Parramatta's retirement-bound former Kiwis captain Nathan Cayless has hit out at the National Rugby League club's management as speculation mounts about the future of head coach Daniel Anderson.
The Eels' stirring 30-14 win in Brisbane on Friday night - a victory that prolongs their title bid at least another week - was overshadowed by revelations that current Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney was being sounded out as a possible replacement for Anderson in 2011.
Kearney, the assistant to Craig Bellamy at the Melbourne Storm, met with Parramatta chief executive Paul Osborne last week - a development criticised by senior players Cayless and Nathan Hindmarsh.
Anderson, who guided the Eels to last year's grand final after arriving from English Super League club St Helens, is contracted until the end of 2011 though the club's board will reassess that position if the pre-season title favourites fail to make the play-offs.
Osborne today acknowledged there was no guarantee Anderson - a former New Zealand Warriors and Kiwis coach - would be in charge next year.
"We all realise there was a lot of expectation on the team at the start of the season, which we haven't met to date," Osborne told The Sunday Telegraph newspaper.
Osborne defended his trip to Melbourne to meet with Kearney.
"I took it upon myself to have an informal chat so I knew if Steve might be an alternative should the board decide to review the coaching position at any stage in the future," he said.
"I hope we keep winning and the coaching position won't be an issue, but I thought it was due diligence to know what options might be there in the future."
Osborne said the discussions with Kearney - who could not be reached for comment - was his decision and there had been no directive from the board.
Cayless, who represented the Kiwis under Anderson and Kearney before retiring from test football after the 2008 World Cup triumph, said he was disappointed news of Osborne's approach had been publicised.
"It's quite concerning, the amount of stuff getting leaked out of the club," he said.
"It's quite disappointing. I've had it affect me personally and obviously it'll now be affecting the coach. We haven't been told what is going on, but all the speculation is not healthy for the club - or the players. We're trying to win games but this takes your focus away from it."
Cayless was upset earlier this season when media reported he was in danger of losing the captaincy role before it changed to a job sharing arrangement with fellow club stalwart Hindmarsh.
When that issue became public knowledge Cayless said the players had insisted the board and management keep any controversy in house.
"Our chairman is aware of how we feel; the CEO is aware how we feel about the way things constantly get out from the club," he said.
"You try to prepare as a professional first-grade rugby league player and you continually have these distractions. It's tough," said Cayless, who created history on Friday when he led the Eels for the 217th time - an NRL record.
Meanwhile, Hindmarsh backed Anderson's retention.
"He took St Helens to grand final wins, he took the Warriors to a grand final, he's taken us to a grand final - he's got to be doing something right," he said.
"Ando has the players' 100 per cent backing. He's done great for the club. We might not have had the best year this year but he's only two years into a contract and you can't expect a team to travel too well when you chop and change the coach every two years."
Parramatta were 10th part way through the current round and need to win their final three matches against the Wests Tigers, South Sydney and Warriors to have any chance of making the top eight.
