'It is a disgrace': Fans hit back after Manly chairman slams critics
Manly chairman Scott Penn has been slammed by fans after his sensational outburst at critics of his club.
The under-fire administrator hit out at the naysayers in an interview with The Australian, insisting himself and other club bosses have nothing to answer in regards to the demise of the Sea Eagles.
“The truth is the truth and … it has nothing to do with management at all,” Penn said.
“We are the only private owners in the entire NRL paying the full salary cap and funding the juniors.
“No other private club in the league does that. They have a leagues club to finance their juniors or they don’t run their juniors.
“If anyone is suggesting we are not funding the team that is absolute bullshit. It is a disgrace that other people are pushing their own agenda and trying to blame us.
“We are sick of it, absolutely sick of it.
“Give one example of us not providing that support. There is not one tangible example.”
Some fans weren’t so sure about that, with one in particular taking on the challenge set by Penn.
Scott Penn wants 1 example how he hasn't supported the club. How about:
No recruitment manager
No development manager
The team trains on a run down field with poor turf
The training equipment hasn't been updated in a decade
The offices are literally demountables
— Ben Wallace (@benno_wallace) August 20, 2018
Then why haven’t they got the people needed in the right place does he answer that
— Mark Wright (@crustybakerinoz) August 19, 2018
I’ve been a Penn supporter the entire time throughout the Delmege & Quantum eras, but he seems to have put all his energy into those spats and now with total control no one is there to keep him honest. There’s no doubt he’s dropped the ball. He should be the face of the club.
— Faico (@CamFaico) August 19, 2018
Yep they’re flying Brent lol
— Johnny Drama (@jdrama68) August 19, 2018
Come on what's your agenda @talkinsmack23 😁😂
— Mo (@MJEagle23) August 19, 2018
who cares No one likes them 🙂 relocate the fibro's to blacktown
— RAF (@BankyBulldogs) August 19, 2018
Funding the team with demountables….
— theBatman (@theBatman661) August 19, 2018
Penn, CEO Lyall Gorman and other members of Manly management have been copping it for not providing the appropriate resources for their NRL club to succeed on the park.
While Trent Barrett has been hushed for legal reason, it’s believed the major reason he’s walking away from the club is because of a lack of resources.
The Sea Eagles operate out of demountables at their training base in Narrabeen, and are without a number of key staff including a recruitment manager – something that was promised to Barrett when he re-signed with the club.
Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans has also questioned the ownership of the club, saying he doesn’t understand why matters haven’t changed at the club in an interview with Fairfax Media.
“I don’t know if Trent has the support [of the board],” Cherry-Evans said.
“But for things to have not changed after numerous requests, I don’t understand why.
“I’d like to think our coach has never been the problem.
“The fact he feels he’s in a position where he has to question a few things with our hierarchy puts into perspective how much he cares about this playing group.”
Manly players in dark over Barrett future
Manly players say they are still in the dark over Trent Barrett’s future at the NRL club but won’t be drawn into any ongoing battle between the coach and administration.
Speculation over whether Barrett would be at the Sea Eagles next year entered a second week on Monday and players said they were unsure whether he would see out his contract which ends in 2020.
“As far as we know, you guys (in the media) know more than we do. We all get told the same thing so I don’t think there’s any progress in that,” prop Martin Taupau said.
With AAP