Nice Place To Visit ... Cup-winning Kearney Just Here For The Night

Newcastle Herald

Saturday December 6, 2008

By BRETT KEEBLE AND ROBERT DILLON

WORLD Cup-winning coach Stephen

Kearney was in Newcastle yesterday, but

any suggestions he was attending a job

interview with the Knights were swiftly

rebuffed by both parties.

Kearney, the Melbourne assistant coach

who steered New Zealand to a memorable

win against Australia in the World Cup

final two weeks ago, said he was just

passing through on a family holiday.

And Knights management insisted they

were unaware the 36-year-old was even

in their backyard.

Knights chief executive Steve

Burraston said he had no idea why

Kearney was in Newcastle.

We have had no discussions about

any other coach than Brian Smith,

Burraston said last night on his way to

the NSW Rugby League annual general

meeting in Sydneys Phillip St.

At our last board meeting, the only

coach we spoke about  the only coach

we have ever spoken about going forward

 is Brian Smith.

I have absolutely no idea why Stephen

Kearney would be in Newcastle.

Newcastle chairman Rob Tew was

equally bemused.

Ive got no idea, Tew said.

Maybe he just likes Newcastle.

He might be just getting some R and

R after a hectic World Cup campaign ...

but if you bump into him, give him my

congratulations on New Zealands World

Cup win.

Kearney was staying yesterday at

Newcastles harbour-front Crowne Plaza

hotel  the same base the Kiwis used

last month when

they played

England at

EnergyAustralia

Stadium.

I havent thought that far

yet, to be honest, Kearney

said. All in good time,

Im sure.

Continued on Page 84

Kearney drops by during holidays

From Page 88

Strolling with his two young daughters along the foreshore when The Herald tracked him down, he explained they had been on holidays in Coffs Harbour and were merely stopping off in Newcastle en route to Melbourne.

That news will come as a relief for Smith, who has 12 months remaining on his three-year contract and is hoping his tenure will be extended.

Tew said last month that the club was likely to kick off contract negotiations aimed at retaining Smith early next year, but there has since been speculation that the coach does not have unanimous support in Newcastle's boardroom.

Asked yesterday about those rumours, Tew replied: "I don't know where that's come from. Nothing's changed as far as we're concerned."

Smith has rock-solid support from both Tew and Burraston, and if there are any doubters among Newcastle's directors, it would appear they are in the minority.

But in the unlikely instance that Knights executives were to decide the club needed a change of direction, it would be no surprise if Kearney was high on their hit list.

The former New Zealand captain is a first-grade coach in waiting. Having already served an apprenticeship under Craig Bellamy at Melbourne, he furthered his education working alongside master coach Wayne Bennett during the Kiwis' World Cup campaign.

Kearney's success with the Kiwis should ensure he is not waiting long for offers to coach at NRL level, but yesterday he appeared content to bide his time.

"I haven't thought that far yet, to be honest," Kearney said. "All in good time, I'm sure."

"At our last board meeting, the only coach we spoke about the only coach we have ever spoken about going forward. I have absolutely no idea why Stephen Kearney would be in Newcastle."

KNIGHTS CEO

STEVE BURRASTON

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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