KEY POINTS:
Kiwis coach Brian McClennan says he feels he hasn't resigned - more like been pushed into a corner.
The New Zealand Rugby League has to find a new Kiwis coach 14 weeks out from the next international against Australia and 15 weeks ahead of a tour to England after McClennan yesterday signed to take over at Leeds.
In an indication of how relations are between the outgoing coach and his bosses, the news was relayed via lawyers and they are in mediation about his payout.
McClennan told the Deaker on Sport programme last night that former Kiwis coach Graham Lowe being appointed to chair all appointments and then Lowe's appointment of Tony Kemp as convener of selectors just two days into the job without McClennan's knowledge was of great concern to him.
"I have a huge amount of respect for Graham - he's a league legend - but the dynamic has changed. You can't have two coaches in the system."
A trio of former Kiwis coaches - Lowe, Frank Endacott and Howie Tamati - have already been scouting prospective replacements for McClennan.
Before McClennan's decision yesterday, the NZRL had interviewed Wellington and Junior Kiwis coach Paul Bergman and James Leuluai, who was Kiwis assistant coach under Daniel Anderson, and those two appear the front-runners.
Tony Iro and John Ackland, who are assistants at the Warriors, and Lions coach Graeme Norton are ruled out by the NZRL's proviso that the job is fulltime. The league reiterated the coach must live here and so the Storm's Stephen Kearney can't apply.
NZRL chairman Andrew Chalmers said a decision would be made as soon as possible.
They were disappointed to lose McClennan despite what the coach admitted was a "financially attractive offer" from the NZRL on Tuesday.
"The reality of professional league is that our top players and coaches will always be targeted," Chalmers said.
"Brian is a career coach, Leeds has massive resources."
The offer in England is reputed to be around $400,000 a year. Chalmers refused to say what was put before McClennan but the Herald was told it was "more than four times what the last bloke got", which puts it around $150,000.
McClennan has always said it was not about money and that he wanted to coach the Kiwis so the NZRL's move on Tuesday was of no consequence - it has always been about doing two jobs and the residency requirement.
The Herald understands that the NZRL's decision was based on advice McClennan would not be able to give his best to both jobs, that Leeds would want him as an international coach and were happy to entertain the Kiwis commitment because it would attract both Kiwis and Great Britain players to the club.
There is confidence at the NZRL that players will continue to want to play for their country regardless of who the coach is. But will the likes of Stacey Jones be tempted to a recall under an unknown?
NZRL restructuring continued yesterday with the announcement former chairman and president Selwyn Pearson, who has been serving as chief executive officer, will go after assisting with changes to competitions.
The Herald understands scrapping of the Bartercard Cup is among announcements to be made to district representatives this weekend.
