Matabele
Journey Man
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25070273-5016307,00.html
I DON'T know the inner workings of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Football Club, I'm no accountant and I don't have a Bachelor of Business, but I do know this - the Sea Eagles won the 2008 NRL premiership 40-0 over the Melbourne Storm.
After having to endure the Northern Eagles debacle, revelations that the club subsequently went within hours of insolvency and the following rebuilding period - finally everything is going right.
Premiership glory, a huge groundswell of pride on the northern beaches, millions generated in merchandising and sponsorship and the promise of a revamped Brookvale Oval are all by-products of a well- managed football club.
Now with everything going along swimmingly and a real anticipation in the air for a tilt at back-to-back titles, what do the Manly hierarchy do? Get rid of highly respected CEO Grant Mayer and go gunning for a bloke who is the heart and soul of the Sea Eagles franchise, Peter Peters.
Of course, Max Delmege pays the bills at Manly - albeit a bit slowly at times - but no one would begrudge him the appreciation Sea Eagles fans have for his huge investment, which delivered our first title since 1996.
Surely, however, it's not rocket science to realise this: It's not broken Max, so why are you fixing it?
In this age of professional sport, if you control the purse strings of a major club it has to be treated as a business first and then a passion.
Big business rewards its leaders with bonuses and plaudits; at Manly we punt them a month from the start of the comp. Max, get Mayer to stay, give Zorba a pay rise and let's get serious about the Dogs in round one.
Matt Shrivell is a production journalist on The Daily Telegraph - and a passionate Sea Eagles fan.
I DON'T know the inner workings of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Football Club, I'm no accountant and I don't have a Bachelor of Business, but I do know this - the Sea Eagles won the 2008 NRL premiership 40-0 over the Melbourne Storm.
After having to endure the Northern Eagles debacle, revelations that the club subsequently went within hours of insolvency and the following rebuilding period - finally everything is going right.
Premiership glory, a huge groundswell of pride on the northern beaches, millions generated in merchandising and sponsorship and the promise of a revamped Brookvale Oval are all by-products of a well- managed football club.
Now with everything going along swimmingly and a real anticipation in the air for a tilt at back-to-back titles, what do the Manly hierarchy do? Get rid of highly respected CEO Grant Mayer and go gunning for a bloke who is the heart and soul of the Sea Eagles franchise, Peter Peters.
Of course, Max Delmege pays the bills at Manly - albeit a bit slowly at times - but no one would begrudge him the appreciation Sea Eagles fans have for his huge investment, which delivered our first title since 1996.
Surely, however, it's not rocket science to realise this: It's not broken Max, so why are you fixing it?
In this age of professional sport, if you control the purse strings of a major club it has to be treated as a business first and then a passion.
Big business rewards its leaders with bonuses and plaudits; at Manly we punt them a month from the start of the comp. Max, get Mayer to stay, give Zorba a pay rise and let's get serious about the Dogs in round one.
Matt Shrivell is a production journalist on The Daily Telegraph - and a passionate Sea Eagles fan.