I have followed the Manly Sea Eagles since 1967 and one thing that always made me happy – aside from all the finals and grand finals – was the knowledge that we were the best-run side in the league.
There is a John Denver song called ‘Some days are diamonds (some days are stones)’ with the following lyrics:
The face I see in the mirror is a stranger to me
More and more I can see there is a danger
Of becoming what I never through I would be
That’s how I feel about Manly right now.
I used to laugh at Souths as they lost their player to us, and Easts because they were incapable of running a professional side. Parramatta always spent heaps more than us and were hopeless. And what a joke Wests management was.
Never once did I feel for these sides, as their weak management was just not up to it.
But today Manly are a shambles. I don’t blame Canterbury, Parra or the Gold Coast for raiding us, as our management is as poor as Souths’ at the end of 1972. I just pray we don’t go the same way and take as long to recover.
But to have lost arguably the best coach, the best scout and assistant coach, and five key players does not bode well for the future.
I never thought I would see the day when we were the worst managed club in the league, especially after 50 years of success. I can see other clubs gloating and fair enough too.
My biggest fear is as we drop in the table the crowds will fall, and with the current desire by the NRL to move teams to Moore Park or Homebush I can see us being forced to play away from the beaches and surf.
Tom K
Guest
Absolutely agree with you - what an odd piece to write, especially for a fan of 45 years? So, the midfield maestro must be over 55 years old then? Sure reads like woe is me dribble from my eldest, and he is 10.
Planko
Guest
Midfielder wait for June 30 the fat lady has not sung... The same cousin does lawns in for some of the Manly players and says if nothing comes up Manly may make last minute go at DCE
Renegade
Roar Guru
Did you read the article?.... midfielder has been a manly fan for over 45 years. Judging by your comment i'm guessing you were one of the people that booed DCE on the weekend?
Tom G
Guest
Strange piece altogether... Maybe youve spent too much time listening to John Denver
Tom K
Guest
I thought you said you were a professional? That is the worst article ever written, have you ever worked in a professional environment, say in the CBD? Its all about the money, best monetary offers win, usually 99% of the time. Both Manly halves left for the $1mill plus deals, all the rest is media and player hogwash. It would have been negligent by Manly to offer both halves or even one of them, $1mill plus deals. Manly need forwards and reasonably priced halves, todays salary cap is a monetary balancing act. Lets all just wait and see what team Manly will assemble now, from what I hear, I guarantee you all Manly fans will be happily surprised. Lets keep the doom and gloom articles to the Daily Terrorgraph, and the juvenile ones written by non Manly fans to a minimum, thanks.
Midfielder
Guest
Planko That is not how their departure was reported ... thanks for posting that I had blamed the internal squabbles
planko
Guest
My cousin is very good friends with the Cleals. We lost Hasler and the Cleal cause Canterbury offered them a multiple of more than 2 of there salary at Manly. Noel Cleal " It was a life changing offer that no one with a brain would knock back"... Hasler and Cleal went not cause internal rangling's but for Money plan and simple. I have no problem with that.
Midfielder
Guest
planko Tis not so much Manly taking a stance on that we have no argument. Our history is to let players go towards the end of their careers... i.e Fulton & Fatty to Easts are the two that created the most headlines when they were let go... We have lost coaches, scouts and players ... plus the much hyped Brookvale redevelopment was reported as working with another sport or code, the only viable options are the Maeriners who were looking to move from the CEntral Coast for over half their games and the NRC team... The Mariners have just signed with the Central Coast Council and the NRC are to small...so I wonder aloud how we can finance the redevelopment on say 18 NRL matches... Hopefully with the board settled things will improve and we still have good Manly staff around the place to enshrine the Manly ethos with the new signings... However I never tho I would see the day when we were arguably the worst run team in the competition at a commercial level, and I feel nay hope that the management can pick up their side of things... As a note also the actions of Choc were that of a spoilt kid last year and for me anyway I am glad he has gone.
planko
Guest
Midfielder I too am a Manly Fan. Look at what has left. I wish too that they had not gone but only Manly would have had the back bone to say. Glenn Stewart you are past it. This maybe a mistake I like the way he looks taking on the line in the first but they made the call. Choc you have been a legend but you do spend a lot of time in the sheds during the game. "You give away a lot of penalties you best football has been played you are 32 next year ,you are not worth 2 million in total for seasons 2016, 17 & 18. DCE you are a great player maybe you are worth 1.2 million but not to us good bye. This one IMO was the toughest call. (Plays a lot of football rarely injured) Foran great player is actually my favourite but bottom line but you are not worth 1.2 million. Last season spent quite a bit of time off the field but does have the Kiwi benefit during SOO. In short Manly made moneyball calls whether they were right will be debated. Manly management should not be hung for taking a stance. Manly has shown that it is can develop from locals and pick up unwanted talent so why not go back to this. There is many examples of this going back to the 70's.