PARRAMATTA coach Ricky Stuart has a get-out clause in his contract at the Eels allowing him to walk away from his three-year deal at any time.

As the Raiders legend’s name continues to be linked to a return home to the national capital next season, The Daily Telegraph can reveal Stuart is free to end his tenure with the Eels with no strings attached.

It is understood the get out clause was inserted in Stuart’s contract due to Parramatta’s volatile corporate governance structure and the fact the Eels had gone through four coaches in six seasons.

The Eels politics has only become increasingly complex since ex-chairman Roy Spagnolo was overthrown in May, with only Eels board member Robert Sassen left from the group of directors who signed Stuart last season.

On Monday, retired 1986 grand final prop Terry Leabeater took the extraordinary step of sending a 16-page open letter to Eels members calling for an emergency general meeting to overthrow the club’s dysfunctional board.

Aside from calling for the board to unite behind Stuart and the club’s playing roster immediately, Leabeater divulged how the seven-member board was split on who should coach the club next season.

According to the Eels legend, one board member wants Stuart to be the coach, with Brian Smith in a coaching director’s role, while one board member wants Jason Taylor and a third is pushing for Neil Henry to be appointed.

What the Leabeater letter clearly outlines is what a basket case the Parramatta Eels have become, with the club on course to collect its second wooden spoon, Stuart’s first as a coach.

Leabeater needs 106 signatures to call an extraordinary general meeting in an attempt to overthrow the Eels board.

Alternatively, Stuart enjoys strong support amongst a number of Canberra Raiders board members, although support on the four-man subcommittee appointed to find the best coaching candidate to replace David Furner is believed to be divided.

The Raiders subcommittee of Mal Meninga, Raiders chief executive Don Furner and board members David Thom and Allan Hawke will meet again this week.

The Daily Telegraph can also reveal Raiders power brokers have sounded out South Sydney coach Michael Maguire about the possibility of the ex-Canberra player returning to the club.

But Maguire, who is still under contract with the Rabbitohs for next season, is expected to extend his tenure with the premiership favourites at Redfern in due course.

Stuart’s main competitors for the Raiders role include four-time premiership-winning coach Tim Sheens and outgoing North Queensland coach Neil Henry.

Ironically, all three have a strong connection with the Raiders, with Stuart having won three premierships as a player, Sheens winning three premierships as a coach and Henry coaching the club in 2008 before turning his back on them to take up the North Queensland posting.

Since taking Cronulla to the finals in 2008, Stuart has won only 15 of 64 matches in almost three full seasons of NRL coaching for a 23 per cent success rate.

In fairness, the ex-NSW Origin coach's postings at Cronulla and Parramatta have been with under-strength sides littered with problems.

The Raiders boast one of the best junior nurseries in the NRL, an outstanding roster and could be considered a top four team with the right coach and leadership.