'Slap in the face': Anger over Warriors' 'insulting' coaching move

Manly legend and former coach Geoff Toovey was reportedly told he didn’t match the Warriors’ coaching criteria during their search for a new manager.

Last week, Toovey said any coach would jump at the opportunity to coach New Zealand and help get the best out of the athletes.

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But Toovey was dismissed from the role, even before an interview, because he didn’t match the club’s coaching criteria, according to TVNZ’s Matt Manukia.

The tweet from Manukia prompted reporter Dan Ginanne to label the alleged move as ‘insulting’ to a proven coach.

“To say that he didn’t meet the criteria I thought was a little insulting,” Ginnane said on Fox Sports NRL Tonight.

“Now, maybe he didn’t fit the criteria, [but] this is a Grand Final coach, whatever you think of him.”

‘Been in the mix’: Toovey’s job hunt

The Australian’s Brent Read told NRL Tonight that the Warriors were in an advanced stage in their hiring process and had interviewed Todd Payten and the Walker brother’s for the role.

But both Ginanne and Read agreed they were surprised Toovey wasn’t a part of the discussion.

“Toovs (Toovey) has obviously been in the mix for a few jobs now. I wonder whether the fact he’s been in the mix and missed out, is coming back to hurt him a little bit, because his name gets thrown up all the time,” Read said.

“There's a few blokes in the picture. And I would have thought Toovs would be one of them. So [it’s] a bit of a slap in the face for Geoff,” he added.

Toovey took over as the head coach for the Manly Sea Ealges in 2012 and came within one game of the Grand Final.

He took Manly to the 2013 Grand Final where they lost to the Roosters.

Toovey departed as head coach in 2015 after a disappointing season.