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Andrew Moore | 07/05/08 | 0
VIDEO - Can the real Gus Gould please stand up?
I think Ricky Stuart may be right…
Phil Gould came across as a very jealous guy in his harsh criticism of Stuart on the weekend. It seems to me Gould used his column in the Fairfax Sunday Newspaper to unleash a personal grudge against the Australian coach.
He was very critical of the way Stuart has handled his halfbacks since he started coaching, and it was well researched as well, because he had names of halfbacks who had played under Stuart that I and many others had long forgotten… so he’s been taking aim for quite some time.
This all stems from the fact there’s so much uncertainty involving Brett Kimmorley at Stuart’s Cronulla Sharks - which, by the way, has been settled for the remainder of this year at least.
It’s clear Ricky Stuart must have some problems with the way Kimmorley operates on the field. He’s a perfectionist, and while to most of us it seems as if Kimmorley has actually been playing pretty well, the fact is the Sharks lose more close games than most clubs.
And Stuart will believe halfbacks get you over the line in those close ones.
Many coaches feel exactly the same way.
Ricky Stuart claims Phil Gould is jealous… and that’s how it appears.
You might remember when Ricky was appointed coach of the Sydney Roosters going back a number of years.
The club didn’t have enough faith in the young coach… so they appointed Gould as the coaching director.
That was never, ever going to work, no matter how good the intention of any party.
Ricky Stuart is very much his own man, and that’s how he started running the team… his own way… you might remember that during that period of course Ricky steered the Roosters to an elusive premiership win - something Phil Gould was unable to do.
But in that time, I’m sure you can recall watching the Roosters play on television, Phil Gould would all of a sudden unleash on them if they were playing poorly, or bag their tactics. He would do the same in his column.
When Ricky moved on to Cronulla… and especially since Gus’ mate Brad Fittler claimed the reigns… the Roosters have again become the royal 'We'.
Stuart also replaced Gould as New South Wales origin coach - and again was his own man - and didn’t have Gould involved.
We can hope these two patch up their differences… because they are both great rugby league men in their way.
I have the highest regard for Ricky Stuart as a man and as a coach.
Gus’ coaching record speaks for itself.
Unfortunately so does his record of using television and his newspaper column for carving up those he doesn’t like… that’s his right, mind you… but we should be aware of it.
Gus’ coaching record speaks for itself. Unfortunately so does his record of using television and his newspaper column for carving up those he doesn’t like… 
Andrew Moore
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