Are we victims of our own success (Culture) ?

[delz]

The events since the announcement that Glenn Stewart was leaving the club as led me to ask " are we victims of our own success or simply the culture we have created.

It amazes me that we seem to be the only Club constantly in the media for the wrong reasons when it comes to player recruitment or players leaving the club. After thinking about it I strongly believe its due to the strong & close player culture this club has been able to develop over the years.

That is why rightly or wrongly so many players have been upset that Glenn is leaving. No other club I can think off have had players so vocal and upset about another player leaving. This is what makes Manly such a special club and why we are able to integrate and develop so many players from average to class players. We genuinely care about each other ! That is a fact !

However this type of camaraderie has also been our Achillies heel in recent months and may unfortunately contribute to our inability to win the Premiership. The energy spent by so many players constantly refuting rumours , having discussions within the playing group ,approaches to management & constant media attention regarding seeking releases certainly must put a drain on themselves to perform at their best week in and week out.

The fact we are still top of the ladder is a miracle and proves what a fantastic bunch of natural & dedicated footballers we have not to mention the great work of our Coaching staff to keep them focused as much as possible.

Nevertheless as we get to the pointy end of the season, the time when games really count we need to put this issue to bed and provide a united front across all facets of the Club. The supporters of the Club deserve and need to be re-assured that all the players , coaches and Management energies are being put towards winning this Premiership. The ability is certainly there, its just the attitude needs to change to ensure we give it the best possible shake.

Like I said our fantastic culture will mean zero yes zero if we don't use it for the right reasons and not for what has been shown over the past few months. I hope that we are able to give our great players in Glenn Stewart and Jason King the send -off they truly deserve. In Glenn's case in particular he should be an inspiration to the rest not a distraction which unfortunately is what the media will pounce on if we exit this comp without a whimper !!

So ask yourself the Question are we Victims of our own success (Culture) ?? . I for one certainly hope not and strongly believe we can win this damn thing !! Go Manly

 

[jbb/james]

I dont think so. Due to the age of this squad it was inevitable that at some stage it would need to be dismantled. A clear plan and strategy regarding intention was needed to be developed considering the unity of the squad. It really looks like glens departure was an after thought possibly due to his injuries. This is still a workplace. Its possible this may have enhanced the culture

 

[HappilyManly]

Manly are not victims, merely the most successful Club in RL. The premierships churn over at least once a decade. Other Clubs want what Manly has.

Outsiders have been trying to find the secret to our success.
They attributed it to our Administration in the 70's - 90's.
Then it was the Coach up to 2011.
Now it must be attributable to the Players who joined up after the demise of the Joint Venture.

Manly's Culture is a composite of all of the above.

But the most powerful component is that its Members demand on field success. We have always tried to strengthen whichever aspect of Manly was stagnating and made the hard decisions to move people on, both in the admin and the football departments. Hence the Club remains competitive.

The Media coverage is due to the hunger of other Clubs wanting to 'break the mold' of Manly.

As a forty year member, I know that there is nothing cast in stone, thats the secret. Manly is dynamic and constantly reinvents itself. Yes, there have been a number of wrong turns, but they are soon recognised and another model is tried.

In fact the administration's fluidity mirrors the artistry of our footy playmakers

So the negative press will continue. In the pre season the Media were ridiculing Manly's retention of an aging roster. Now that Manly have released some of these Players, they are attacked by the same Media Hacks :dodgy:

The beauty of it all is that we have an interesting future at Manly, and a very promising present

At least 8 Teams wish they were as dysfunctional as Manly is

 

[Hamster Huey]

We are not victims of anything; we are the beneficiaries of what a proper club culture brings and it is bigger than any player. Arko to Fulton to Hasler to Toovey...it's a passion that drives a club and it is one that no other can match over the last 50 years.

Name a club during the NRL era that has seen anywhere near four grand finals, with two premierships, maintain the consistency in the squad we've had.

I realise the players hate to see the end of the era fast approach, but despite cutting long-term players over the last 5-6 years, we've still kept five players for over a decade. This simply isn't the norm and we (and the players) should stand proud at past achievements, but realise at some point it is then up to the next group to keep us going forward.

 

[sheridanstand78]

The way the NRL is structured is now a deterrent to building a sustainable culture.

The NRL's vision of success is to have every team go through a process of equalization except Brisbane and Melbourne that are protected by the NRL at the insistence of News Filth.

Manly have benefited from a strong culture forged years ago. Built on hard work, loyalty and mateship, something that is now the core of the current problems we are seeing.

What pleases me is to see the new generation coming through the ranks. Our future is always going to be solid while the core values that we stand for are kept.

 

[Denno]

We might not win it every year,but were all ways ,up there or there abouts,
Thats Manly,The MANLY CULTURE......GO MANLY!

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

But the most powerful component is that its Members demand on field success.

Some don't. Some would rather see us coming last and having no player movement rumours in the newspapers.

 

[rifraff]

The way I used to think was. I would rather miss the finals than lose a finals game. Cause it hurt when we lost. The way I think now is I am getting to see the team that gives me so much joy play an extra game or two..

If snake leaves, by god I will remember all the amazing things he did.. If choc leaves, I hope we find another man half as hard as him.. If Matai leaves I will need to find a new favorite. I have done it before though, Wombat,Cliffy, Spud.

There is too much crap getting thrown around about our players. Respect the effort they are putting in.They are all here this year, get behind them.. If you need to vent, do it when they have gone..

Sea Eagles Till I die.. And then I hope I get reincarnated so I can cheer them again.

 

[manlyfan76]

We are a victim of lazy media who run the same stories without thought, with their main focus on Manly. When Asada broke it was all about Manly. Now there is 211 players off contract (ave13per club) off contract the media focus on the Manly players. Look at the boards of tigers and titans and sharks, the media love to focus on Manly though even though a particular journo would have good info on the sharks club.