Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Penn won't quit Manly
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/penn-wont-quit-manly/
SEA Eagles chairman Scott Penn sometimes feels like he is in the middle of a combat zone.
Since the team’s sensational grand final win over the Warriors last month, the club has plunged into civil war and he has found himself one of the main targets.
“We are not used to having to wear flak jackets, so it is an unusual position for us to be in,†Penn admitted.
In a revealing interview with the Manly Daily, the successful businessman with a genuine passion for the Sea Eagles has opened up about the dramas that have engulfed the club after securing the premiership.
And Penn’s clear message was that despite the ongoing controversies he is at the club for the long haul.
PENN’S FUTURE AT MANLY
“We haven’t been through the challenges of the past five years to bail out now,†he declared.
“We are majority shareholders and intend to stay. It doesn’t even enter our minds to walk away.â€
He said Penn Sport effectively has a $20 million commitment to the place, that includes owning the leagues club and the land outright.
A leak from within this week suggested that United Resources Management was about to launch a hostile $5.5 million takeover bid to buy out Penn Sport’s 40 per cent share.
Penn this week spoke to URM boss Anthony Johnston, who has been a sponsor for some time and enjoys being involved.
“He was adamant there was no absolutely no offer and no one representing him should have even been discussing anything,†Penn said. “If he was going to have a negation with me it would be in private and nobody would know about it until it was done.â€
CIVIL WAR AT BROOKIE
Penn is very concerned about the leaks of supposed confidential information that have been coming out of the club.
“The bottom line is that clearly there are some factions who are just muckraking at the moment,†he said.
“I’m not sure what outcome they are looking for.
“It is just bizarre behaviour and could only have been stirred up by a couple of other parties.â€
Penn said he had no idea why certain parties would be not only stirring the pot, but making it public.
“The disappointing thing is that all the dirty laundry keeps getting aired,†he said.
Penn said the situation has only made Penn Sport more determined to fix things up.
“If we were to go, it wouldn’t stop it,†he said.
POLITICAL FOOTBALL
Coming from a business background, Penn was surprised about the politics he has encountered in running a football team.
“From a Penn perspective we just get on with it and being commercial people we are only interested in getting an outcome,†he said.
“I think the best word for it, is that it has been deeply frustrating to be constantly attacked for just wanting to get the best outcome for the club.â€
Penn said he was talking to a couple of the other NRL club chairmen this week who were just shaking their heads about some of the articles that have appeared about Manly over the past couple of weeks.
“They said you guys should just be absolutely revelling in the premiership and enjoy everything you have worked so hard for, what is going on,†Penn said.
“And I’d ask the same question - just why are the factions just trying to ruin the party?â€
THE ROAD AHEAD
“What we need to focus on is coming up with a new constitution or arrangement so everyone has a fair say for their shareholding - and that is what we don’t have at the moment,†Penn said.
“We are just focused on keeping our heads down and we don’t need this distraction. We have far too many things to do at the club.â€
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/penn-wont-quit-manly/
SEA Eagles chairman Scott Penn sometimes feels like he is in the middle of a combat zone.
Since the team’s sensational grand final win over the Warriors last month, the club has plunged into civil war and he has found himself one of the main targets.
“We are not used to having to wear flak jackets, so it is an unusual position for us to be in,†Penn admitted.
In a revealing interview with the Manly Daily, the successful businessman with a genuine passion for the Sea Eagles has opened up about the dramas that have engulfed the club after securing the premiership.
And Penn’s clear message was that despite the ongoing controversies he is at the club for the long haul.
PENN’S FUTURE AT MANLY
“We haven’t been through the challenges of the past five years to bail out now,†he declared.
“We are majority shareholders and intend to stay. It doesn’t even enter our minds to walk away.â€
He said Penn Sport effectively has a $20 million commitment to the place, that includes owning the leagues club and the land outright.
A leak from within this week suggested that United Resources Management was about to launch a hostile $5.5 million takeover bid to buy out Penn Sport’s 40 per cent share.
Penn this week spoke to URM boss Anthony Johnston, who has been a sponsor for some time and enjoys being involved.
“He was adamant there was no absolutely no offer and no one representing him should have even been discussing anything,†Penn said. “If he was going to have a negation with me it would be in private and nobody would know about it until it was done.â€
CIVIL WAR AT BROOKIE
Penn is very concerned about the leaks of supposed confidential information that have been coming out of the club.
“The bottom line is that clearly there are some factions who are just muckraking at the moment,†he said.
“I’m not sure what outcome they are looking for.
“It is just bizarre behaviour and could only have been stirred up by a couple of other parties.â€
Penn said he had no idea why certain parties would be not only stirring the pot, but making it public.
“The disappointing thing is that all the dirty laundry keeps getting aired,†he said.
Penn said the situation has only made Penn Sport more determined to fix things up.
“If we were to go, it wouldn’t stop it,†he said.
POLITICAL FOOTBALL
Coming from a business background, Penn was surprised about the politics he has encountered in running a football team.
“From a Penn perspective we just get on with it and being commercial people we are only interested in getting an outcome,†he said.
“I think the best word for it, is that it has been deeply frustrating to be constantly attacked for just wanting to get the best outcome for the club.â€
Penn said he was talking to a couple of the other NRL club chairmen this week who were just shaking their heads about some of the articles that have appeared about Manly over the past couple of weeks.
“They said you guys should just be absolutely revelling in the premiership and enjoy everything you have worked so hard for, what is going on,†Penn said.
“And I’d ask the same question - just why are the factions just trying to ruin the party?â€
THE ROAD AHEAD
“What we need to focus on is coming up with a new constitution or arrangement so everyone has a fair say for their shareholding - and that is what we don’t have at the moment,†Penn said.
“We are just focused on keeping our heads down and we don’t need this distraction. We have far too many things to do at the club.â€