Parramatta officials are confident the current squad is capable of winning an NRL premiership as they commence the search for a new head coach who can deliver immediate results.
The Eels parted ways with former coach Brad Arthur on Monday afternoon, just 18 months after he led the team to the grand final.
Since then, however, Parramatta have missed the top eight in 2023 and currently sit 14th on the ladder with three wins from 10 games.
Having missed out on an audacious bid to lure Wayne Bennett west, Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos said the club will pursue a coach who can produce an immediate turnaround with the current squad.
All Tries - Storm v Eels
"What we'll be looking for is what we think is the best coach for our club," Sarantinos said.
"We think we've still got a really strong roster. We think we've got a roster that will appeal to any incoming coach and we want someone who's been involved in a winning program and someone who's been around a high-performing culture.
"Whether that's an experienced coach or someone who might be picking up their first opportunity as a head coach, we'll identify what we think is best for our club."
Sarantinos and Eels chairman Sean McElduff defended their decision to launch a clandestine effort to convince Bennett to sign with Parramatta rather than the Rabbitohs.
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The attempt was made without informing Arthur before Bennett ultimately decided to sign with South Sydney. The Rabbitohs officially announced the master coach as their new mentor on Tuesday morning.
The focus for the Eels now turns to signing Arthur's replacement, with officials refusing to put a timeline on the process.
Michael Maguire, John Morris, Justin Holbrook, Michael Cheika and Jason Demetriou been linked to the role, while Sarantinos said they will consider people without head coaching experiences, bringing the likes of Jason Ryles into the frame.
Match: Rabbitohs v Eels
Round 12 -
home Team
Rabbitohs
17th Position
away Team
Eels
16th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Trent Barrett has been installed as interim coach and will lead the team for this first time in Saturday's clash with the Rabbitohs.
"We've started putting a list of candidates," Sarantinos said.
"There's a number of people out there that have the capability to be a head coach, whether they've had that experience in the past or whether they're assistant coaches who've been part of winning programs and high-performances cultures. That's a process we'll work through in the coming weeks."
While Parramatta boasts a host of star players, there are concerns many are approaching the end of their prime and the club's premiership window is rapidly closing.
Clint Gutherson and Mitchell Moses are both 29, while hulking forwards Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard have not been able to produce their dominant best this year.
There is, however, scope for significant roster turnover with multiple players coming off contract at the end of 2025. A number of others have options for 2026 and beyond, providing the new coach flexibility to make changes.
Sarantinos remains confident Dragons back Zac Lomax will honour his four-year deal that is set to begin next year. The Eels knocked back a request for an Arthur exit clause to be included in the contract before he signed with the club.
Parramatta are also in a battle to re-sign promising junior Blaize Talagi, with officials optimistic this week's events will not impact this process.
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While Arthur was close to the current squad, the Eels are not concerned about a player exodus, with Sarantinos confident they will play a key role in the team's rebuild.
"We need to be empathetic to the fact many of these players have had a long-term relationship with Brad and we need to give them the opportunity to process that," he said.
"Ultimately once they get through that, they'll pick their heads up and move forward. Many of our core players are contracted to the club up to at least 2025 and many of them beyond. I expect they'll be playing a big part in our future."
