Bulldogs great Chris Anderson has slammed claims that he's meddling in Canterbury's coaching affairs via his wife, chairwoman Lynne Anderson.
Lynne Anderson copped criticism after the exit of coach Dean Pay, while Chris Anderson has been the subject of rumours.
The 1995 premiership-winning Bulldogs coach, also a title-winning player, tackled the controversy in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald.
"I'm happy to help the club in any way, but I'm certainly not a shadow over any coach's shoulder," Anderson told the Herald.
"I think that's disrespectful to the people who are making decisions; they are doing OK themselves. They've just been through a tough time and I think they have handled it pretty well. They gave Deano every opportunity to be the right bloke.
"It's unfortunate that while I'm around, [that insinuation] is always going to rear its head. I haven't won an argument with my missus in 40 years."
Anderson said that although he still spoke to people at the Bulldogs, he had no official involvement and was not exerting influence.
He backed the likely replacement of Pay with Trent Barrett, the current Penrith assistant and former Manly coach. Anderson coached Barrett when he was in charge of the Kangaroos.
"Trent has had that experience now; I think he'd be good for the club," Anderson told the Herald.
Anderson was involved in the 2018 boardroom ticket that put his wife in the Bulldogs chair. The club continues to be beset by political infighting.
So much so, that NRL legend Laurie Daley this week cautioned Barrett against taking the Canterbury job, saying that it was an extremely difficult task which could kill his career prospects as a head coach.
Yet Barrett is expected to take the role, commencing a three-year contract next season after seeing out a promising campaign under Ivan Cleary at the Panthers. Barrett has been credited with sparking Penrith's attack, led by NSW Origin halfback Nathan Cleary.
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/canterbury-bulldogs-lynne-anderson-meddling-claims-chris-anderson/58659ac9-da9e-445c-aa0e-a202c408dad2
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