Cliff lyons joins coaching staff

[mickqld]

Cliffy will succeed on both levels. He will produce quality first graders while delivering a more successful NSW cup team I have no doubt. The man is a professional and always has been.

 

[The Wheel]

Mick you are stretching the truth now, Cliffy hated training and smoked like a chimney - hardly a professional approach when he played. Having said that it didn't show on the field the guy is a genious with a football in hand.

 

[Hamster Huey]

Well it's great to see the LEGEND is back where he belongs. At least the only way is up for the NSW cup team they cant get any lower.

They can come last every year for all I care. Same with the 20s. The number 1 priority for every grade below first grade should be about getting them ready for the NRL. The second it becomes about winning games your doing your chances at the top level a disservice. All I want to see out of every years U20s teams is a few players kick on to become regular first graders if that happens then the coach has done a good job. Next to zero point IMO of winning these lower grade comps if it doesn't translate to first grade premierships. All it does do really is make it harder for you to hold onto them because they are more likely to get pinched by other clubs.

All very well to say that ME but our current crop of young stars in firsts came from a top of the table U20's squad and a premeirship winning QLD cup side.

They aren't necessarily mutually exclusive ideals, but lets not forget we have played several players over the last few years in our NSW & QLD Cup sides who were still eligiable for U20s and I'd say harming the chances of both teams to have success but those players will be better for it and so will our NRL side in the years to come. That's a much better philosophy to have then going out strictly to pick teams to win lower grade comps. To put it this way, I wouldn't sack a lower grade coach if they didn't win a game as long as if a player stepped up they performed. Likewise I seriously consider chopping a coach even if they were on top of the ladder if the players were not where they should be when it comes to playing at the next level.

Agreed ME. The Dogs (sorry to bring them into another thread) have had a lot of success in the lower grades as many levels, but all they've got is one SC-breached tainted title to show at NRL level.

Seem Des has got into their ear about this setup and they are dropping one of the clubs under the system.

It's nice to see wins in the Manly colours, but in the end who is going to remember our Ressies or NYC titles in future decades?

 

[HappilyManly]

Cliff Back In Eagles Nest Manly Daily 22 December, 2011
AFTER an absence of more than a decade, one of Manly’s favourite sons has been welcomed back home to the Sea Eagles’ nest.

Former champion five-eighth Cliffy Lyons wasted no time attending Manly training following his appointment as coach of the club’s NSW Cup team on Tuesday.

“I am very excited, I am tingling all over,” Lyons said as he cast his eagle eye over the talent running around the club’s Narrabeen headquarters.

“I always wanted to take the next step and this is the next step.

“I’m just meeting the boys and getting into the swing of things before Christmas.

“After the break it will be heads down and bums up.”

His comeback continues the push to get former stars involved with the club.

“He’s a legend of the club and we’d like to think he can add some of that culture back to the NSW Cup side,” first grade coach Geoff Toovey said.

The dual premiership winner takes on his new role after guiding Narraweena to the past two premierships in the Manly A grade competition.

“I was waiting patiently for the call especially after all the sagas at the club,” Lyons said. “It eventually happened so I am very happy.

“Toovs rang up to see if I was interested in coaching the NSW Cup team.”

The pair have known each other since Toovey was called up into grade in 1988 and they went on to form a lethal scrumbase combination.

“I did a lot of the tackling,” Toovey laughed.

He said Lyons was an obvious choice.

“He knows a lot of the players from around that area and was one of the greatest ball players in the game,” Toovey said.

“He has been a successful coach in the local comp so we are looking forward to collaborating along the way.

“Hopefully he can train up those NSW Cup players so they get an opportunity to play some first grade.”

Lyons ended his distinguished NRL career in 1999 and coached the club’s SG Ball side the following year.

“I want to play a running style of game,” he said.

 

[Brookie]

i also hear he's on a $1 contract with the club too incase we lose foran to injury this year!

 

[Captain Moondog]

Looks like Brett and Cliffy are forming a combination.

 

[the real fortynil]

How frigin good is this after the rubbish we have all been forced to cop from the press death ridding us and every single supporter of other teams telling us Oh Manly is gone now etc blah blah bloody blah!

Well having decided to wear my Manly cap into my office today, so I can remind all those plonkers Santa delivered us the ultimate Chrissy present only a short while ago, I log on here only to find one our greatest returns to the fold to play a significent role in the club once again. Bloody sensational!

Who was the other bloke who left recently thinking his **** didn't stink!

I bet London to a brick that if he was still around those steeped in legend status at our club wouldn't have got a look in. As someone else on this post said "sometimes something good has to be broken up only to find its replacement is 10 times better" And with people like Cliffy around the place its going to be a fresh new approach.

Toovs is prooving to be a very astute man and I have every confidence that as a leadership group we will be very strong at the top!

GO THE EAGLES IN 2012

 

[winnyason]

nsw cup job is a tough gig first up

 

[eagles2win]

nsw cup job is a tough gig first up

Would have been good to bring in a noted defender in as well to help Cliffy to add some starch to it

 

[Cletus]

So is he doing ball work with first grade as well? I find it a bit wierd that he hasn't done anything with us before.

 

[mozgrame]

We'll have to wait till the smoke clears to see exactly what Cliff does.

 

[HappilyManly]

Would have been good to bring in a noted defender in as well to help Cliffy to add some starch to it

Spud is just up the road - he would be up for a bit of biff part time

But Cliffy's longevity is due to the fact that he was smart enough to pass the ball and someone else wear the brunt of a tackle

 

[ssar]

I'm liking this at face value.

Cliffy has been one of the greats in the Maroon & White as a player (309 1st grade games from 1986 to 1999) and continuing his involvement in Rugby League coaching other/lower grades etc.

Go Manly!