Murphy Quits Titans for Eels Job

[Hail Sezer]

Murphy quits Titans for Eels job
Travis Meyn | 12:30am November 1, 2013

TITANS assistant coach Steve Murphy has quit the club to sign a lucrative deal with Parramatta, capping a day of high drama at the Gold Coast.

Murphy delivered the news to coach John Cartwright that he was accepting a three-year $650,000 assistant coach contract to link with the Eels just hours after Titans boss Graham Annesley sacked seven employees, including two football development staff.

Murphy, who was an under-14 coach at the Eels in his younger years, was lured to the wooden-spooners by close friend and Parramatta's general manager of football Daniel Anderson.

He applied for the Eels position after the Gold Coast signed ex-Cowboys coach Neil Henry as an assistant to Cartwright.

Murphy has been with the Titans since their inception in 2007, forming a three-pronged coaching panel with Cartwright and Trevor Gillmeister, but he said his resignation was not related to the arrival of Henry.

''Neil's a very experienced coach but that's not why I sought anything else,'' he said. ''Carty was very assuring. He told me not to worry about my role changing.

''Of course it was difficult. I've been here from the start and thought I'd be here a long time.

''The reality was I had 12 months at the Titans and Parra were prepared to offer a couple of years.

''You've got to take opportunities when they arise and this one was too good to refuse. Titans fans might be happy because the last club I left was Tweed Heads in 2006 and they won the comp the next year.''

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur's manager, Gold Coast-based Chris Orr, brokered the deal with Murphy flying south to meet the Eels.

He will address the Titans squad on their first day of pre-season training on Monday before leaving the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

Cartwright said the Titans were reluctant to release Murphy from the final year of his contract.

''He sat down with me and went over the deal. It was too good to knock back,'' he said.

''He's got a young family and it was too good an opportunity.

''He's everything you need in a guy to work by your side and he's brilliant with what he does.

''I'll miss him. He knows what I'm thinking and he's got things done before I even ask for them. We've worked alongside each other for so long.''

Cartwright said Murphy wouldn't be replaced immediately but the club had plans to bolster its coaching unit.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/...st-titans.html

[Noddy1979]

Geez talk about scraping the barrel, I'm confident when I say this as I had the opportunity to watch Murphy coach at a very close level in the junior ranks he is the hopeless and loves his favourites to death. Adios.

[Coaster]

Wow. I almost feel like renewing my membership

[Hail Sezer]

After Murhpy's arrogant comment at the awards night, I'm glad he's gone. Who's available to fill the position though? Quite late now to pick another assistant up.

Wonder who the two football development staff that were sacked were as well?

[Coaster]

Yeah I want to know who the others are

[C-Whiz]

Jumped before he was pushed.

Or possibly was given quite a nudge.

Annnersley is clearing out the deadwood, and doing a restructure.

[Tamwelg]

There are some positive things happening with the club right now.

[Titan Fanatic]

I've said we should get him before but if we really are looking for an assistant then dunneman from raiders was given the boot when Ricky got there he could be handy.

[C-Whiz]

Wow. I almost feel like renewing my membership

Wait until we start winning the first 6 rounds mate, and just join the queue of bandwagoners!

[C-Whiz]

I've said we should get him before but if we really are looking for an assistant then dunneman from raiders was given the boot when Ricky got there he could be handy.

How many assistants do you think we will need?

Annersley is trimming the fat mate.

[TITAN PETE]

After Murhpy's arrogant comment at the awards night, I'm glad he's gone. Who's available to fill the position though? Quite late now to pick another assistant up.

Wonder who the two football development staff that were sacked were as well?

Haven't we already signed a bloke called Henry for that job


I think there is one too many zero's on the figure mentioned about Murphy's new contract....anyway he'll be a great fit for Parra hopefully he'll be their defensive coach

[Titan Fanatic]

So all that talk of reducing our coach to player ratio is just thrown out the window now you reckon?

[Hail Sezer]

Haven't we already signed a bloke called Henry for that job


I think there is one too many zero's on the figure mentioned about Murphy's new contract....anyway he'll be a great fit for Parra hopefully he'll be their defensive coach

So all that talk of reducing our coach to player ratio is just thrown out the window now you reckon?

Yeah my understanding was that the club wanted to increase the coach to player ratio so that's why I thought we'd be looking at another assistant.

[Titanic]

Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth ... Henry, a rugby league coach, in and Murphy, well past his use by date, out ... that'll do me. Frig the ratios, in this case we are well in front and the clean-out can hardly be unexpected ... we have under performed on the field and in development for years ... I will be with those bandwagoners too

I wonder how many of the 7 were True Titans Fans?

[K2G]

Great news. Our coaching ranks have been operating without accountability for far too long.

With all this talk of 'living within our means' let's hope Annesley closely scrutinises Carty's incredibly undeserved pay rise.