conanu
Bencher
I was writing this post on a membership thread but I thought it needed its own post.
This is such a mess. Do management realise the damage they have done to this club? It feels like a in-house Super League war. Management's scorched earth approach and absolute zero communication with fans other than to tell half truths and spin, is beyond comprehension. I don't want to go over old ground again but it is important to highlight just how ridiculous this clubs situation has become and I am not sure management realise the damage they are doing. The alternative is that our management know exactly what they are doing and that is what scares the crap out of me.
Since the Penn's takeover we have seen a political like machine very similar to the recent government take over our club. Knee jerk reactions, Media shut outs other than spoon fed propaganda, policy on the run and Bozo is apparently making crazy captains calls left right and centre..
Penn said he would re-sign our halves by christmas and we all know how that turned out.
Then they insult our intelligence by inserting fluff pieces about a pie in the sky Brookie Upgrade in the paper.
Every veteran player bar Matt Ballin wanted a release but are now happy to stay??
Kelly said Tooves was safe Penn contradicted him and we all know how that turned out.
Fans wanted Ballin re-signed so they re-signed him to keep fans happy for a minute and then months later he is told to go?
Sacked all bar one member of the greatest coaching staff of the past decade, and all this after we threatened to kill Des Hasler for trying to take them to the Dogs, So Penn decided to send them all packing.
They blamed Toovey for not re-signing Glen Stewart then when he became a free agent they didn't sign him either.
Insert Brookie Upgrade fluff piece again
Fans wanted Turbos and Gutho re-signed so they signed them to keep us happy then Gutho told to go to our arch rivals that have already poached half our team.
We now have a situation where die hard fans are so frustrated with the club they love, that the only way they know how to protest and get through to management is to withhold money for memberships and potentially force the club to go broke. It just doesn't add up. If Barrett loses the first few rounds there will barely be a soul at Brookie and the pressure on him will be enormous. I don't think any rookie coach will have ever had as much external pressure as what Barrett will face. I genuinely feel sorry for him as he won't know what hit him.
People say Rugby League is a business these days. But I have never seen a business that wants to grow and improve, be happy to watch its loyal customers get frustrated, discouraged and walk away to the point where they may never return. For management to play a high stakes game and risk it all on an untested new manager and support team that may or may not deliver.
Actually I can remember a time when that happened, It was when Apple sacked Steve Jobs and later went broke because they destroyed the culture. The only other time I have seen this type of corporate shenanigans happen is when a company wants to buy out a rival company and destroy it to gain a larger market share. But I cant figure out why the Penn's would want to do that because it makes no sense.
So that leaves us fans where we are right now. If we don't renew our memberships it may send a signal to the top that we aren't happy. But it is entirely possible the club may go broke in the process and the Penn's may sell the NRL licence to another franchise like the bad news Bears in order to re-coup their cash. Unfortunately they will be able to turn to us all and say, "Well it is a business decision and there just isn't enough support for the Manly Sea Eagles to be a going concern". They will walk away un-scathed and we will all be left wanting to burn them to the ground. The NRL won't give a rats because they would rather us gone and have a larger Central Coast fan base it won't matter to them or the Penns as it is just a business.
This whole saga is very sad, scary and also very in-comprehensible.
For god sake Scott Penn I beg you, plead with you. Explain to us what the hell is your "Grand Plan" for our club. Not bright and colourful pictures of Brookvale in 2089 but the here and now plan. Explain it to us devoid of political spin, propaganda and blame for previous owners. Just give it to us straight, We can take it. We handled the Northern Eagles so this is a cakewalk. Tell us what is your plan? What makes you think it will work? Why was it necessary to scorch the earth? And what do you need from us to make it a success?.
We want to love you Scott and we want to give you the kudos you deserve for chipping in your cash, but we need you to be up front and honest with us and communicate effectively with us. We are jaded lately because we can't trust anyone anymore. Unfortunately blokes like Rupert Murdoch and Nathan Tinkler have left us with little faith in big business and sport. Pull everyone together, Fan's and Management, so that we can indeed be "Stronger Together" and take on the sporting world as one unit. Come on Scott be the man we all need and want you to be. Show us how the Penn Era will be better than the Delmege era and all the others.
Because at the moment its a bloody mess. It looks as dodgy as a handyman with an Irish accent looking for money upfront to tarmac the driveway.
This is such a mess. Do management realise the damage they have done to this club? It feels like a in-house Super League war. Management's scorched earth approach and absolute zero communication with fans other than to tell half truths and spin, is beyond comprehension. I don't want to go over old ground again but it is important to highlight just how ridiculous this clubs situation has become and I am not sure management realise the damage they are doing. The alternative is that our management know exactly what they are doing and that is what scares the crap out of me.
Since the Penn's takeover we have seen a political like machine very similar to the recent government take over our club. Knee jerk reactions, Media shut outs other than spoon fed propaganda, policy on the run and Bozo is apparently making crazy captains calls left right and centre..
Penn said he would re-sign our halves by christmas and we all know how that turned out.
Then they insult our intelligence by inserting fluff pieces about a pie in the sky Brookie Upgrade in the paper.
Every veteran player bar Matt Ballin wanted a release but are now happy to stay??
Kelly said Tooves was safe Penn contradicted him and we all know how that turned out.
Fans wanted Ballin re-signed so they re-signed him to keep fans happy for a minute and then months later he is told to go?
Sacked all bar one member of the greatest coaching staff of the past decade, and all this after we threatened to kill Des Hasler for trying to take them to the Dogs, So Penn decided to send them all packing.
They blamed Toovey for not re-signing Glen Stewart then when he became a free agent they didn't sign him either.
Insert Brookie Upgrade fluff piece again
Fans wanted Turbos and Gutho re-signed so they signed them to keep us happy then Gutho told to go to our arch rivals that have already poached half our team.
We now have a situation where die hard fans are so frustrated with the club they love, that the only way they know how to protest and get through to management is to withhold money for memberships and potentially force the club to go broke. It just doesn't add up. If Barrett loses the first few rounds there will barely be a soul at Brookie and the pressure on him will be enormous. I don't think any rookie coach will have ever had as much external pressure as what Barrett will face. I genuinely feel sorry for him as he won't know what hit him.
People say Rugby League is a business these days. But I have never seen a business that wants to grow and improve, be happy to watch its loyal customers get frustrated, discouraged and walk away to the point where they may never return. For management to play a high stakes game and risk it all on an untested new manager and support team that may or may not deliver.
Actually I can remember a time when that happened, It was when Apple sacked Steve Jobs and later went broke because they destroyed the culture. The only other time I have seen this type of corporate shenanigans happen is when a company wants to buy out a rival company and destroy it to gain a larger market share. But I cant figure out why the Penn's would want to do that because it makes no sense.
So that leaves us fans where we are right now. If we don't renew our memberships it may send a signal to the top that we aren't happy. But it is entirely possible the club may go broke in the process and the Penn's may sell the NRL licence to another franchise like the bad news Bears in order to re-coup their cash. Unfortunately they will be able to turn to us all and say, "Well it is a business decision and there just isn't enough support for the Manly Sea Eagles to be a going concern". They will walk away un-scathed and we will all be left wanting to burn them to the ground. The NRL won't give a rats because they would rather us gone and have a larger Central Coast fan base it won't matter to them or the Penns as it is just a business.
This whole saga is very sad, scary and also very in-comprehensible.
For god sake Scott Penn I beg you, plead with you. Explain to us what the hell is your "Grand Plan" for our club. Not bright and colourful pictures of Brookvale in 2089 but the here and now plan. Explain it to us devoid of political spin, propaganda and blame for previous owners. Just give it to us straight, We can take it. We handled the Northern Eagles so this is a cakewalk. Tell us what is your plan? What makes you think it will work? Why was it necessary to scorch the earth? And what do you need from us to make it a success?.
We want to love you Scott and we want to give you the kudos you deserve for chipping in your cash, but we need you to be up front and honest with us and communicate effectively with us. We are jaded lately because we can't trust anyone anymore. Unfortunately blokes like Rupert Murdoch and Nathan Tinkler have left us with little faith in big business and sport. Pull everyone together, Fan's and Management, so that we can indeed be "Stronger Together" and take on the sporting world as one unit. Come on Scott be the man we all need and want you to be. Show us how the Penn Era will be better than the Delmege era and all the others.
Because at the moment its a bloody mess. It looks as dodgy as a handyman with an Irish accent looking for money upfront to tarmac the driveway.
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