Newly minted Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon has revealed why he chose to join the club.
With a reputation as one of the competition’s best assistants for both the Roosters and NSW Origin side, Fitzgibbon has been highly touted for years and has had several clubs show interest in appointing him as head coach.
As he knocked back interest before finally deciding to take up the Sharks role, Fitzgibbon was asked why this opportunity was finally the right one for him to take the next step in his journey.
“I honestly felt like I wasn’t ready to be honest, you’ve really got to be sure,” Fitzgibbon replied on SEN 1170 Drive with Joel and Fletch.
“It’s a big role, I didn’t want to underestimate how big the job is and how big the role is.
“I didn’t want to do a club a disservice just because I wanted to jump in and do something, so I wanted to be sure there.”
Having spent the best part of two decades with the Roosters as a player and on the coaching staff, Fitzgibbon revealed that he didn’t want to do them a disservice and leave his post before his agreed contract expired.
“Also, I’d given my word to the Roosters that I’d see out my term that we agreed to. I felt like the club that I’d been there for 20 years, I felt like it was right to do the right thing by them, I promised that and I wasn’t going to go back on my word,” Fitzgibbon said.
“But the timing of the club with the Sharks, I felt like they’re in a really strong position, they have a strong junior nursery, I like the playing group at the moment and fortunately that opportunity came.
“It was a difficult time when the announcement came, that’s for sure, but I’m really excited to be here now … obviously, my father (Allan) coached here and I lived here for 10 years.
“It just felt right, it felt really right.”
Fitzgibbon has inked a three-year deal with the Sharks that will see him remain as the club’s head coach until at least the end of the 2024 season.
Having finished ninth in 2021, the new coach will be hoping to have his side jump into the finals race in 2022.
Listen to the full chat here.