League team has no coach

Press, 1 November 1977, Page 36

League team has no coach

Canterbury at present, has I no coach for next year’s senior rugby league team. That embarrassing state of affairs emerged last evening at a meeting of the Canter-

(bury code’s board of control. ; The meeting was to have appointed the selection panel for next season, from which one member is entrusted with the coach’s role. However, only two nomin-

ations were received for selectors — last year the panel consisted of three — and both nominees, Gary Clarke (nominated by both Papanui and Sydenham) and Lory Blanchard (nominated by Marist-Western Suburbs) indicated that they were not in a position to be considered as coach. No nomination was received for Trevor Bisman, who guided Canterbury for the first time last season, although several members were at a loss to understand why.

Apparently a nomination for Mr Bisman, who had earlier indicated his availability had been expected but it had not arrived by the time the nominations closed. Mr D. Kerr said that Canterbury should adopt the same policy as the national body where anyone standing

as a selector must also be available to coach.

The Canterbury constitution does not allow for a coach to be appointed outside the selection panel.

Several members asked whether either Mr Clarke or Mr Blanchard might be available as coach. The board of control had not been advised that neither was unavailable and the only information to say that they were not came in a newspaper report. However, two telephone calls confirmed that both were available only as selectors. The board decided to refer the nominations for selectors back to clubs and to extend the closing date another month. Any nominees will be asked to state whether they are available for coaching.