If Toov's has been sacked in the media, A club great prior to the Penn's take over has hit a new low

[double hoops]

MANLY coach Geoff Toovey will be finally, formally and dramatically sacked within the next 72 hours.

The controversial decision will end four months of innuendo and speculation about Toovey’s future at Manly.

The Daily Telegraph understands Manly is likely to hold a press conference to officially announce Toovey’s demise this Monday or Tuesday.

Manly’s board held a four-hour meeting on Thursday night but directors claimed Toovey’s position was not on the agenda.

The club will however summon Toovey to a meeting when he returns from Auckland, where Manly play New Zealand Warriors on Saturday at Mount Smart Stadium.

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Toovey still has another year to run on his current contract. He is expected to see out this year as head coach.

Panthers assistant coach Trent Barrett will shortly be announced as Toovey’s replacement.

Manly are still undecided whether to announce Barrett’s appointment at the same media conference where they reveal Toovey’s dumping.

Barrett’s new coaching assistant, John Cartwright, won’t be formally named until later in the year.

Manly board members claim to have told Toovey “several times” in recent weeks that he was unwanted beyond this season.

Those same directors were angry Toovey continued to publicly deny being told he was to be axed.

Toovey left Australia for Auckland on Thursday morning.

Geoff Toovey’s future looks sealed after months of speculation.



The impending decision to sack Toovey will no doubt anger some Manly fans, who are fiercely loyal to the club’s former star halfback and captain.

Poor results this year did, however, make the decision easier for the club’s board.

It is understood Toovey has spoken in depth about a financial settlement with Manly chairman Scott Penn.

Penn is happy to pay Toovey his full entitlements.

One source close to the club said: “We wanted to be respectful and give Geoff every chance to prove himself.

“Other clubs have moved their coaches on a lot earlier in the season. But the results just haven’t happened. The reality is he won’t be coaching at Manly in 2016.

“We are now working through the process to crystallise a settlement.

“We want Geoff to be part of the club. He is a life member and has been with the club for a long time. But it’s a bit too raw at the moment to determine whether he will want to stay.”

Manly will formally offer Toovey a role at the club. It is unknown just yet whether he will accept or reject the offer.

Penn could not be contacted on Thursday.

 

[Bird Up]

If the board really wanted to show some respect to Tooves, they should've kept their loose lips shut after tonight's board meeting and waited until they could privately and officially advise Tooves and the players of their decision, and then proceed to make an official media release and/or statement!

I think it's terrible that after the boys had left for Auckland, someone 'leaked' news that the board was meeting tonight to determine Tooves' future and then see Tooves bailed up at Auckland airport and questioned about the board meeting discussions! Which IMO he did seem a little taken aback with the news!
Now Tooves and the players have to try and prepare and front up for a tough game in 48hrs with yet again more fresh club drama!!

And regardless if the board have told Tooves multiple times over recent weeks, they should've shown more respect and professionalism and made it official back then, instead of multiple informal taps on the shoulder!!
I don't blame Tooves for denying he's been informally advised! I mean the club didn't make an official announcement and it's not Tooves job to confirm his sacking to the media! And IMO it's pretty low balling of the board to expect him to do so too!! Talk about hanging a club legend out to dry!!
I know that I too would have denied all 'speculation' until the club make the official announcement!!

Whoever has been 'leaking' our dirty laundry to the media, please do us all a favour and find out who it is and sack them too!!

 

[Brookie Brawler]

Poor results this year did, however, make the decision easier for the club’s board.

Suggests as many have suspected all along this was always on the agenda once the Penns took over.

True to form, the whole saga couldn't have been handled worse from beginning to end.

Don't bother sending me a membership renewal this year.

 

[Masked Eagle]

Disgraceful treatment of a legend. I am so gutted.

 

[Blue pill]

Toovey was a legend as a player as a coach he is accountable like every other coach in the nrl , 2015 he has failed in that role

 

[davohan123]

Today is a very sad day for this proud club I love and I know most of you on this site love also.

We've have all known for a while 2V's was not going to see past this year as coach but to see the manner in which things have transpired is utterly shameful, disgusting, and a blight on a club legend and a coach I did not mind having around.

Over this whole saga I have lost all faith and trust in the Penn family and wish they never got the opportunity to be associated again with the club.

To think 2 years ago we were in a Grand final and last year only for ref's erros over Reynolds offside no-penalty we would have been one game way from back to back grand final appearances, too see us now where we are WOW!!!

 

[Ryan]

Handled disgustingly and without honour or respect. Do it behind closed doors FFS. Move Toovey into a long term, secure role within the club.

Happy to make changes, but do it professionally. Not every situation has to be leaked, surely?

This article throws up conflicting information anyway. Apparently Toovey is shockingly going to ne unsuspectingly stood down, yet he has held long talks to discuss a payout?

Telegraph - F U. Sorry guys, but that paper isnt worthy of wiping ones arsehole.

Geoff has been nothing but a loyal advocate of our brand. I'm excited about change, but I'm very serious in wanting Toovey treated with the respect he deserves for his hard work.

 

[HappilyManly]

The end of my financial support for Manly!

Pathetic is the mildest adjective I can think of.

Strip a Coach of his recruiting powers, mishandle his retention of his core halves pairing, feed the media patronising stories on how he should retire early, do not communicate with FC Members and Season Ticket Holders , then leak a board meeting that it's his fault for ignoring the gossip - and OFFICIALLY fire him in the Customs Hall upon his return with his publically demoralized Team WTF

Toovey a Legend ,whilst Manly Franchise - a basket case !

 

[Loobs]

If we are top 4 at this point next year, as poorly as he may have been treated, no one will really give a ****.

 

[Nordburg]

This has been BS from day 1.His sacking has nothing to do with this yrs form.Murmurs of his removal started before a ball was kicked in anger this season,so with finishing equal top in regular season last yr,it was not results driven.This stems back to the GSTEWART balls up,which Tooves was really just caught in the middle of.If a coach has to be sacked,fine,but don't make excuses to members that it was for one reason and not the truth and don't let the media do the dirty work.Show half as much ticker as Tooves and do it the right way

 

[brad]

I've got no problem with toovey going just the way it was handled. Discraceful performance manly , the worst of the season , don't worry about sacking 14 players we members know who should be gone..
.

 

[bones]

Welcome to the Penn era. This is the way he operates, and we have no choice but to get used to it.

 

[HappilyManly]

Welcome to the Penn era. This is the way he operates, and we have no choice but to get used to it.

Or walk away, like most of us did at the end of 1999

 

[Slide]

Toovey is the scapegoat for the (split) board botching Gift's re-signing. The injuries this year that contributed to our departure from the 8 plus DCE's possible coach-clause have conveniently helped the board cover up one of their messes.

But to see the way they are playing this out is atrocious. Somebody needs to be held accountable.

The fact is Toovey may or may not be a top flight coach, he hasn't had the chance to work with under his own regime yet (first he was cleaning up Des's messes then he was shafted in the middle of building a team); but the bottom line is that he is a fierce loyal Manly legend who stepped in to do a job for the club under impossible conditions.

 

[Mals]

If we are top 4 at this point next year, as poorly as he may have been treated, no one will really give a ****.

Bullsh*t Loobs we are talking about a Manly legend here not a blow in coach.

 

[master blaster]

and if Penn has his way,we will be playing from Gosford in the near future for good

 

[weev]

Is Toovey living in lala land? His failure to address this situation means he's getting officially dumped. However it will probably mean a payout so maybe a winner move after all.

How all this end up in the smellygraph is odd. Proof of course there are loose lips flapping away through malicious or ignorant intent. What's the point of holding a press conference when the announcement has already been published in the paper?

I don't blame anyone for thus. A number of parties have behaved oddly. The leaks though are a poor way to communicate with the customer (fans).

Only Barett has kept quiet. I wonder how he must feel about coming into the fish bowl.

I'd root these leakers out. The back room discussions of our coach shouldn't make headlines.

 

[Mals]

Is Toovey living in lala land? His failure to address this situation means he's getting officially dumped. However it will probably mean a payout so maybe a winner move after all.

How all this end up in the smellygraph is odd. Proof of course there are loose lips flapping away through malicious or ignorant intent. What's the point of holding a press conference when the announcement has already been published in the paper?

I don't blame anyone for thus. A number of parties have behaved oddly. The leaks though are a poor way to communicate with the customer (fans).

Only Barett has kept quiet. I wonder how he must feel about coming into the fish bowl.

I'd root these leakers out. The back room discussions of our coach shouldn't make headlines.

Why is it Tooves job to tell the media he has been sacked if he's still in the process of negotiating a settlement and the paperwork hasn't been signed off? Our club management & owners have zero balls, they are the ones that have allowed this situation to fester for virtually the entire season.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Welcome to the Penn era. This is the way he operates, and we have no choice but to get used to it.

Comes across as a very smarmy character

Was happy to be front and centre like the cat who got the cream at the DCE announcement, let's see if the bloke has any ticker and fronts up to this press conference if the story is infact true

I could go either way at the moment tbh. Will always support the players of this club and watch them go around, but my passion for it has been dwindling in recent years and my financial aspect of supporting this club is under review at the moment

 

[weev]

I wonder if all this 'news' (14 players tapped on shoulder, Toovey offered another job) would have come out if we smashed the Cowboys? Hmmm...