Feleti Mateo, who is departing the Parramatta Eels, has strongly denied claims made on Sydney radio today that there was a severe racial rift involving himself and former coach Daniel Anderson.
Mateo, who is leaving the Eels and headed to the New Zealand Warriors has categorically denied that any such rift between he and Anderson took place after the racial allegation against Anderson was made by 2GB.
“I have been told about a report on radio saying that I had complained about a racial issue regarding Daniel, and that it had been brought up in discussion about the coaching situation at the club,” Mateo said in a statement issued by the club.
“That is absolutely not true. I spoke with Ando today to clarify this and there is no issue. There has been no racial comments that have upset me, let alone been anything I have complained to the club about. Nothing of the sort has anything to do with me leaving to play with the Warriors.
“What the club does on the coaching front, or anything to do with the board and management, has nothing to do with me and I am disappointed my name has been brought into this.”
Paul Osborne, the Eels Chief Executive had his say on the issue and said: “No issue between Feleti and Daniel has ever been raised with the club and suggestions to the contrary are completely false.”
“I’ve spoken to Daniel today and it’s the first either of us had heard of this supposed complaint. It didn’t happen.’
Amongst an array of speculation about the coaching position at the Eels, Osborne has confirmed that the season review at the Eels is now complete, and that it would be presented to the board for presentation.