Today, the worst kept secret in rugby league was let loose in the public sphere – Geoff Toovey won’t be coaching Manly next year, and Trent Barrett will step in.
But it is guaranteed to get more interesting when the club releases a statement announcing the change, then the Manly-Warringah Football Club’s board releases a statement no more than a couple of hours later condemning to move as “bewildering” and lacking respect.
There is no doubt that Geoff Toovey is a Manly Sea Eagles club legend. It seems like the board was behind him too, and that the consistent rumours of off-field issues at the club plenty of weight.
Of course, there are two entities at play here – the NRL club board and the Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club board. This statement is from the latter, who own 14 per cent of the NRL club.
But that doesn’t change the fact that there are serious tensions around the club at the moment, ant it’s being played out in a uniquely public way.
Read what they had to say below:
Full statement from the Manly-Warringah Football Club board
It’s a sad day when an icon of our great Club – which next year celebrates its 70th year in the competition – is told he is unwanted as the Coach despite being under contract until the end of 2016.
It is bewildering to anyone who follows the game that a Coach who during his tenure has taken his team to every final, including a Grand Final, and currently sits just two wins outside the top eight should be treated in this manner.
His position as Coach was undermined even before the Season began and continued relentlessly throughout the entire 2015 season. He has not been treated with the respect he has earned and deserves.
Geoff Toovey is a Life Member of the Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club.
His service and loyalty to our Club, including his time as Coach, speaks for itself.
As a player:
· 286 first grade games, 1988-2001
· Club Captain, 1993-2001
· Clive Churchill medal winner, 1996
· Australian Captain, 1996
· NSW State of Origin representative, 1990-2000
As Coach
· 2012 – Preliminary Final
· 2013 – Grand Final
· 2014 – Semi Final
Despite today’s announcement, Geoff Toovey will always remain an icon of our Club.
Board members:
Bob Stevenson
Bob Reilly
Cliff Lyons
Mal Cochrane
Darrell Williams
Chris Jones
Steve Sapsford
mad manly supporter
Guest
This penn owners are a joke using the prior club ownership politics drama to continue even before the season started by warning toovey to have a great season or else. No manner if manly was coming first this season they still would have let him go. Look at his coaching record and manly achievement last night against brisbane to be replace by an assistant coach who is dragons. This is the problem with wealthy owners thinking they know more but don't care about the clubs' culture. A lot of long term supporters i mean a lot with current ones are not happy and mad and will not forget this and will be very happy with the penn family are out of the club all together. Great that the football club made their comment all the true supporters are with them. The penn family and there cronies are a joke and get them out of manly you are killing our great manly culture and the manly fans are against you.
Anto
Guest
Sorry, but I think you've got it wrong. If you want to see a coach who lost his playing group, look at Richard Graham at the Reds. The players just stopped playing and stopped winning. A team which is undergoing a revival like Manly has in the past month or so is not a team which has lost faith in the coach.
Tom G
Guest
he lost his job before the opening round of the competition so to say he lost the dressing room because of results is nuts. These idiots were even prepared to recruit (Sad)Brad Arthur to keep his disciple Cumberland Kieran happy. If these whining sook players have cost Toovey his job then shame on them. The playing group spitting their collective dummies over Glenn Stewart's departure have had way too much influence and have used the coach to cover their own lack of professionalism.
SpongeBob
Guest
I thought Hasler left Manly on the premise were at the end of a good run, grabbed the players he could and jumped ship to the Bulldogs who had a number of buys that year?
Worlds Biggest
Guest
They've had a poor season overall, don't let the past month or so tell you otherwise. Go back 6-8 weeks and that's when the decision was made to bring in Barrett. Toovey lost the group early on in the season and it was it for him. I think he has done a very good job overall but player power and some influential figures behind the scenes brought down Toovey.
Anto
Guest
Lost the playing group, has he? They've won 3 of their last 4 matches. 4 of their last 6. Surely you're joking!
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
"Dear baby, welcome to dumpsville, population: you."
Sam Brown
Roar Guru
I cannot believe my team has axed one if it's greatest sons and is employing in his place an untested coach in Trent Barret. Not even taking into account Toovey's career with the club as a player he has produced nothing but great seasons after taking over in very trying circumstances where it looked like we were going to lose half the team. He saved the furniture and has continued our great run. I'll be blunt, this year has been a dissapointing and no doubt the off field mess has played it's part but surely a Manly legend like Toovey has enough credit in the bank to deserve at least another year to try and get things on track. We are Manly not Paramatta.
Doug Graves
Guest
Manly at it again. What a joke. They stabbed club legend Hasler and drove him away and now they've betrayed another club legend in Toovey by replacing him with Trent "Bar-top" Barrett! If they don't get the spoon this year they have to be morals for it next year. Good luck next season Manly it's going to be amusing to say the least.
SpongeBob
Guest
There's got to be an investigation! Someone has to be accountable.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
This whole circus has been handled appallingly. Shocking treatment of a Club great, unfortunately Toovey had lost the playing group and when that happens its curtains. However this has been going on for too long and looks totally amateur. When they decided Barrett was the Man they should have announced it and pay Tooves his money. I'm not a Manly fan but a fan of Toovey as a coach, I think he's done a great job and unlucky not to win the GF in 2013. He has to be one of the more successful coaches to be punted two years after taking his team to a GF.
Qldted
Guest
When the Penns and Kelly leave the club I want to be with the boys when they sing 'we had a win today '
steveng
Roar Rookie
Just as an addendum to my last comments, the letter above by Board members:Bob Stevenson, Bob Reilly, Cliff Lyons, Mal Cochrane, Darrell Williams, Chris Jones and Steve Sapsford is I'm sure typical of how every Sea Eagle's fan feels like. This is a despicable act by the Manly Warringah RL Club and also to what Toovey has achieved both as a player but fore mostly as a coach, and what the players are doing in the 'Telstra Premiership' right up to their last game against the Warriors in NZ, where they thrashed the Warriors 32 to 12 and all the NZ commentators that bragged and couldn't give the Manly players any more accolades of their achievements and records in NZ. This is a shameful act by the 'Manly Warringah RL Club' and to what 'Loyalty and Performance' mean these days!
Qldted
Guest
I'm with you Lou!!! My wife is a one eyed Bronco supporter and she even thinks it's sad and disgusting.
Lou Tesoriero
Guest
I am 70 yrs old and have been a Manly supporter since my apprenticeship with Billy Bradstreet and Bobby Fulton stayed at Billys house and played for Manly I think it is wrong that Toovey is being blamed for the stuff ups of the management of the Manly team and I will no longer be following them. What a disgrace.
steveng
Roar Rookie
THAT IS DISCRACEFUL ACT AND ITS MAKING MANLY A JOKE!!! Geoff Toovey should not be sacked and I'm sure that lots of Manly supporters will be protesting at Brookvale!!!
Matt McDonald
Roar Rookie
This is a concern as it mirrors a trend among league teams where factions ranging from prolific ex players, to wealthy individual benefactors to large companies and local clubs all are trying to exert influence on the clubs for their own purposes rather than the good of the clubs. Between this, parramatta and West's troubles; I'm growing very concerned about the very structures in which these clubs operate.
MAX
Guest
Bear 54 and Bearfax contributed interesting posts on 25 July under Buxton article on Toovey.. Good reads if you happened to have missed them.
Mals
Guest
That is what the true rugby league people of Manly think of Geoff's axing. The plastics unfortunately are the ones that own the Manly Sea Eagles along with their mouth piece Peter Peters.