Tim Sheens is not the right head coach for Wests Tigers as they scramble to recover from their “disaster”, according to Balmain great Ben Elias.
The legendary hooker has unleashed amid reports the Tigers are poised to reappoint Sheens as head coach after highly rated Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo knocked back the struggling joint-venture club.
Elias is convinced that instead of replacing sacked head coach Michael Maguire with Sheens, the man who led the Tigers to premiership glory in 2005, “fresh blood” is crucial.
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“Sheensy’s been there, done that. We can’t live back in the past. People who try to live back in the past — it just does not work,” Elias said on SEN radio.
“I think Sheens is the right bloke to manage and coordinate the right people to come to the club.
“He’s coached State of Origin, he’s coached Australia, he’s coached winning clubs in premierships. He’s done it all.
“It’s hard at that age (71 years) to be motivated.
“He’s a good manager and that’s the way he should be and the way he should stay.”
Sheens coached the Tigers in 250 games between 2003 and 2012.
He was sacked following the 2012 season after his side finished 10th.
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The Tigers have since signed up and spat out four head coaches — Mick Potter, Jason Taylor, Ivan Cleary and Maguire — but are still chasing their first finals berth since 2011.
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“I’m a big fan of Tim Sheens,” Elias said.
“I was very influential in bringing him to the club in the early 2000s.
“I think he’s served his purpose there as a coach.
“I think he’s got another attribute … he could manage getting the right person to coach the Tigers going forward … write this year off. It’s been a disaster for us so far.
“Write this off, get someone young in there and build on the youth, because I think the youth is the future.”
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