Wayne Bennett to remain as head coach of the Brisbane Broncos
Peter Badel and Rikki-Lee Arnold, The Courier-Mail
The Broncos-Souths coaching saga has exploded after Wayne Bennett sensationally called his own press conference today to declare he is staying at Brisbane.
In dramatic scenes today at Red Hill, Bennett emerged from his office to announce he is digging his heels in and will not walk away from the final year of his Broncos contract in 2019.
“I’ve spoken to South Sydney ... I have a responsibility here,” Bennett said.
“Players, staff that I work with, the fans, I felt I’d be letting them down if I went a year before I should.
“There’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes there.”
He said his relationship was good with CEO Paul White and chairman Karl Morris.
He’s supported me all the way through,” Bennett said of Morris.
“I think I’ve said things the way they were. I don’t think I’ve criticised anybody.
“That’s behind us, we’re all moving on and we’ll all be one.”
“They knew my position, they knew I was going to make a decision again today that I’ve made 10 times before. This is the last time I’m making it.
Bennett refuted suggestions that he had anythign to do with the drama engulfing the club.
“The drama hasn’t been me. The drama has been everybody else. It’s never come from me.
“Today the deadline for me was because the speculation was mounting and I was going back to training on Monday.”
“The Souths move was never instigated by me. We never talked about ‘19.
“It started when I was overseas the ‘19 bit and I kind of got drawn into it. It’s as simple as that.
“It’s none of my doing.”
Bennett singled out praise for Sydney who had been keen to get Bennett on board a year earlier than the original contract.
“They’ve been outstanding South Sydney. Richo came to England to see me to talk about the contract ... I’m disappointed for them but I’ll be there in 2020
“I have no problems about next year and how I’ll handle it. It’s not an issue for me.”
“I did it here in 2008 ... I’m ready to coach.”
Bennett said he is of the belief every Broncos official wants him to stay in 2019.
“I’m happy with what I’ve done.”
The bombshell has rocked Brisbane and Souths management, who have spent the past four days in delicate talks hoping to finalise a straight swap with Rabbitohs coach Anthony Seibold immediately.
The clubs had set a deadline of 5pm today and the key negotiators widely believed Bennett would succumb to pressure and finally agree to a swift transfer that would see him at Redfern this Monday.
But, right until the end, Bennett walked to the beat of his own drum, holding his own press conference to announce he is going nowhere.
Broncos powerbrokers must now decide whether to sack Bennett _ a scenario they were desperate to avoid given the super coach’s remarkable 25 seasons of service to the club.
The Broncos were hoping to unveil Seibold as their coach at a press conference later today, but that plan is now in tatters as the most toxic coaching drama in the club’s history spins out of control.
Bennett surprised Broncos players by turning up to training this morning at Purtell Park. He spoke briefly with the playing group but did not advise them of any decision, only telling them he would call his own press conference.
The Broncos and Rabbitohs have come under mounting pressure to initiate a straight swap after Seibold was last month named Brisbane’s coach for 2020 _ prompting Souths to respond by poaching Bennett.
Just last Saturday, Bennett looked certain to be coaching the Broncos in 2019 after a meeting with chairman Karl Morris failed to result in his sacking.
But Souths were determined to fast-track an urgent transfer, prompting Bennett and the Broncos to come back to the negotiating table.
Broncos skipper Darius Boyd said last week Brisbane players would have no issue working with Seibold if Bennett departed a year early.
“You have to take a business approach,” he said.
“It’s a business these days and coaches are not immune to it. I’d love to be coached by Wayne for the rest of my career but I have nothing against Anthony Seibold, as players we’ll get on with the job.”
Source:
Courier Mail
