NRL: Gidley fears he could be next to be shown door

Newcastle chief executive Matt Gidley. Photo / Getty Images

Just two days after sacking NRL coach Rick Stone, Newcastle chief executive Matt Gidley admits he could be the next to go.

The club legend was appointed to the top job at the Knights in 2011 and has overseen the failed Wayne Bennett era as well as two stints with Stone at the helm.

As the fallout continues after Stone's second axing, the blowtorch has now turned on the club boss.

Asked yesterday whether he felt he could be the next victim, Gidley told 2KY's Big Sports Breakfast: "I think so. What's important and has always been important to our club has been accountability. Players are accountable every weekend, so that shouldn't change for administration either."

In four seasons under Gidley's leadership, Newcastle have visited the finals twice.

But the former NSW and Australian representative said the club had underperformed for the past 10 years, forcing the administration to draft a new strategic plan for the future.

"We've had a decade of poor performance on the field," he said. "We need to change that. We need to put footsteps in place to ensure that we are building.

"We've just finalised a strategic plan we hope can get us there and move us in that direction. That's why the decisions like the one we made earlier in the week are never easy."

Gidley revealed he had received applications for the head coaching job held by assistant coach Danny Buderus in a caretaking capacity.

Queensland cup tandem Shane and Ben Walker have put their hand up for the role, while Melbourne assistant Nathan Brown and Penrith assistant Garth Brennan have been mentioned as suitors.

- AAP