Michael Maguire coaching fallout deepens amid staggering claim from Kiwis boss
The Kiwis coach left his role despite masterminding a record recent thumping of the Kangaroos.
New Zealand rugby league appears to be in a state of confusion as the blame game begins over who pushed the eject button on Michael Maguire's tenure as national coach. NZRL CEO Greg Peters insists the decision to move on from Maguire after he expressed interest in adding the NSW State of Origin job to his role with the Kiwis was unanimously agreed on by the game's key stakeholders.
That included a vocal group of past players and the current squad, fresh off a record 30-0 win over Australia in this month's Pacific Championship final. The Kiwis believe it would be a conflict of interest to have a national coach also in charge of an Origin side, potentially shepherding players away from the black jersey.
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Maguire was left shattered by the move and is still searching for answers. "The two roles are very difficult to reconcile. We want someone who's 100 per cent focused on that role and not having half an eye on an Australian pathway team (NSW) over the ditch," Peters said.
"It's not just my view or the board's view. It's a strongly held view among the current player group and a number of former players that the two roles were incompatible.
"I'm not prepared to name names but I can assure you we've spoken to both (ex and current players). And in the case of the current players - we put a lot of status on their view - to a man they are consistent and agree with the position that Michael couldn't do both jobs."
Kiwis great weighs in on Michael Maguire exit
But outspoken ex-Kiwi international Tony Kemp denied pressure from New Zealand's old boys brigade led to Maguire's demise. "Did they get a bunch of players led by Tony Kemp and go in there (to the NZRL) and shake their toys and throw them out of the cot and say, 'this is not on'? Absolutely not," he told SEN Radio's Matt White.
Asked if the current players were involved in the decision to sever ties with Maguire, Kemp contradicted Peters' view. "Of course the current crop want him to coach. Players are nurseries – they're never going to go against the coach," Kemp continued.
"I'm not going to sit here and blow wind up your backside. Of course he's got a group of players saying 'yes, we want him to stay'.
Madge Maguire had to decide between NSW and the Kiwis and he picked NSW. "The decision to coach NSW and try and coach the Kiwis threw up a severe conflict of interest.
"Say you have a Kiwi kid that wants to play Origin and can play for New Zealand and you've got a Kiwi coach that then has to decide whether he plays for NSW or the Kiwis. They (the NZRL) had every right to say they wanted someone who is fully committed."
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