BY KANE AUSTIN

Penrith Panthers General Manager Phil Gould has weighed in on Jason Taylor’s sacking at the Wests Tigers saying he believed his exit had more to do with frustrations off-field rather than on-field.

“It’s a fact that the Tigers have been belted in the last two appearances by a combined score of 82-8” Gould wrote for Wide World of Sports.

“Whether this two-week period is enough of a sample for the Board to decide that things just weren’t improving sufficiently enough under this coach, is open to conjecture. However, these people are in and around the club and will have a sense of the environment that currently exists.

“More likely though is the scenario that frustration over not being able to get their marquee players to commit to new contracts may have had far more influence over the club’s decision on the head coach.”

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Captain Aaron Woods, James Tedesco, Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses are yet to declare their loyalty to the club with some suggesting Moses and Brooks aren’t worth what their manager is asking.

Gould, who considered taking the Wests Tigers coaching role in 2003, said he felt sorry for Wests Tigers supporters.

“If the club has decided to part company with the head coach because their marquee players would not commit to re-signing with the club, then this sets a dangerous precedent. Surely players should not be deciding who coaches the team” said Gould.

“I feel sorry for the Wests Tigers fans. They must be in a world of hurt right at this moment.

“They have had to watch from the sidelines for nearly a year now as the continuing sagas in and around their club have been played out in the media for all to see.”

If there is one saving grace for Wests Tigers is that it’s only round four and there’s plenty of time to bounce back in 2017.

That now comes down to the unpredictable Moses and Brooks.