Daniel Anderson is favourite to coach Parramatta next season after Michael Hagan's shock and sudden resignation with a year left on his contract.

Hagan cited family, travel and health reasons for leaving the Eels with one year of his three-year deal remaining.

The former Newcastle and Queensland coach also said dealing with off field dramas among younger players and the direction of tactics in the game, including grapple tackling, had also brought a premature end to his coaching career.

Hagan said he had struggled with the demands the game had placed on him and he no longer had the necessary passion to do the job.

"I don't have that energy to keep going," Hagan said.

While he felt his successor would inherit a talented and strong list, Hagan felt some of Parramatta's young stars needed to change their attitude.

"Last year we got the most out of nearly every player and that was reflected in how the team played and a lot of young players that came in last year I thought probably exceeded our expectations," Hagan said.

"But I think this year it's fair to say we didn't perform consistently well enough and I think some attitudes within the football team weren't as good as they need to be to play consistently at the NRL level."

Former Warriors, St Helens and New Zealand mentor Anderson is the frontrunner to replace Hagan as he "ticks most of the boxes", while David Fairleigh, Shane Flanagan, Jim Dymock and former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes will also come under consideration.

Hagan told Eels chief executive Denis Fitzgerald of his decision last Thursday before tendering his resignation at Monday night's board meeting.

He told a media conference he'd tired of the daily commute between Sydney and Newcastle, where his family resides, and also had some health issues, including an ongoing back problem and was hospitalised for an attack of vertigo in August.

Fitzgerald said the club was in no hurry to make the appointment but expected a new coach would be installed before Christmas.

Assistant coaches Fairleigh and Matt Cameron will run the Eels first grade team until a permanent appointment is made.

While Fitzgerald said Cameron and Fairleigh could be considered for the first grade job he admitted Anderson had an advantage because he had first grade experience.

Anderson had always planned to return to Australia in 2009 and seek an NRL job and the Eels now seem a perfect fit as he has a home in the district and also coached Parramatta's lower grades before joining the Warriors.

Fitzgerald said he would look to speak to Anderson once he returned home and was in regular contact with his manager Jim Banaghan.

"He (Anderson) is someone that would tick most of the boxes as far as a first grade coach in the NRL, given that he's already done it," Fitzgerald told AAP.

"The fact that he's been a lower grade coach here and he knows our set up and a lot of the personnel who were here while he was here, so he's got very good credentials."

Hagan steered Parramatta to within one win of the 2007 grand final in his first year at the club, but speculation over his position intensified after the Eels failed to reach this season's finals.

Fitzgerald said he was surprised by Hagan's decision and he stressed that the club had not forced the outgoing coach's hand.

"I can say categorically it was all Michael Hagan(`s decision), he wasn't pushed, he went voluntarily," Fitzgerald said.

He said he had a slight preference for a coach with first grade experience and that the successful applicant would need several attributes.

Another potential advantage for Anderson over other aspirants for Parramatta is his experience in New Zealand working with Polynesian players, as Parramatta have several youngsters from that background.

"You've got to understand the current generation and understand that many of them come from a Polynesian background, understand Generation Y and how things have changed," Fitzgerald said.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP