For those that want Andrew Webster's take on it or just want to read a bit more about former Manly player and coach Des Hasler another story for you courtesy of SMH via MSN (link at bottom)........
Excerpt:
The inside story of how the Bulldogs lost their way - and Des Hasler was sacked
Des Hasler thought he'd secured his future in a secret meeting at the Pullman Hotel at Sydney Olympic Park on April 3 earlier this year.
Well, as secure as anything in rugby league can be in these confusing and mysterious times.
Sitting around the table were Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib, chief executive Raelene Castle and Hasler's manager, George Mimis. The meeting went for hours and hours, every last clause and detail nutted out.
And then, when it was all over, the much-talked about "heads of agreement" was signed. It wasn't inked in blood, but it was a done deal. The Bulldogs announced it. They've been telling us all for months how Hasler has "two more years on his contract".
It was hoped this would end the annoying speculation about the coach's future and assure players and their managers there was stability at Belmore.
More than that, it would take some heat off Dib.
The day before, in his column for the
Sun-Herald, colleague Danny Weidler had savaged the chairman. He wrote the Bulldogs had been a "rabble for weeks" and speculation about Hasler's future was damaging the Bulldogs' brand. Weidler's missive rattled a few cages.
But now it was all sorted. A week or so later, Hasler, Mimis, Dib and Castle caught up for dinner and raised a glass to the deal.
Cut to another meeting on Tuesday morning and Hasler and Mimis were sitting across from Dib again.
It had been 10 days since the club's end-of-season presentation, the review into the team's dreadful season completed. Time for Hasler to find out if he's still got a job.
Des is a Jedi Warrior of statistics and Dib had a stack to throw at him: no top-four finish in five years; a win-loss percentage of 56.8 per cent in the past six years; 52 per cent in the past three; 41.7 per cent this year … And on it went.
Then came the rip to the body Hasler and Mimis didn't see coming. Not only was he sacked, he wasn't getting a pay out because the "heads of agreement" was "non-binding".
Full story at:
http://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/rugb...d-des-hasler-was-sacked/ar-AAsg2rM?li=AAgfYrC