Carty to stay with Titans until 2011. Contract Extended

[DIEHARD]

Carty's right for a job at Titans until end of 2011

THE Gold Coast Titans inaugural coach John Cartwright will be with the club until at least the end of the 2011 season, with managing director Michael Searle suggesting the club will have won two premier ships by then.

"Yes, I hope that by then we will have won two titles," said Searle yesterday after confirming that Cartwright's three-year deal had been extended by two seasons.

"I have no doubt that Carty will be a great coach for this club. He has a young family at a delicate stage with their schooling and I just took the opportunity to offer him an extension which he accepted.

"From my point of view, at this stage of the development of the club, I can't picture myself working with any other coach .

"We are a good match. Our work ethics are similar, our social values are the same, we are united on delicate issues such as drugs and I think that if you get someone like that you have to maintain that relationship.

"I think to be fair, he is only going to get better as a coach. I have worked with him for three years, I know he is the right guy."

Searle re-affirmed that Cartwright's first year had not been an easy one.

"Just have a look at what he went through this year," said Searle.

"Everybody is talking about the Broncos injury list, but at one stage out of our top 27 players we had 13 out. It does not get much worse than that, but Carty handled himself with dignity.

"I have seen his passion, but he is also a very balanced character."

Cartwright revealed that the contract extension offer had come as a surprise.

"The offer came out of the blue actually," he said.

"Searley and I were just in the middle of one of our regular get-togethers late last week and he asked me if I was interested in another two years.

"Of course I immediately said 'yes'."

Although Cartwright had never been in charge of a top grade side before his Gold Coast appointment, he was highly regarded within the NRL coaching community.

His success with the Titans in 2007 confirmed that regard. After reaching fourth place mid-season, the club is still a chance of finishing in the top eight.

The 41-year-old has already expressed a desire to be a one-club coach and have a Wayne Bennett-like tenure at the Coast.

"Every coach would like to spend his whole career with the same club, but of course that just doesn't happen," he said.

"Over the years I am sure you will see the top grade comprised more and more of players who have been born and bred here.

"That does a lot of things including increasing community support for the team."

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/

[Steve]

Great news!

Him being the coach is one of the things that attracted me to the club in the first place, and he's done great this year. It's good to see him given the chance to improve in the many years to come.

[Big J]

More outstanding work by the Titans in securing a coach who will only get better.

[lonegull]

great news carty has done a terrific job, and one thing he has is respect for his players and plus he has a bright future ahead great news and a pat on the back for carty

[GCT_89]

great news!!

hes done very well this year considering the circumstances

[Titanium_BD1103]

Great news...

Carty has done a sensational job in his opening season and only lack of depth has seen him not have a top 8 side ATM... he is a fantastic coach and to hear this is a great boost for the club in the future...

Well done Titans Management...

[Kelvinator]

good news, but is a contract really worth the paper it is written on these days? (especially a coaches)

[Queenslander]

good news, but is a contract really worth the paper it is written on these days? (especially a coaches)

Rest assured I think a contract with the Gold Coast Titans will be enforced no matter what

This move adds long term stability to the club which is needed at such a young stage. Who knows, perhaps Carty will be around for as long as Bennett at the Broncos.

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

Excellent news here.

[mb63]

I'm going to go against the flow here.Whilst he has done a great job why the need to secure him for another 2 years.He's already locked in until the end of 2009.

[PROMETHEUS]

To stop melbourne poaching him when bellamy goes to brisbane,thats why...

[mb63]

To stop melbourne poaching him when bellamy goes to brisbane,thats why...

Storm will be quite happy for Steve Kearney to takeover the head coaching role.

[RobJ]

Great news!!!!