Des Hasler's fierce support from Manly legend over 'unbelievable' drama
Manly premiership winner Mark 'Spudd' Carroll has let rip at his former club for how they handled the sacking of coach Des Hasler after claiming he 'bleeds maroon and white'.
The under fire club parted ways with Des Hasler despite the coach sensationally declaring on Wednesday that he would be at the club in 2023.
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The Sea Eagles lost their last six games of the 2022 season as the fallout from the pride jersey saga divided a playing group that had made the top four the season before.
Manly club owner Scott Penn's comments only three days after Manly's pride jersey fiasco have also come into the spotlight.
The owner claimed club legend Des Hasler would coach the Sea Eagles for as long as he wanted as he navigated them through the turmoil.
Fast forward two months and Hasler is gone.
Sacked by Penn and his board with a year to run on his contract after six weeks of ugly headlines and a situation at the club that had clearly become untenable.
And Spudd has taken aim at his club after labelling the situation 'unbelievable'.
“It’s unbelievable, it all comes down to the pride jersey, they said it won’t derail us, of course it derailed them, they went down the back door (after it),” Carroll said on SEN 1170 Afternoons.
“Dessy got up and spoke in front of the media, that wasn’t his position to do, why wasn’t the CEO or the boss of Manly doing that, why did Dessy have to put his neck on the line, he spoke fantastically, it was probably the best one he’s ever done.
“I can’t believe he’s actually had to fall on his sword, he bleeds maroon and white, Dessy has done everything for that club, what they have in the future, I have no idea.”
'Spudd' Carroll takes aim at club over debacle
Hasler played 256 games for Manly and won two premierships as coach in his 306 game spell.
And Carroll said the players will be upset that Hasler was made to walk over the horror season.
The club legend said the decision to go ahead with the pride jersey round without telling Hasler was the start of the end.
“You don’t make a jersey overnight, why didn’t Dessy know about this information? Someone else made a decision and it’s cost him his job,” Carroll said.
Manly will now have to deal with the fallout with some of Hasler's loyal players, which include brothers Tom and Jake Trobojevic.
The duo are under contract at the Sea Eagles until the end of 2026.
Manly chief executive Scott Penn said earlier this week that bridges would need to be mended for Hasler to return in 2023.
"We have a premiership-winning team, what we need is a football department who can get us back there as soon as possible," he told Nine News.
“We’ve had a significant board meeting... We’ve been talking to Des and his manager for some time and we’re trying to find a resolution. We’re not quite there yet.
“We’re still in discussion to be fair, but we need to bring this to a head.”
Hasler was set to earn about $950,000 on the final year of his contract next year, with an early termination of the deal expected to cost the Sea Eagles $450,000.
He is now likely to pursue legal action against the club due to its handling of the pride jersey fiasco, which 'compromised his ability to fulfil his contractual obligations'.
with AAP
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