The reasons why the Parramatta Eels are contemplating Trent Barrett over English coaches, as well as what this indicates about the National Rugby League market

Over the course of the past week, if you had picked up a newspaper in Sydney, you would have been persuaded to believe that Trent Barrett was a coaching genius.

The current caretaker at Parramatta has been exerting a great deal of effort in public relations, with the goal of securing a full-time position with the Eels. This comes as the club makes its way through a lengthy list of potential successors to the recently fired Brad Arthur.

As a player, the former St. George Illawarra, Wigan, New South Wales, and Australia playmaker was among the finest of his era. Some people who witnessed him in the Cherry and White could even go so far as to call him a genius. However, in the coaching box, it would be fair to argue that he has not duplicated that form over the course of three tenure.

Barrett, who is now 46 years old, has been a complete and utter failure as a coach. He had a terrible run at Manly, which was worsened by an all-time dismal run at Canterbury Bulldogs, which resulted in him being fired less than three months into the 2022 season with only five victories in 34 matches.

But this was not the tale that was reported in the newspapers.

The Daily Telegraph, which is the most prominent tabloid in Sydney, published an article on the subject on multiple occasions, including a two-page spread on Saturday that featured exclusive interviews with current players, explaining why Barrett was the best candidate for the full-time position.

In light of the fact that Parra is currently in charge of selecting the team, it is quite improbable that his players would criticise him. However, the concept that those who are being coached have the ability to choose their own boss is clearly absurd.

If even for a moment, that is taken into consideration while making decisions at the Eels, then the asylum has been completely and utterly taken over by the insane. The fact that these stories are being reported by the media is not the fault of the media; in fact, it just makes perfect sense.

The Parramatta club is a major organisation with a massive fanbase, and it is considered to be one of the greatest in the area. Barrett is a controversial personality who is sure to stir interest.

Despite the fact that there are a number of candidates running for office, only a select handful of them are permitted to speak to the media. Barrett is the only candidate who is physically required to face the press on a weekly basis, where journalists are able to approach him and enquire about his ideas.

Only Jason Demetriou, the former Souths coach who was also fired earlier this year, and Michael Cheika, the famed rugby union coach who guided Lebanon to the most recent Rugby League World Cup, are currently unemployed and have the ability to float themselves as potential alternatives.

All of the other figures are currently serving as assistant coaches, such as John Hannay (Cronulla), Jason Ryles (Melbourne), and Brian McDermott (Newcatle). As a result, they are not required to participate in media, and if they did, they would just explain that they were concentrating on the work that they are currently doing.

Barrett’s success, on the other hand, is indicative of a cognitive dissonance that is at the core of the National Rugby League coaching profession. This dissonance not only hinders clubs but also has a negative impact on coaches in the United Kingdom.

The day after Arthur was fired, Parramatta CEO Jim Sarantinos addressed the media and made it clear that his ideal choice would be “someone who’s been involved in a winning program and someone who’s been around a high-performing culture.” This statement was made in front of the media.

Trent Barrett, who has a career winning record of 32 percent, is not even close to becoming that. Due to the fact that he is a well-known character who has a large number of contacts and is a highly powerful agent, it is always likely that he will have a successful run.