‘Come at me’: Gould unleashes on critics over Flanagan selection

Phil Gould has revealed that he – rather than Canterbury coach Trent Barrett – has been responsible for managing Kyle Flanagan’s return to the NRL, declaring: “He’s our highest-paid playmaker in the club, he’s ready.”

Flanagan will return to first grade for the first time since August of last year in Sunday’s clash against Penrith at CommBank Stadium. Some critics have lashed the Bulldogs over the decision, claiming the club had failed in its duty of care by throwing the maligned playmaker in against the defending premiers and competition leaders.

Much of the criticism has been levelled at Barrett, who has already used Jake Averillo and Brandon Wakeham alongside pivot Matt Burton so far this season.

Speaking on the Six Tackles With Gus podcast, Gould revealed he had personally overseen Flanagan’s development and green-lighted his recall, stating: “We have taken more duty of care and more preparation time with Kyle than any player in the club.”

“You’d like to think that from now on, Kyle Flanagan can establish himself as the No.1 playmaker in our club and hold on to the No.7 jersey for as long as possible,” Gould told wwos.com.au “That’s what he has been bought to do, that’s what he’s been trained to do.

“Now, I think he’s come giant strides in the last month, he’s gone back to reserve grade, played a game that’s more fitting for him rather than come into a system to serve other players.

“When he returns to the first grade side this week, it’s not about Kyle Flanagan fitting in with Matt Burton and the rest of the team; it’s about the rest of the team fitting in with Kyle Flanagan, let me tell you.

“Kyle Flanagan will play his game and we’ll adapt to that. That’s what you do when you have a chief playmaker, Kyle Flanagan will be the chief playmaker in the side.

“Right now, from what I’ve seen over the last 18 months, he’s more ready now than what he has ever been.

“There is absolutely no pressure on him this weekend, this is not a one-off, not a perform-or perish type situation. He’s been given time to relax, he’s been given time away from the spotlight, he’s been given time to find his game and find his legs again. He’s produced some outstanding numbers on the weekend.

“It’s not Trent Barrett who has made a decision on when he comes back to first grade. Trent wanted him in the side, but he came and asked me for permission to do it.”

“This rubbish that he’s thrown to the wolves – what’s the alternative? Kyle Flanagan is not a rookie, he’s turned 24 this year, he’s played 43 first-grade games … Kyle Flanagan is the best credentialed, the most experienced and the best prepared of all the halfbacks in our club to take on this role, not only for this week but into the future.

“That’s been the program he’s been on since I arrived here last October. I’ve included his father, his manager and Kyle in all of those conversations along the way.

“It’s not Trent Barrett who has made a decision on when he comes back to first grade. Trent wanted him in the side, but he came and asked me for permission to do it. I could have easily said no if I didn’t think he was ready. I said yes.”

Gould revealed that he had spoken to powerbrokers at Flanagan’s previous clubs Cronulla and the Roosters – including Trent Robinson and Nick Politis – to determine whether there were any underlying issues. Those talks helped convince Gould that Flanagan was a man of good standing, but needed to work on his game away from the spotlight of the NRL.

Kyle Flanagan at Bulldogs training on Thursday.

The former premiership-winning mentor denied suggestions Flanagan was frozen out from the main squad over the summer, insisting he was “heavily involved right throughout the off season in just about every training session we have had”.

During a two-hour meeting with Flanagan after the trials, Gould felt the son of premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan was so invested in his career that he would “look back on this in 15 years and regret the way you have stressed and worried about this and got yourself into this state.”

“I said at the moment, ‘I don’t think the NRL is the place for you, I don’t think you can help the team and you can’t help them at the moment. But we need to reset you career and that could mean some time in reserve grade,’” Gould said.

Since then, Flanagan has improved his game and led the Bulldogs to the top of the table. When Barrett asked if he could pick Flanagan to face the Panthers, Gould obliged.

“So it’s my responsibility for how Kyle has been prepared for this season and when he comes back into the NRL,” Gould said. “Not Trent Barrett, not the Bulldogs. That’s me. If [critics] want to come at me with duty of care and coaching and development of players – and I’ve developed a few players in my career – then I’m happy to debate them anywhere, anytime.

“But this vitriolic and vehement attack on our coach and on the club, it won’t be tolerated. If they want to come at anyone, come at me.

“Kyle Flanagan doesn’t need this type of pressure coming into the game. He’s under no pressure from us and no pressure when he plays for us. It’s not up to Kyle Flanagan to turn us around, hopefully we can be part of the process of helping Kyle Flanagan become a regular NRL player. …

“If this kid’s name was Kyle Smith, do you think we would be going through this? I can tell you mentally, physically and football wise, he’s the best he’s been in a long time.”

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