Wests Tigers great Robbie Farah has shot down fears of coach Michael Maguire feeling at unease over greater responsibility being handed to Tim Sheens at the embattled club.
The man who led a youthful Tigers outfit to the 2005 NRL premiership returned to the club in June as head of football performance, before taking on the role of director of coaching in September amid the club’s tumultuous internal review.
The appointment led Michael Chammas of The Sydney Morning Herald to ask rugby league guru Phil Gould how Maguire would feel about it.
“How do you take it as coach… if they are bringing in someone over the top of you, Gus?” Chammas said on Nine’s 100% Footy in September.
“How would Michael Maguire… take Tim Sheens’ appointment?”
The two-man partnership between Sheens and Maguire, the man who steered the Rabbitohs to the 2014 NRL title, is a hot talking point heading into the 2022 season.
READ MORE: Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui shares epic Melbourne Cup story from 2003
But as the Tigers filter back to the club for pre-season training, intent on ending a 10-year finals exile, Farah has hosed down talk of Maguire being uncomfortable with Sheens’ appointment in an interview with Wide World of Sports.
“I don’t think that’s the case at all, to be honest,” said Farah, who’s now a Tigers trainer.
“When you can bring in someone of Sheensy’s quality you would be mad not to.
“He can oversee the whole football program. He’s not only there to oversee what’s happening with the NRL squad; it’s about laying the foundations in our junior pathways, our grassroots, making sure we’re a strong club from the bottom up.
“That’s what it’s about, that’s what brings us sustained success. It’s not about making the semi-finals for one season and then dropping out the year after; it’s about making sure that we’re a competitive club year on end.
“That’s because you lay the foundations and that starts from the bottom up and that’s what Sheensy’s role is.
“I think it’s a great appointment, I know Madge thinks it’s a great appointment.
“I think everyone’s just keen to get stuck in and make sure we turn things around.”
READ MORE: NFL superstar MVP caught up in COVID scandal
While Sheens returned to the Tigers in June, the four-time premiership-winning coach has since worked remotely because he’s still based in England.
The 71-year-old has remained in the northern hemisphere since quitting unexpectedly as coach of Super League club the Widnes Vikings after just seven games, in October 2020.
Farah said Sheens and Maguire had worked well together over the short period of time that Sheens had been back at the Tigers.
“They’ve been great,” Farah said.
“I know Madge is really keen to work with Tim.
READ MORE: Shane Warne takes aim at ‘poor’ Tim Paine
“Both are very experienced, both have got a wealth of knowledge in the game.
“When you speak to both of them you see how passionate they are and I think… when you’ve got two guys like that, who are passionate about success, that’s only going to bode well for the Tigers.”