Hey TC, have you ever known Toovey not to be genuine. Besides he, like Dessie before him, were fully aware of the issues with the resourcing at the junior level within the club which is one of the reasons Dessie left, albeit not the main one.
He is no more genuine than the average Coach I don't see him in some special light just because he lead the Manly team proudly all those years.
I see Toovey as a hard working right hand man/assistant that would not back stab the person above him just to have his chance at leading.
Being on some board is more about working together not about leading, more about coming to a consensus not striving to lead and take over.
I doubt in the corporate/business world even as a Coach to his players Toovey was this assertive, red faced, aggressive, confrontational character as we saw in the Coaching box so people holding this competitive side against him (that this personality is him and wont go down well with others) I think have it wrong in that regard.
In saying that I don't feel he is as "genuine" as made out to be, definitely a nice person by all accounts but I was disappointed with a few sides of him (well how I interpreted his character I might be well off the mark)
1)The right decision to let Glenn go which showed Tooves knew where the squad needed to improve but I felt he hid behind the fighting of both factions and not on the front foot saying "I felt it is time for Glenn to move on it was ultimately my decision in the end." (which I believe was the case despite or the factional pressures either way that may have contributed)
2) Disappointed if it was a paid gig on NRL 360 and sort of selling out for more money on the side. He put himself, the players and the club under too much pressure from having to field way too many questions. I also don't agree in general Coaches should do such gigs on a regular basis more so than players for a variety of reasons.(plus Coaches are paid outside the cap and players are restricted earning capacity wise not a good look)
In saying that i'm sure Tooves got the ok from the Manly club to do so, I just feel he should not have done that gig and it should not have come to the point of even asking.
3) Tooves has just finished a Coaching stint and is already replying to questions from Journalists in a manner that comes across as I am interested in being employed in the NRL and will take/consider whatever comes up", sort of shows he has no idea what he really wants and just looking for his next gig.