MANLY Kangaroo star Anthony Watmough has labelled the loss of Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler as a sad day for Manly but is adamant there wont be a mass exodus of players from the club because of it.
In Newcastle with the Australian side to prepare for Sunday’s Test against New Zealand, Anthony Watmough today claimed club legend Geoff Toovey is ready for a coaching career at NRL level but stopped short of pointing the finger at Manly’s board for the club’s current coaching saga.
”It was a sad day for Manly in general [Hasler’s decision to link with the Bulldogs in 2013] but in saying that, it’s a business and he wasn’t able to run the business the way he wanted to and as a head coach, you want that.
"He had to do what’s best for him and there is no ill-feeling for that. We just have to head in the direction we are heading in and whatever it is, we just have to believe in it like we did with Dessie.
“As much as Dessie is an unbelievable guy, we have unbelievable guys in our team and unbelieveable talent and we’ll stick solid and still give them a good nudge.’’
“I’m not going to bag the board out over what’s happened because I don’t know what’s going on or what happened. Dessie had to make a decision for Dessie and I’m not going to hate on Dessie and I’m not going to hate on the board.’’
Watmough dismissed suggestions a number of teammates could follow Hasler out the door.
“The group of guys we’ve got, we’re solid and we’re tight and no one likes to walk away from that,’’ he said.
”You are not just going to leave 25 top blokes that are your best mates for a coaching member.’’
On Toovey, Watmough said:
”He’s pretty much our forwards coach now. He does all our videos and everything like that where as Dessie sort of takes a back seat there and lets him run it and that’s been happening for a couple of years.
"He’s been groomed by Dessie to take over and is a real Manly man so if we get him and he is our coach, then we’ll believe in whatever path he lays down in front of us.’’
Watmough also took a potshot at his critics who suggested he would not play for Australia again because of a supposed falling out with Sheens.
”I think there is a few people eaten their words,’’Watmough said.
”Look, I’ve never had an issue with Tim and when I came in [to camp], we had a laugh. He was one of the first people I saw. There is no issues there between me and him.’’
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In Newcastle with the Australian side to prepare for Sunday’s Test against New Zealand, Anthony Watmough today claimed club legend Geoff Toovey is ready for a coaching career at NRL level but stopped short of pointing the finger at Manly’s board for the club’s current coaching saga.
”It was a sad day for Manly in general [Hasler’s decision to link with the Bulldogs in 2013] but in saying that, it’s a business and he wasn’t able to run the business the way he wanted to and as a head coach, you want that.
"He had to do what’s best for him and there is no ill-feeling for that. We just have to head in the direction we are heading in and whatever it is, we just have to believe in it like we did with Dessie.
“As much as Dessie is an unbelievable guy, we have unbelievable guys in our team and unbelieveable talent and we’ll stick solid and still give them a good nudge.’’
“I’m not going to bag the board out over what’s happened because I don’t know what’s going on or what happened. Dessie had to make a decision for Dessie and I’m not going to hate on Dessie and I’m not going to hate on the board.’’
Watmough dismissed suggestions a number of teammates could follow Hasler out the door.
“The group of guys we’ve got, we’re solid and we’re tight and no one likes to walk away from that,’’ he said.
”You are not just going to leave 25 top blokes that are your best mates for a coaching member.’’
On Toovey, Watmough said:
”He’s pretty much our forwards coach now. He does all our videos and everything like that where as Dessie sort of takes a back seat there and lets him run it and that’s been happening for a couple of years.
"He’s been groomed by Dessie to take over and is a real Manly man so if we get him and he is our coach, then we’ll believe in whatever path he lays down in front of us.’’
Watmough also took a potshot at his critics who suggested he would not play for Australia again because of a supposed falling out with Sheens.
”I think there is a few people eaten their words,’’Watmough said.
”Look, I’ve never had an issue with Tim and when I came in [to camp], we had a laugh. He was one of the first people I saw. There is no issues there between me and him.’’
Follow @Telegraph_Sport on Twitter and like Telegraph Sport on Facebook
