How Taylor transformed Eels

TWO months ago Jason Taylor was handed a Parramatta club in crisis. Today, he is in charge of the most improved team in the countdown to the finals.

So sharp have the Eels looked under acting coach Taylor, that former premiership-winning coach Warren Ryan predicted they will feature in the big end-of-season games. Parramatta had won just two from nine this year under long-time coach Brian Smith before Taylor took over.
They now have five wins from their past eight games.

While crediting the players for the club's amazing revival, Taylor revealed to The Daily Telegraph he had made some changes at the club amid a season of alcohol-related drama.
Rival clubs now privately fear playing the Eels in finals football.

"I suppose I have struck a chord with the players," Taylor said.

"They believe what I'm talking about - and they have gone out and done it.

"But it can't be for a couple of weeks ... you have to make it your lifestyle.

"The players have taken to everything I have asked. They are owed the congratulations.
"Their attitude has been superb and they have done everything that I have asked of them," he said.

Taylor said his approach was simple "common sense". "The more you win, the more enjoyable it is. Nobody likes losing," he said. "We have to train hard together, enjoy each other's company, work in the same direction, play and work as a team. We have worked harder in the past six weeks than they had earlier in the year."

Taylor said that he had "standardised" his side's attack and their defence.

"We've become more standard in a number of ways," he said.

"That, as opposed to chopping and changing because of who we play each week.

"You can fall into the trap of worrying about who you play. We just have to focus on what we do best."

Ryan, who won two premierships with Canterbury in 1984-85, has been highly impressed with the new-look Eels.

"The Eels are my long-shot tip to nail five of seven and sneak up to 28 points," Ryan said.

But Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens last night labelled Taylor's golden run as a "honeymoon period".

"That's the honeymoon period a politician gets and a coach gets," Sheens said.

"How long it lasts before the media come at you or before the players are unhappy with you because you drop someone ... while you're winning it tends to keep those sort of issues away but good luck to him."

The bad news for the Eels is that Taylor is headed for South Sydney in 2007.