"We knew for two weeks": Inside story of Panthers coach's exit

Panthers legend, club deputy chairman and SEN Breakfast host Greg 'Brandy' Alexander has lifted the lid on hopw the Ivan Cleary resignation came to be. How long he and other board members have known and the processes which went on behind the scenes in the last few weeks.

I can understand why Ivan is doing this; coaching is a lifestyle. He's been doing it for 20 years. The decision he has made, he has been thinking about it for a couple of years now.

The discussions with Ivan have been going for that long.

Once he reached the decision and said that 2027 would be the end of it, it’s given him the enthusiasm to get to that stage. It's like when a player decides to retire, you see a light at the end of the tunnel and it drives you to the finish line.

I think he wants the freedom of living life without coaching and what comes with it. It’s not a 9-5 job, it’s 24/7, it never leaves you.

How things transpired for me

I've known for about two-and-a-half weeks. I got a call off Peter Graham our chairman.

We had been talking to Ivan about extending his time after 2027; we knew there were players to talk with after that but Ivan was out first cab off the ranks.

The chairman called me and said Ivan wanted to have a meeting everyone. We went to the meeting but before we did I said to Peter Graham – what’s Ivan doing?

He said ‘I’ll let Ivan tell you that’.

I went home not knowing what he was doing with many things running through my head, I thought surely he isn’t signing with another club.

I was trying to piece things together from previous meetings, his body language etc, I was wracking my brain for an answer.

When Ivan said I’m leaving Penrith I nearly fell off my chair because I was convinced he was staying. I was convinced the only thing could be that he was staying. It took me back and I lost a bit of my breath because it was a real shock.

He then explained why and it made sense.

Lifestyle was the big reason. Being tied down to the job for a long period – he’s done it 20 years - It's not a normal job, it’s with you all the time and he just wanted that freedom.

He told me that it's time to do something different in life and how many people get to make that decision without being pushed out?

It’s a very unique situation.

We spoke, then the rest of the board was informed and then we had to figure out who was the next coach.

DECIDING ON WALLACE

It took about a day. The board came to that decision. Ivan spoke about Peter Wallace, but it was the board that had to make that call.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss. I spoke to a journo and I said you want to get out there (to the club for the press conference).

People thought he was staying or leaving after we sent that out yesterday. If the Chairman and the CEO are calling a presser, it’s one of two things. He is staying or leaving.

I think the board and the club handled this as well as it could be handled. Ivan was honest and well done Peter Wallace who I will be an outstanding coach.