Matabele
Journey Man
I love the power google provides - where history cannot be re-written too easily. In light of Philip Dean siding with Delmege on the night of long knives, here's an interesting article from 2005.
The Sam Harris bit is entertaining.
Privatisation Perils:
A little over 12 months ago the members of the Manly Warringah Football Club were asked to vote on the privatisation of the club. The intent? To sell a controlling share of the club to local businessman and Manly benefactor, Max Delmege.
The vote proceeded with the understanding that Delmege would be a silent equity partner in the club. At the time a lovely picture was promoted of a club awash with cash, signing marquee players at whim, with little downside.
The fans were sold a dummy.
In recent months the ugly face of privatisation has reared its head and it stands as a cautionary tale for other clubs considering similar strategies.
Of course I speak of the ongoing soap opera that is “Monasgateâ€Â. Here’s a quick summary.
Manly captain Michael Monaghan instructed his manager to check out his options in England to provide leverage against an offer made to him by Manly. Manly withdrew their offer.
Then Monaghan was told he had two weeks to prove his merits as a half back. He was ordinary against Penrith as Michael Witt inspired a late Manly comeback for a dramatic win.
With the weight of the world on his shoulders Monaghan produced a display deemed worthy of man of the match award in a Friday Night win against the Roosters.
However, some may recall a near disastrous Monaghan chip kick at the death that handed the Roosters possession and field position, and very nearly the win. Monaghan can be the master of the wrong option. More on that later.
The next morning Manly informed Monaghan that his services would not be required next year. A public outcry erupted and some Manly fans threatened to burn the Corso if Monaghan were not retained (this for a Raiders junior of only eighteen months standing on the peninsula!)
Enter Max Delmege – the “silent" equity partner. Concerned at the damage the media firestorm was wreaking on his “brandâ€Â, he intervened.
Since then Manly’s fortunes have been in freefall on, and, as I’ll reveal, OFF the field. Is it a coincidence that a side riding high in second spot all of a sudden self destructs and slumps to five losses in six games?
Whilst the current administration seems to be putting on a brave face, what is being said behind closed doors?
Imagine my surprise when an e-mail from prominent senior official in the Manly administration, Philip Dean, found me via a circuitous route.
Whilst the newspapers speculate, here, for the first time, is the proof! (Keep in mind THAT Monaghan chip kick against the Roosters).
“The funniest thing was people dismissing Monas’ chip kick as a minor blemish on his MOTM performance, when the reality is, it was that type of poor decision making under pressure that led the retention committee to the view that he was not the half back to take us to the next level.â€Â
“Anyway, Max Delmege rode in on his trusty steed and saved the day.â€Â
The sneering derision is barely disguised, betraying the undercurrent that must exist when a competent administration is overruled by an amateur (in the area of football administration anyway) on commercial grounds.
Sentiment and excessive pandering to the demands of sponsors do not win premierships. However, on this occasion, the hard nosed decision required to achieve real success was thwarted. And no-one could do anything about it (unless of course they had a few lazy million lying around).
Delmege’s intervention meant that Manly struggled to stay in the race to sign marquee half back Matt Orford because there was not enough room in the salary cap to compete with Souths and Melbourne.
Orford’s signature has been secured, but at the unfortunate cost of depth in the forwards following the offloading of Sam Harris to the Tigers. Monaghan will cost $240,000 for each of the next three years. That’s a lot to pay for an unproven hooker.
However, it could have proved terminal for the club had it led to Manly missing out on Orford altogether. There would have been no glut of players signing with Manly to play with Mr Captain Calamity himself.
Thankfully Orford’s yearning to live close to a decent beach was enough to sway him our way.
In conclusion though, here’s another conundrum to ponder.
Who recently negotiated the deal for Delmege Real Estate to extend its sponsorship of the Manly side?
If Delmege, was there the potential for a conflict of interest? Dare I say it - please explain?
The Sam Harris bit is entertaining.
Privatisation Perils:
A little over 12 months ago the members of the Manly Warringah Football Club were asked to vote on the privatisation of the club. The intent? To sell a controlling share of the club to local businessman and Manly benefactor, Max Delmege.
The vote proceeded with the understanding that Delmege would be a silent equity partner in the club. At the time a lovely picture was promoted of a club awash with cash, signing marquee players at whim, with little downside.
The fans were sold a dummy.
In recent months the ugly face of privatisation has reared its head and it stands as a cautionary tale for other clubs considering similar strategies.
Of course I speak of the ongoing soap opera that is “Monasgateâ€Â. Here’s a quick summary.
Manly captain Michael Monaghan instructed his manager to check out his options in England to provide leverage against an offer made to him by Manly. Manly withdrew their offer.
Then Monaghan was told he had two weeks to prove his merits as a half back. He was ordinary against Penrith as Michael Witt inspired a late Manly comeback for a dramatic win.
With the weight of the world on his shoulders Monaghan produced a display deemed worthy of man of the match award in a Friday Night win against the Roosters.
However, some may recall a near disastrous Monaghan chip kick at the death that handed the Roosters possession and field position, and very nearly the win. Monaghan can be the master of the wrong option. More on that later.
The next morning Manly informed Monaghan that his services would not be required next year. A public outcry erupted and some Manly fans threatened to burn the Corso if Monaghan were not retained (this for a Raiders junior of only eighteen months standing on the peninsula!)
Enter Max Delmege – the “silent" equity partner. Concerned at the damage the media firestorm was wreaking on his “brandâ€Â, he intervened.
Since then Manly’s fortunes have been in freefall on, and, as I’ll reveal, OFF the field. Is it a coincidence that a side riding high in second spot all of a sudden self destructs and slumps to five losses in six games?
Whilst the current administration seems to be putting on a brave face, what is being said behind closed doors?
Imagine my surprise when an e-mail from prominent senior official in the Manly administration, Philip Dean, found me via a circuitous route.
Whilst the newspapers speculate, here, for the first time, is the proof! (Keep in mind THAT Monaghan chip kick against the Roosters).
“The funniest thing was people dismissing Monas’ chip kick as a minor blemish on his MOTM performance, when the reality is, it was that type of poor decision making under pressure that led the retention committee to the view that he was not the half back to take us to the next level.â€Â
“Anyway, Max Delmege rode in on his trusty steed and saved the day.â€Â
The sneering derision is barely disguised, betraying the undercurrent that must exist when a competent administration is overruled by an amateur (in the area of football administration anyway) on commercial grounds.
Sentiment and excessive pandering to the demands of sponsors do not win premierships. However, on this occasion, the hard nosed decision required to achieve real success was thwarted. And no-one could do anything about it (unless of course they had a few lazy million lying around).
Delmege’s intervention meant that Manly struggled to stay in the race to sign marquee half back Matt Orford because there was not enough room in the salary cap to compete with Souths and Melbourne.
Orford’s signature has been secured, but at the unfortunate cost of depth in the forwards following the offloading of Sam Harris to the Tigers. Monaghan will cost $240,000 for each of the next three years. That’s a lot to pay for an unproven hooker.
However, it could have proved terminal for the club had it led to Manly missing out on Orford altogether. There would have been no glut of players signing with Manly to play with Mr Captain Calamity himself.
Thankfully Orford’s yearning to live close to a decent beach was enough to sway him our way.
In conclusion though, here’s another conundrum to ponder.
Who recently negotiated the deal for Delmege Real Estate to extend its sponsorship of the Manly side?
If Delmege, was there the potential for a conflict of interest? Dare I say it - please explain?
