dogie
thruthick&thin
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2010
- Messages
- 2,550
- Reaction score
- 9
Manly's struggles with ownership linked to Hasler's surprise exit
Brad Walter
October 10, 2011
MANLY chairman Scott Penn is willing to buy the shares of the Sea Eagles' other private owners to put an end to the behind-the-scenes squabbling that has fuelled claims Des Hasler initially fell out with the club over attempts to impose a series of key-performance indicators on him.
Penn distanced himself from suggestions aired on radio yesterday that some at the club had indicated 18 months ago that they did not want Hasler beyond his contract, but he acknowledged changes were needed to the way the Sea Eagles were run following the departure of the dual premiership-winning coach to Canterbury.
Hasler, who has made it clear he does not get on with certain people in power at Manly, is understood to have told his players when he informed them on Friday night he would be quitting the club at the end of next season that the Sea Eagles needed just one owner.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Penn's family company, Penn Sport, owns 40.72 per cent of the NRL club, with Surfside - a partnership between former sponsor Quantum Energy and previous co-owner Max Delmege - holding a 37.24 per cent stake. The remaining 22 per cent is shared between Manly football club (13.11 per cent) and leagues club (8.9 per cent).
However, Penn Sport and Surfside are able to appoint just two directors each to the seven-person Sea Eagles board - meaning no one has control of the club. ''At the moment the constitution doesn't reflect the shareholding in the club and that is something we are already looking at,'' Penn said. ''So far we have only had very preliminary discussion on the constitution but it is an issue we feel is important.''
Asked about Hasler's assertion that Manly needs one owner, Penn said: ''That might happen if the constitution is changed.''
Penn had offered to buy Delmege's stake when he ran into financial difficulty last year but the north shore property developer sold most of his holding to Quantum instead. There is speculation that Quantum might also have financial problems after announcing a net loss of more than $5 million for the past financial year.
Manly's financial woes, which include a loss in this year's premiership-winning season, are blamed for the delay in finalising a new deal with Hasler but it was claimed on Sky Sports Radio yesterday that he had not been wanted 18 months ago when renewing his contract was first raised.
Asked if that were true, Penn told the Herald: ''Not that I know of. That certainly wasn't my view.''
Recently departed Manly media manager Peter Peters, who is close to Hasler, was co-hosting the program when the claims were made on air by a talkback caller, and Peters did not confirm or deny them.
However, Peters said during another weekend radio interview that there had been resistance to re-signing Hasler 18 months ago, and the coach had been at odds with some Manly board members after they wanted him to meet key-performance indicators following the club's week one exit from the finals last year.
''I sensed over the last 18 months when I have gone to board members and said, 'Hey, it is about time to re-sign Des to give some stability to the club,' and the fact it didn't happen … I sensed there was going to be something wrong,'' Peters told Triple M. ''There were some people who wanted Des to perform and put performance [indicators] on him. Why, I don't know. That is their prerogative, I suppose.''
Asked if that was ''the killer'', Peters said: ''Without a doubt. This football club, for the last eight or nine years, Des Hasler has run virtually on his own, and the performances have been absolutely stunning.''
Penn said he wanted to decide on Hasler's successor quickly. Geoff Toovey is the early favourite.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...rprise-exit-20111009-1lfxh.html#ixzz1aI0MAQ7P
Brad Walter
October 10, 2011
MANLY chairman Scott Penn is willing to buy the shares of the Sea Eagles' other private owners to put an end to the behind-the-scenes squabbling that has fuelled claims Des Hasler initially fell out with the club over attempts to impose a series of key-performance indicators on him.
Penn distanced himself from suggestions aired on radio yesterday that some at the club had indicated 18 months ago that they did not want Hasler beyond his contract, but he acknowledged changes were needed to the way the Sea Eagles were run following the departure of the dual premiership-winning coach to Canterbury.
Hasler, who has made it clear he does not get on with certain people in power at Manly, is understood to have told his players when he informed them on Friday night he would be quitting the club at the end of next season that the Sea Eagles needed just one owner.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Penn's family company, Penn Sport, owns 40.72 per cent of the NRL club, with Surfside - a partnership between former sponsor Quantum Energy and previous co-owner Max Delmege - holding a 37.24 per cent stake. The remaining 22 per cent is shared between Manly football club (13.11 per cent) and leagues club (8.9 per cent).
However, Penn Sport and Surfside are able to appoint just two directors each to the seven-person Sea Eagles board - meaning no one has control of the club. ''At the moment the constitution doesn't reflect the shareholding in the club and that is something we are already looking at,'' Penn said. ''So far we have only had very preliminary discussion on the constitution but it is an issue we feel is important.''
Asked about Hasler's assertion that Manly needs one owner, Penn said: ''That might happen if the constitution is changed.''
Penn had offered to buy Delmege's stake when he ran into financial difficulty last year but the north shore property developer sold most of his holding to Quantum instead. There is speculation that Quantum might also have financial problems after announcing a net loss of more than $5 million for the past financial year.
Manly's financial woes, which include a loss in this year's premiership-winning season, are blamed for the delay in finalising a new deal with Hasler but it was claimed on Sky Sports Radio yesterday that he had not been wanted 18 months ago when renewing his contract was first raised.
Asked if that were true, Penn told the Herald: ''Not that I know of. That certainly wasn't my view.''
Recently departed Manly media manager Peter Peters, who is close to Hasler, was co-hosting the program when the claims were made on air by a talkback caller, and Peters did not confirm or deny them.
However, Peters said during another weekend radio interview that there had been resistance to re-signing Hasler 18 months ago, and the coach had been at odds with some Manly board members after they wanted him to meet key-performance indicators following the club's week one exit from the finals last year.
''I sensed over the last 18 months when I have gone to board members and said, 'Hey, it is about time to re-sign Des to give some stability to the club,' and the fact it didn't happen … I sensed there was going to be something wrong,'' Peters told Triple M. ''There were some people who wanted Des to perform and put performance [indicators] on him. Why, I don't know. That is their prerogative, I suppose.''
Asked if that was ''the killer'', Peters said: ''Without a doubt. This football club, for the last eight or nine years, Des Hasler has run virtually on his own, and the performances have been absolutely stunning.''
Penn said he wanted to decide on Hasler's successor quickly. Geoff Toovey is the early favourite.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...rprise-exit-20111009-1lfxh.html#ixzz1aI0MAQ7P