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“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist … and like that, he’s gone.”
This line from The Usual Suspects is not only one of the coolest bits of dialogue ever committed to film, it seems to capture the public feeling about player managers today.
Player managers have become a strange issue in the world of the NRL. Many see them as a plague on the game, holding clubs to ransom in an attempt to look after their own bank balance, or that they’re the reason loyalty is fading in modern rugby league. The so-called evil of the modern-day manager would leave you thinking that clubs and the players themselves are innocent victims of such vicious, money-hungry vultures.
But is this really the case?
The most recent outcry against player managers was directed towards Isaac Moses who manages the so-named ‘big four’. He has been publicly derided by thousands of fans and numerous media personalities for his handling of these negotiations.
But in Moses’s defence, he will perhaps never have so much leverage in a negotiation. Having four players who hold significant power within the club all off contract at the same time must have been a manager’s dream. Mix into that the fact that, at the time, the Wests Tigers were a mess, and Moses truly did have all the cards. Moses knew he had the Tigers over a barrel and has taken full advantage.
But what was he supposed to do? He’s a manager, which means he will always have the best interests of his clients at heart.
A manager’s job is to ensure his clients receive the best offers possible and that they are able to set themselves up for the years that come after sport. He does not, nor does any manager, owe a club or a coach any sort of loyalty beyond that his client wants to express, which is sometimes seen by players in today’s game, including Cam Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Sam Thaiday, just to name a few. So if a player asks his manager to go and find the most money or the nicest area to live or even an offer from a particular coach, the manager must do all in his power to ensure he meets his client’s needs.
Isaac Moses was given power in these negotiations by the Tigers because they overplayed their hand so many times. Moving on Marty Taupau to free up salary cap space for the big four, moving on Robbie Farah to please the halves, firing Jason Taylor – all of these moves showed their desperation and deprived them of any ability to negotiate. This was not Moses’ fault; it was down to the Tigers board. Moses took advantage of the situation to provide his players with the deals they feel are best for their futures.
Managers allow players to plan for the future by having their best interests at heart. These young men may not know much about financial matters, but they can rely on their managers to advise them and provide with the options that will benefit their futures.
Managers are seen as the worst thing to happen to player loyalty, but very few fans complain about the loyalty that clubs very rarely display. So if the players cannot expect their clubs to be loyal to them, they need to have someone who can negotiate and care for their needs. Without managers, clubs would be able to ride roughshod over players. Managers just make it more difficult for clubs to get away with ripping off their players.
So are player managers the devil? No; the devil never really existed.
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