Matt Elliott has paid the price for Penrith's poor start to the NRL season, with the coach told his five-year reign at the club will end after this season.
With the Panthers sitting 14th on the ladder after just two wins from seven matches, Elliott was informed of the decision by Panthers chairman Don Feltis and chief executive Michael Leary on Tuesday.
Chief executive Leary told ABC Grandstand Elliot was naturally disappointed but reacted professionally.
He expects the Panthers players to do the same.
"I don't [expect the players to be affected by the decision] - we've got a professional coach, we've got a professional staff and we've got professional players and they're all paid to do their job and I'm very confident that they will," he said.
Former St George Illawarra coach Nathan Brown - currently in charge of Super League leaders Huddersfield in England - has previously been linked with the job, while the likes of Origin coaches Ricky Stuart and Mal Meninga have also stated their desire to return to NRL coaching.
Penrith assistant coach Steve Georgallis has also been touted as a possible successor, but it is believed the club will go for someone with previous NRL head coaching experience.
Brown said last week he had not been approached by the Panthers but was keen to return to the NRL, after being replaced by Wayne Bennett at St George Illawarra at the end of the 2008 season.
But Leary says no decision has been made on any new coaching appointments yet.
"As soon as we come to that decision of who will be our coach we will release it immediately," he said.
"There will undoubtedly be a number of interested people that will apply for the job and it will also be something that we will have to be very serious and make sure that we make a good decision."
The Panthers' efforts this season have fallen well below expectations after the finished the 2010 regular season just below minor premiers St George Illawarra.
They bowed out of last year's finals series with back-to-back losses as injuries to key players cruelled their premiership hopes, but they have struggled mightily this year - giving up in excess of 40 points in their first two home games.
Their only wins of 2011 have been against Canberra and Parramatta, who themselves are struggling in the bottom half of the ladder.
Under Elliott, the Panthers have made the finals only once (in 2010), having finished with the wooden spoon in his first year at the club in 2007, before slowly climbing the ladder to finish 12th and 11th in 2008 and 2009 respectively.
Prior to arriving at Penrith, Elliott had mixed success at Canberra - finishing in the top eight in four of his five seasons with the Raiders but failing to win any finals games with the club.
- ABC/AAP
First posted April 26, 2011 11:00:00
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