Masked Eagle
Bencher
Foran won't jump ship
Manly superstar Kieran Foran insists he won't active an escape clause in his contract to follow coach Des Hasler out of the club, allaying immediate fears the Sea Eagles face a mass exodus of players.
Foran and fullback Brett Stewart both have special riders written into their contracts allowing them to leave Brookvale should Hasler not be at the helm.
The Sea Eagles coach has signed a lucrative four-year deal with the Bulldogs starting 2013 but his departure is likely to be fast forwarded once the Manly board meets this week.
Current assistant coach and former skipper Geoff Toovey is expected to take the reins next season.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen there. I've got to focus on next year and we'll wait and see," Foran said from inside the New Zealand camp on Monday.
"I am pretty happy at Manly. It's a great club; we've just won the comp (and) I don't want to leave. We have to accept it (Hasler's exit) and get on with things."
Foran and Brett Stewart are the only two players believed to have exit clauses in their contracts.
Destructive back-rower Tony Williams is the sole current player off contract but is keen to stay at the club.
And influential representative forward Anthony Watmough has declared the Sea Eagles won't be ripped apart by the Hasler drama.
Pressed on why he had a special clause inserted in his deal, Foran replied: "Probably because I rate Des Hasler as a very good coach."
"Everyone knows what high regard the players hold Dessie in."
"What he's done for the club is huge. His stats show just how good a coach he is."
"We're pretty disappointed to hear he's going."
"We all love Dessie and wanted him to hang around for many years to come."
Foran wants Hasler to see out the final year of his contract but says Toovey is the perfect replacement should there be an immediate change of coach.
He urged the club's dysfunctional board to sort out the mess before the players return for pre-season training next month.
"The man they need is right there in front of them," Foran said of Toovey.
"He's been there since 2004 under Dessie. He's learnt the ropes."
"He's an ex-player at the club, he's won comps for the club. He is a very passionate guy and knows what it's about."
"But I'd love Dessie to hang around for his final year. The players would love to have him there and there's no reason why he shouldn't hang around."
"I don't know too much about what's going on behind closed doors but things have got to be nice and tidy up there (in the boardroom) for things to be nice and tidy on the field."
Meanwhile, New Zealand centre Krisnan Inu has withdrawn from Sunday's Test against Australia in Newcastle due to personal reasons.
Manly superstar Kieran Foran insists he won't active an escape clause in his contract to follow coach Des Hasler out of the club, allaying immediate fears the Sea Eagles face a mass exodus of players.
Foran and fullback Brett Stewart both have special riders written into their contracts allowing them to leave Brookvale should Hasler not be at the helm.
The Sea Eagles coach has signed a lucrative four-year deal with the Bulldogs starting 2013 but his departure is likely to be fast forwarded once the Manly board meets this week.
Current assistant coach and former skipper Geoff Toovey is expected to take the reins next season.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen there. I've got to focus on next year and we'll wait and see," Foran said from inside the New Zealand camp on Monday.
"I am pretty happy at Manly. It's a great club; we've just won the comp (and) I don't want to leave. We have to accept it (Hasler's exit) and get on with things."
Foran and Brett Stewart are the only two players believed to have exit clauses in their contracts.
Destructive back-rower Tony Williams is the sole current player off contract but is keen to stay at the club.
And influential representative forward Anthony Watmough has declared the Sea Eagles won't be ripped apart by the Hasler drama.
Pressed on why he had a special clause inserted in his deal, Foran replied: "Probably because I rate Des Hasler as a very good coach."
"Everyone knows what high regard the players hold Dessie in."
"What he's done for the club is huge. His stats show just how good a coach he is."
"We're pretty disappointed to hear he's going."
"We all love Dessie and wanted him to hang around for many years to come."
Foran wants Hasler to see out the final year of his contract but says Toovey is the perfect replacement should there be an immediate change of coach.
He urged the club's dysfunctional board to sort out the mess before the players return for pre-season training next month.
"The man they need is right there in front of them," Foran said of Toovey.
"He's been there since 2004 under Dessie. He's learnt the ropes."
"He's an ex-player at the club, he's won comps for the club. He is a very passionate guy and knows what it's about."
"But I'd love Dessie to hang around for his final year. The players would love to have him there and there's no reason why he shouldn't hang around."
"I don't know too much about what's going on behind closed doors but things have got to be nice and tidy up there (in the boardroom) for things to be nice and tidy on the field."
Meanwhile, New Zealand centre Krisnan Inu has withdrawn from Sunday's Test against Australia in Newcastle due to personal reasons.