Fox League’s James Hooper has taken aim at Knights’ administrators for allowing a story about their intention to part ways with coach Adam O’Brien to spill out into the media.
According to reports, the Knights are planning to terminate the services of O’Brien at the end of the season, even though he will still have a further two years to run on his contract.
Speaking on NRL 360 on Wednesday night, Hooper pulled no punches when it came to those in charge at the Knights.
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“They’re a total muppet show, the Knights’ administration,” Hooper said.
“How they’ve let this story about Adam O’Brien leak out, the way that it has.
“They probably will move him on, at the end of this season, that’s the mail.
“The fact that they’ve let it get out that Blake Green, who’s the current assistant, is the frontrunner to then replace him.”
Hooper let fly at Knights CEO Phil Gardner.
“I just find, Phil Gardner, I think we’ve said it plenty of times on this show, he does a very good job at running leagues clubs, and bingo night at the bistro, but we should stick to schooners and schnitzels, and not running a rugby league side, that’s one of the flagship clubs,” Hooper said.
Hooper continued to air his grievances with the Knights administration.
Former Knights player Alex McKinnon had to pay for his own general admission ticket at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday, to watch the Knights lose 32-14 to the Storm.
This was after McKinnon became a quadriplegic in a tackle, while playing for the Knights against the Storm in a game back in 2014.
Even though he endured that terrible set of circumstances, McKinnon wasn’t given special seating or free entry to the game.
When asked about the McKinnon situation, Hooper teed off at Knights administrators again.
“That tells you everything you need to know about what a pelican show they are,” Hooper added.
“It’s disgraceful.”
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Co-host Gorden Tallis felt the Knights’ treatment of McKinnon didn’t reflect well on the club.
“That shows you where the club’s at,” Tallis said.
“If you want culture, you want people to buy in and you’re not buying in, from the top office or from the front office, well it’s really hard if you ask the players to buy in.”
Journalist Dave Riccio also criticised the Knights over the way they’ve treated McKinnon.
“This is a club that’s built on its history, and its people, and its passion, and the way they treated Alex McKinnon on Saturday, they’ve turned their back on that,” Riccio said.
“They’ve turned their back on what the club is built on.
“The CEO needs to focus on meat raffles and running leagues clubs and let the football department do their job.”
