Bulldogs coach given seven weeks to keep his job

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Under pressure ... Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes has been given seven weeks to prove himself in the top job. Photograph: Mark Evans

By Steve Mascord
February 07, 2008 12:00am

BULLDOGS coach Steve Folkes has just seven weeks to prove himself worthy of a new contract, club chairman George Peponis revealed last night.

As the fallout from Wayne Bennett's Brisbane resignation continued, Peponis put a time limit on the Folkes decision for the first time.

And it was also revealed Folkes would be asked to front the board over his future a fortnight into the season.

Peponis told The Daily Telegraph: "Steve's future will be decided some time in 2008, the latter part of the first half of the year.

"By that, I mean April, early May.

"It will be assessed on results, it will be based on everything.

"Ideally at that stage of the season, you would hope we would be up there among the leaders."

With the centenary season kicking off on March 14, Folkes has just seven rounds to prove he is worthy of being retained in preference to the likes of Wayne Bennett, Daniel Anderson, Kevin Moore and others.

Bulldogs director Anthony Elias said Folkes would have the opportunity to address the board "a couple of weeks" after the kickoff.

Folkes last night responded to the developments by saying he was comfortable with the timetable and would have no problem completing the season if the club decided not to retain him.

He said any talks with a rival candidate before his position is reviewed could prove distracting for the team - and accused unidentified outside influences of trying to destabilise the club's '08 campaign.

"Someone's got an agenda, they're trying to destabilise us by floating rumours that have no basis in fact," Folkes said.

Peponis, Elias and fellow director Jim Hall said CEO Malcolm Noad had not been speaking for the club as a whole when he said on Tuesday Bennett would not be there in 2009.

Conversely, members of a group hoping to grab control of the board have indicated Bennett would be considered under their rule.

"It has to be his (Noad's) opinion because we haven't discussed it," said Elias.

"Steve Folkes has been at this club for 30 years. I think he deserves the right, a couple of weeks into the season, to sit before the board in person and discuss his future. I don't think we should be rushed into a decision just because Wayne Bennett has said he is leaving Brisbane."

Peponis said it would be "disrespectful" to hold any talks with Bennett before Folkes is given a chance.

Asked if he expected the club to do that, Folkes said: "They've got to cover their a... as well, haven't they? If they do, it gets blown out of proportion in the press and it's probably distracting."

Peponis said Folkes would definitely stay until the end of the season, regardless of what happens in 2009.

Folkes said: "I'm just worrying about preparing as well as we can for our trials in the next couple of weeks and then the comp.

"There's never been this sort of speculation over my position so it's never been an issue.

"I've spoken to George. I go back a long way with George. I realise it's a results-driven business and the business of winning is something that is going to determine what happens after that."

http://www.news.com.au/dailyteleg.../0,22049,23171383-5006066,00.html

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