The Hasler history is complex, what I saw was someone who was single mindedly interested in winning, extracting the best out of his players in order to accomplish that one objective. Recruiting players solely with the objective of winning, as quickly as possible. Manipulating players contracts to achieve that objective, to the extent of extreme back ending. Pretty much every club back ends players' contracts to some extent, but he took it to a previously unseen level, with players contracted for amounts in the final years being 2 or 3 times the earlier years. What I would call obscene back ending to such a level and with so many players that it eventually was going turn to shyte. That's why as a coach he ranks with the best, but as a team manager he leaves plenty to be desired. If it wasn't a necessary part of his plan to achieve the winning objective then he provided the players with next to zero guidance, development, welfare, personal motivation, emotional support etc things that should all be part of coach's role.
All coaches have to have an ego, a big one, but his was so large that he couldn't see when he had made a mistake with a player. He thought his choices were infallible that's why he stuck with players that he believed were going to help him achieve his objective. He was blind to his own failings and to the failings of those he had chosen. Players that weren't his choice he was more ruthless with, discarded them regardless of the effect it had on the team as whole.
The main issue I have with Hasler was that winning as fast as possible was all that he was interested in, he had no sense of club history, no club loyalty, no concept of ensuring the long term future of the club. I don't see this as being strictly his attitude to us, after all he left Manly in exactly the same situation. Players with poor injury management and recovery strategy (Stewart, Matai etc), inflated back ended contracts that nobbled them the same as it did us.
He is proof that it is possible at the same time to be a good coach (for some reasons) and be a bad coach (for other reasons).
Go Dogs