James Tedesco Takes A Swipe At Ivan Cleary

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James Tedesco says he may have remained a Wests Tiger had new coach Ivan Cleary not imposed a deadline on him to re-sign.

The NRL star said the opportunity for a fresh start at the Sydney Roosters was behind him agreeing to a four-year deal from next year on Thursday.

But the incumbent NSW fullback lambasted the Tigers over their failed process to re-sign him, including the decision to make the deadline public.

When asked if he could have stayed at the NRL strugglers had they not imposed the deadline, the 24-year-old Tedesco said: "Yeah, possibly."

"Ivan told me and my management that they wanted an answer by the Friday that week," he told Sydney radio station C91.3FM.

"We both said then that we weren't ready to make a decision yet and he was pretty adamant that he wanted an answer by the end of the week.

"They made it public too, which was a bit - I don't know, I didn't really think there was a need for that. It would just play out more in the media.

"We told them before they put that out in the media that we needed to make a decision.

"We needed more time and they wanted the decision quickly."

Tedesco also singled out Cleary for possibly putting too much pressure on his contract extension too early in his coaching tenure after taking over from the sacked Jason Taylor in March.

But he backed Cleary's efforts at the club.

"Ivan just started at the club and I still didn't know how he was as a coach," Tedesco said.

"I think he's been great, personally, as coach. We've had some really strong results with him.

"It was just disappointing to have that. But that's the way they wanted to do it and you can't really do much about it now."

Tedesco, the reigning Dally M fullback of the year who played his sole State of Origin match last year, expressed disappointment over departing the Tigers.

"The family ... we didn't think we'd leave the Tigers," he said.

"Obviously, I'm a Tigers junior and grew up out that way. But they're excited for me and they want what's best for me.

"I'm looking forward to a fresh start. We're looking forward to starting a new journey.

"It's obviously tough. The fans are always passionate about the club and I can understand that. They've supported me through a lot of ups and downs."

-AAP 

5 May 2017




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