The real reason Michael Maguire stepped down as Kiwis coach

By Michael Burgess

Michael Maguire’s tenure as Kiwis coach has come to an untimely end.

At least that’s how it feels. Just three weeks after he oversaw the biggest win over the Kangaroos in New Zealand league history – with the remarkable 30-0 triumph in Hamilton – Maguire is gone.

His exit was confirmed late on Friday afternoon, via a three-paragraph press release from the New Zealand Rugby League.

It’s news that will leave much of the league community feeling a bit flat, as the Kiwis seemed to be on the verge of a golden era.

The issue was both complex and simple. Maguire thought he could do both the New South Wales State of Origin role in tandem with his Kiwis position, while the NZRL thought that was incompatible.

That decision was taken at a board meeting on Wednesday. While Maguire tried to convince the NZRL hierarchy to rethink their position, they stood firm, which has resulted in a scenario that will leave most fans torn. Peters admitted that it was a sad day, saying that Maguire is one of the best coaches he has worked with across his long sports administration career.

“It’s Michael’s decision to stand down from the role,” Peters told the Weekend Herald. “We loved having him and he has done a great job for us. It’s just the complex nature of sports coaching. It’s hard to keep a wonderful coach like Michael when he’s in demand for other positions. He’s made the decision that he thinks is right for him and it’s with a heavy heart we have to accept that.”

While it was ultimately Maguire’s call – as the incumbent Kiwis coach - he was also faced with a near-impossible situation. Turn down a probable once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the Origin bonanza, or walk away from an international role he has grown to love?

Peters said the board couldn’t be flexible, as the Kiwis’ jersey was sacrosanct and couldn’t be compromised.

“It’s the level we’ve got to,” said Peters. “Over the last four or five years, the standards have increased and the performances that have been driven through Michael and also the playing group. The mana in the Kiwi jersey is the ultimate for us and we want someone who’s 100 per cent focused on that.”

“We really wanted Michael to stay with us,” added Peters, “He’s chosen another direction. We have been lucky to have him for the last six years.”

Peters said they couldn’t hold back Maguire – whose “stocks are going through the roof thanks to his work with the Kiwis”– and they also couldn’t match the remuneration that was on offer elsewhere.

Peters added that the NSW team was part of the Australian pathway, which made it incongruous to hold both positions.

“We want someone 100 per cent committed to the Kiwis,” said Peters, while adding that holding an NRL head coach position concurrently, as Maguire previously did, was “a different matter”.

The board had also consulted current and former players, who had agreed with their stance.

By any measure, Maguire has done a remarkable job. He inherited a mess, in the wake of the disastrous 2017 World Cup campaign, with the Kiwis at a low ebb. Players had walked away, the environment wasn’t where it should be and standards had dropped.

That has been turned away spectacularly, culminating in the Pacific Championships’ success, without a number of frontliners. There was also the near miss at the World Cup last year – no one else got close to the Kangaroos – and regular success over other rivals.

While the senior players and other coaching staff have played a key role in the revival over the last few years, it’s all shaped by the person at the top. However, Peters is confident they can continue the recent success.

“The whole group has got the Kiwis there, though Michael has driven it, absolutely,” said Peters. “We are sure we can build on it.”

Maguire’s tenure, who was badly affected by Covid, spanned 18 tests, for 12 wins. The high points were the twin victories over Australia, a sweep of Great Britain (2019) and two comprehensive mid-year victories over Tonga.

Peters said the interview process for the next coach would begin next month, with the new person to be in place before March 2024.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission