http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/6ace7be2c1e79fee71662781f50affdd
Manly chairman Scott Penn gives Sea Eagles coach TrentBarrett notice of ‘high expetations’
June 13, 2016 11:00pm
DEAN RITCHIEThe Daily Telegraph
MANLY chairman Scott Penn has given rookie Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett his unconditional support but said failure at Brookvale was unacceptable.
The Sea Eagles’ forgettable season slumped to a new low on Sunday as they surrendered a 20-point lead at home to lose 31-24 to Penrith.
Barrett, who was handed the reins this season after the Sea Eagles sacked former coach and favourite son Geoff Toovey, questioned his side’s ability to “handle adversity”.
Barrett knows pressure is building, despite his chairman’s support.
Now, with an injury crisis, just four wins from 13 games and a match-fixing probe into two Manly games from 2015 hanging over the club, this season’s finals aspirations already appear doomed.
Penn has endorsed Barrett as the man to guide the Eagles out of the gloom, but remained adamant the club must start winning.
“That is what a footy club is all about. We are an incredibly proud club and we have high expectations — and that’s not going to change,” Penn said of the Eagles, who last season Manly missed the finals for the first time since 2004.
“We absolutely need to be successful. That is what our fans and sponsors expect. We have to win — that’s what footy is all about. There’s no questions, we need to do that.”
Manly led Penrith 24-4 on Sunday before conceding 27 unanswered points in a gut-wrenching defeat.
The Sea Eagles went into the game already missing stars Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai and Daly Cherry-Evans through injury, before forward Nate Myles was forced from the field early with a knee injury.
“Once we start to get some consistency with players on the field, if we’re not performing then, we’ll have a different conversation,” Penn said.
“We’re disappointed with where we are, we understand why and we have to get out of it. On the field, we’re just not catching any breaks at the moment.
“It’s been a disappointing season thus far which has been exacerbated by injury, no question.
“We have used 28 players which is unprecedented. I don’t think in our history we have played 28 players by halfway through a season.
“We can’t lay all the blame on that but certainly that’s a significant factor. We have had injuries in every key position. That makes it very difficult.”
Dylan Walker, Apisai Koroisau, Darcy Lussick, Matt Parcell, Nate Myles, Martin Taupau and Lewis Brown were all part of a revamped Sea Eagles playing roster this season that was expected to do well under Barrett.
Sea Eagles press conference
“Trent’s fine. We are six months into a three-year contract, it’s very early days,” Penn said.
“We had a massive change at the end of last season, we pretty much changed the entire coaching staff and changed half our playing roster. If anyone expects that be an instant turnaround, then they don’t know football very well. It does take time.
“We have to give him (Barrett) a chance. People are judged when they have all their assets at their disposal.
“He does, but unfortunately we haven’t been able to get players on the field when we need them. We need to be patient. At these times, we always have to look at systems and structures and make sure we’ve got everything that we need. I believe that we do. We just need consistency with troops on the park.”
Manly’s season is in danger of complete collapse.
The current police match-fixing probe surrounding games involving the club has not, according to Penn, affected the playing roster.
“No I don’t think so,” he said. “The first half on Sunday demonstrated what we are capable of. If there was a cloud of doubt in their minds, the players wouldn’t have come out as hungry and polished as they did. The playing group is a doing a tremendous job of keeping that distraction at bay and getting on with the job.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the team, they are trying their hearts out. You can’t question the effort, that is all you can ask for as owners.”
