Sydney Kings CEO and St George Illawarra Dragons fan Paul Smith has admitted heโs no longer interested in taking control of the Dragons, claiming he dodged a bullet when his 2018 bid for a controlling stake in the club was turned down.
Wollongong local Smith told SENโs Jimmy Smith that while he still wants whatโs best for the club, a lack of vision for the future or a long-term plan is a huge problem moving forward.
โItโs a mess, a train wreck and a dumpster fire all rolled into one. But I love the club and I only want whatโs best for them,โ Smith told his namesake on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
โTheyโve got to form a long-term plan and articulate that. What they lack is clarity about the future.
โYouโve got to eliminate that short-term planning and youโre seeing that a bit with Wests Tigers. Theyโve now got a five-year plan with their coaching. It may be wrong, but at least theyโve got a plan.
โThatโs what these (lower-ranked) clubs need to do. Theyโre going to have to go through some pain to get where they want to be.โ
Smith, who is currently focussed on helping the Kings secure back-to-back NBL titles, said he had no future plans to try and acquire the club again.
โI think Iโve dodged three bullets there, but (the club) is a full chamber and thatโs a problem.โ
The Dragons have attracted unwanted attention lately, with speculation over the future of coach Anthony Griffin, massive salary cap issues, injuries and inconsistent performances leaving them on the back foot in their pursuit of a return to finals football.
