. if Ikin has an issue with KW because of this, then his anger or frustration is aimed at the wrong man. KW doesn't have the power to relegate Ikin anywhere ... that is a DD job. maybe he was upset he didn't get a say on KW extension (also on DD)

Kev doesn’t have air it out to the whole world about his own undermining of Ikin. By doing so, he proved himself to be dumber than I really think he is.

The ‘old boys’ need to shut the f*** up especially, big mouthed buffalo in Tallis.
This is dumb circus as if we don’t have nothing to worry about what has happened towards the end of season.

Kev must smarten up for his own sake.

 

[Broncapz]

As if this off season wasn't shit enough as it is. Now theres school yard gossip he-said-she-said occupying all the air space instead of potential new signings.

 

[theshed]

I’ve kind of switched off league at this point. What did Tallis say?

Here you go:

“The CEOs don’t get sacked – the coach does (if an NRL club fails to get results),” Tallis fired on Triple M’s Sunday Sin Bin show.

“All these guys ... what are they called, football managers or directors of football, it’s a made-up title.

“It’s absolutely made up.

“Basically, the football manager should be a lackey for the head coach unless you are Phil Gould (Bulldogs football boss).

“These guys (other NRL football chiefs) all think they are Phil Gould.

“Let me tell you, Phil Gould’s role (at Canterbury) was made for Phil Gould, there aren’t too many people like him who can go to an organisation and be the boss.”

“Ben Ikin went for the CEO’s role and he missed it, that job is the boss,” Tallis said.

“The role for Benny, if I’m Benny Ikin, is, ‘Kevvie what do you need me to do? Hey mate, do you need anything else?’

“That should be it, that should be his job description.

“There are joint decisions these days (at NRL clubs) because if the coach has too much power, you can see how clubs get the salary cap out.

“Does Kevvie run the team? Does Kevvie talk about the players they want at the recruitment desk? Absolutely.

“But the two coaches I had, Brian Smith and Wayne Bennett, no-one is on their page. They make the decisions. They live by it.

“At the end of the day, it’s the coach gets moved on (if he fails to get results).”

 

[Mister Wright]

It will be interesting to see how 360 handle this topic (if they do at all). Kent is obviously close with Ikin & Tallis works for FoxLeague.