Eels coach Hagan talks Tim Smith and player discipline

parragirl

By Steve Mascord | March 28, 2008 12:00am

IT'S a mere coincidence. The two biggest spectres in Michael Hagan's last twelve months collide headlong at 7.40pm.

First, Hagan's Parramatta Eels take on his former club, Newcastle.

In his only previous clash with his repacement Brian Smith, the Knights won 34-10 at Parramatta last year.

And then there is the man carrying his hopes in the No. 7 jersey this evening, back in the side for the first time this season.

Tim Smith has been in rehab, on the verge of the sack, and had shoulder surgery.

He is the face of a summer out west that ended in Jarryd Hayne, Weller Hauraki and Junior Paulo being shot at in Kings Cross.

A former journalist at the Bankstown Torch, Hagan never expected to be on the other side of the fence, trying to manage such outrageous events.

In this exclusive interview with League Central, Hagan talks player discipline, grapple tackles, the Knights and much more.

TIM SMITH

"He's 22 and he's got some issues he is trying to work through.

"The fact that people are looking to single him out is unfortunate but he also understands that's what he can expect if he puts himself in public view from time to time."

NEWCASTLE

"I still spend time in Newcastle every week and I still talk to some people who are involved at the footy club, not right in the middle of it all.

"I think while you've got guys like Danny (Buderus) and Simmo (Steve Simpson) and Kurt (Gidley) and Jarrod (Mullen), they've got reason to be optimistic about their chances.

"The rationale for the changes that have been made? I guess that will come out in the wash in the next 12 months.

"I think life after Joey (Andrew Johns) was always going to be a difficult situation to manage."

PLAYER DISCIPLINE

"We're trying to manage a lot of young players at our club at the moment. That's probably the biggest challenge.

"There is a fair gap between the senior player group - the likes of Nathan Hindmarsh, Nathan Cayless, Daniel Wagon, who've been around the game for a dozen years or more ... and then we've got a new wave of 19, 20, 21-year-olds.

"Without making any excuses for any of the examples of poor behaviour ... but they're certainly at a different stage of their careers as far as what is required of the modern day professional footballer.

"Eels In Crisis - I don't think that's reality, I don't think that's the case."

COACHING

"I think this will be my 10th year in a fulltime coaching role and I would have thought 10 years is a reasonable period of time to spend coaching footy teams.

"But the events of (the pre-season) takes a bit of fun out of it, I'd have to say. I really enjoy the football component and I enjoy being around these quality young players and being at such a good club like Parra.

"I certainly hope that will continue but I don't think too far down the track in this profession."

GRAPPLE TACKLES AND THE BATTLE WITH MELBOURNE

"In the end, the main concern was the welfare and safety of the players and also some of the things I just didn't agree with and I didn't think it was part of our game. I think we need to keep the integrity of the game as well.

"I think there were too many examples for it not to be intentional."

NEW WRESTLING TACTICS

"Tactically there are certain things that are done every year. I don't know if you would put that in the category of tactics. We have a defensive coach as well but the instructions are that there is no contact with the head or neck in how we practice.

"I haven't got any obvious examples of that but there are some circumstances that would have me believe that is a possibility, put it that way.

"There are examples in games that you look at and you think 'is that accidental or is that practised?'

"The thing about it is that they're very subtle. We're operating with one referee as a focal point, it's very difficult for them to adjudicate on every possible example of defensive technique or holds that are intended to impair the attacker.

FIGHTING AUSSIE RULES IN SYDNEY'S WEST

"I certainly think the players could be utilised more in the PR part of it.

"Our players all did a schools blitz in January, into February. Every player went to three schools in two days. They're the type of things that can be done more often.

"Players understand we need to protect the image of our game and encourage kids to play our game."

NATHAN HINDMARSH

"He's going to be an 80-minute player but we are going to try to decrease his workload if we can. That comes back to controlling the footy.

"If you're getting through plenty of sets and you can conserve your energy, that's the best way to do that.

"Against Melbourne and St George Illawarra, he made 75 tackles in each of those games. Clearly, if you're not controlling the ball that well, it has an impact on how he wants to play as well."

THE EELS' CHANCES AGAINST THE STORM

"Melbourne have absolute quality in their hooker and their halfback and their six and their one. That doesn't change. Very rarely have (Cameron) Smith or (Cooper) Cronk missed many games. They've had continuity there which helps the whole team in knowing when they have to turn up.

"I'm equally excited about (Brett) Finch, (Mark) Riddell, Feleti, Luke Burt, Tim Smith in how we run our team too.

"Second year in, I think that will get better. Andrew Johns has had a fairly important role to play in all of that."

http://www.news.com.au/dailyteleg.../0,26799,23443817-5012654,00.html

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