New CEO looks to the future

ESPN: West Tigers on fire

Wests Tigers Interim CEO Shane Richardson has spoken to the media for the first time since being appointed to the role on Tuesday.

Richardson brings a wealth of rugby league knowledge to Wests Tigers having more than 30 years’ experience in club management, overseeing premiership victories at both Penrith and South Sydney.

As well as achieving grand final glory with the Panthers and Rabbitohs, Richardson has also been through some tough times over the years and insists there’s no point ‘dwelling on the past’.

“I’ve never been at a club yet that wasn’t on the bottom of the ladder when I started,” he said.

“We’ve managed to make a couple of grand finals and win a couple of premierships. So we’re going to try and set things up strategically to work towards that goal here,”

Richardson was strong on emphasising the need to look to the future, following a raft of changes to the club’s leadership structure.

“I’ve been through trauma in the past at clubs but what I’ve learned is you can’t dwell on the past,” he said.

“And you don’t win games by looking back because you’ve not got a lot to work on looking back at the moment.

“I think wherever I’ve been, I’ve shown that you don’t linger in the past, you look to the future, and everything I want to do is in the future.”

The immediate future for the football team is finishing its pre-Christmas block of training strongly under new head coach Benji Marshall.

Although yet to sit down and discuss plans with Marshall, Richardson says the club great will have his 100% support.

“He’s enthusiastic. He wants to win. He wants to be a successful coach,” Richardson said.

“My job is put everything around him to allow him to be successful because he’s the head coach. He’s the guy that’s got to front up every Sunday.”

“My role is to support him in any way I can, and I think I’ve got a track record of supporting coaches in their roles.

“All I want is to assist Benji put together the best roster possible.

Richardson is confident the new leadership structure will enable the club to make progress on and off the field.

“I’ve always loved a challenge and for me to take this opportunity on, you had to have true corporate governance.

“You must have control to be able to do the things that are required to build the club.

“I would never have taken the role if I didn’t believe that corporate governance was in place.

He also says ‘stability’ within the club is vitally important to long-term success and growth.

“Our members want a team they can have faith in that will give its best and try its backside off every week,” said Richardson.

“What you’ve got to do is build internally, put it on the field, and the fans will follow as long as you communicate to them what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it.”