‘An ill-conceived publicity stunt that backfired’: Former Tigers boss unleashes after board overhaul

Save articles for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.

On the same day the entire Wests Tigers board was dismissed and CEO Justin Pascoe resigned, the club’s disgruntled former chair Lee Hagipantelis spoke to Michael Chammas about his time at the joint venture and the club review that led to his exit.

Chammas: How would you sum up your feelings right now?
Hagipantelis: I’m very disappointed my time at the Wests Tigers has come to an end in this fashion. It was four very enjoyable years. I very much enjoyed working closely with Justin and the football department. I got to know a lot of the players particularly well and formed relationships with them, which I’m sure will continue. However, having said all that, I must express grave disappointment as to the manner in which this has all come about.

I feel there has been gross disrespect shown to the Wests Tigers and to myself personally by my fellow directors … We were never paid the respect of being involved or consulted as to the review. Even to this day, we have never been engaged or informed as to the results of the review or the recommendations. Now it appears unlikely that we will ever see the report.

What do you think of the process and how it’s been handled over the past few months?
I think the process was disgraceful. The entire thing was a knee-jerk reaction to a petition signed by 2000 disgruntled fans after the Wests Tigers lost 72-0 to the Cowboys. It’s perfectly understandable that our fans would vent their displeasure, but for some reason the Holman Barnes Group [the controlling faction on the board] embarked upon a review feeling compelled to do so.

I believe it was some ill-conceived publicity drive which boxed them into a position which left them with no alternative but to accept the recommendations that were made, which as I understand, included the dismissal of the entire board.

Do you think it was a witch hunt?
No, I don’t think it was a witch hunt. I think it was an ill-conceived publicity stunt that has backfired. I think the Holman Barnes Group were under great pressure to be seen to be doing something in response to the club taking home the wooden spoon two years in a row. There are also elections for the Holman Barnes directors in March 2024.

Lee Hagipantelis was the Wests Tigers chairman for four years.Credit: Getty

So, in order to be seen to be doing something proactive, they commissioned this review. I don’t think for one moment they would have expected the review to recommend their own demise.

My removal as the chair is neither here nor there. I have served my time and I will go back to my real job now without any regrets. I will continue to support the club. But the disruption they have created in that club, I don’t think they can appreciate as yet. I have been inundated with phone calls within the organisation, the football department and the playing group. This is not what they wanted.

What do you think the immediate impact will be for the Wests Tigers?
They have, in my view, created great harm to that club, and in particular that football department, and even more particular Benji [Marshall, coach]. They have removed from Benji his support system, which primarily involved Justin [Pascoe].

They have worked together extraordinarily hard for months to put together a football department, coaching structure and roster that will turn things around for the club. I know they’ve been working together really hard on some recruitment deals involving some very high-profile players.

Are you suggesting these changes will jeopardise those deals?
There’s no doubt about it. There’s no doubt this would jeopardise that. It would be completely ignorant for anyone to suggest that the major disruption to the organisational structure of the club will not impact on recruitment and retention. I have already been inundated by calls from player managers expressing grave concern with what has occurred.

Benji is renowned for needing people around him he trusts. How do you think he will respond to this?
They have removed from Benji his CEO, which he regarded in a statement to me, the best CEO he’s ever worked with. So a rookie coach needed an experienced CEO, which they have removed from him. I know they have replaced him with [former Souths CEO] Shane Richardson. I don’t know Shane Richardson.

I make no comment about the man, but I do know how good the relationship was between Benji and Justin and that’s now no longer there. I think Benji will be very circumspect about how his role fits in with the club.

Do you feel like the club is on the cusp of turning things around?
I have no doubt we were on the cusp of turning it around. This change on the board, what do they think it’s going to achieve? I do not know what their ambition is changing the board at this time when the club was in the midst of turning things around. I can assure you this is not something the football department or the players wanted.

What makes you so sure?
Because I have been bombarded with phone calls and text messages from people within the football department and playing group. They have a great relationship, in particular with Justin, who has been doing a lot of work behind the scenes turning the club around in the last few months with Benji.

A lot of fans have been calling for your head. What has you convinced that staying on as chairman would have been beneficial for the club considering the side’s results under your watch?
I have committed myself over the last four years to ensuring the best for that club. It hasn’t panned out the way we hoped, I get that. We are a results-driven business and if the review had provided a change of chairmanship was required, it would have been considered on its merits. But all of this was done without reference to us or the board at Wests Tigers.

The appointment of Barry O’Farrell and Shane Richardson has obviously been in the wind for some time. None of that has ever been discussed at Wests Tigers level, it’s been done at the shareholders level. They are perfectly entitled to do that but there has been gross discourtesy shown to the Wests Tigers and the way they have treated myself and [director] John Dorahy in particular. It seems like everyone on the board knew what was happening except Jon Dorahy and I.

Your company, Brydens Lawyers, is the club’s major sponsor in 2024. Will you be pulling your sponsorship?
No. I was the major sponsor before I was chairman and I will continue as major sponsor after my chairmanship. I am contracted to the club in 2024 and I will honour my agreement.

Benji Marshall and Tim Sheens.Credit: NRL Photos

What about beyond that?
That’s to be considered in due course.

Do you have any regrets from your time?
No, not at all. In hindsight, I think there were some mistakes that were made. But overall, I know that absolutely everyone was committed to the best interests of the organisation. There are some wonderful people in that organisation, in that club, working tirelessly to turn things around. I think they thought that things were turning around.

This disruption now, I don’t fully understand it. I know some people will rejoice with the news but I don’t know what it was intended to achieve and how that’s going to translate to success on the field. Everything has largely been established and put into place.

Your tenure will be remembered for two coaching decisions: terminating Michael Maguire’s deal and appointing Tim Sheens with an eye to Benji Marshall taking over. How do you reflect on those calls?
With respect to Michael Maguire, it was the right decision at the right time. The club was in a spiral downwards. There was no light at the end of the tunnel. The club had to make the tough decision. With respect to the appointment of Tim, it was always seen as a transitional appointment.

At the time, there was no suggestion it would be a permanent position. The transition occurred faster than we anticipated because all the reports we received were that Benji was absolutely ready to go, and there was interest on Tim’s part to step back. I have no regrets or concerns about that.

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.

Most Viewed in Sport

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article