Penn won't quit Manly

[Berkeley_Eagle]

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.”

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.”

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.”

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.”

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?”

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.”

 

[Ceagle]

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.”

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.

Zorba

 

[Matabele]

I reckon the leaking and muck raking is a pot and kettle situation. I reckon zorba is leaking info to the Telegraph and there have been numerous clandestine phone calls being made by others with all manner of alarming accusations being made against key club staff. It's not sporting, nor is it rocket science.

 

[swoop]

Why should we believe anything that comes from either faction? You have all lost the trust of the supporters and it will take a lot to convince them otherwise.

Ever since Zorba go the arse things have escalated to a point where we should clean out both factions and start again.

 

[ManlyBacker]

All very well but the elephant in the room that doesn't happen to get mentioned by Penn is Des leaving, Crusher leaving, Hoppa leaving.
"just why are the factions just trying to ruin the party?" he says. The party got ruined way beyond any boardroom leaks and I'm surprised he missed that.

 

[master blaster]

ahhh,the Bears consortium will be loving this

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Penn talks to the media (again) bemoaning other factions trying to use the media. He has no idea why they would go public about divisions ...

Pennn himself would never do such a thing - apart from (yet again) going public to say that his opponents are muckrakers, as opposed to himself who is just a straightforward businessman who loves Manly.

I am starting to think Mr Penn/Pot doth protest too much.

 

[tookey]

ahhh,the Bears consortium will be loving this

I feel like the bears are back with all the crap happening at the moment at Manly.

 

[Matabele]

I am starting to think Mr Penn/Pot doth protest too much.

How very Cambodian of you. Maybe people should be allowed to talk to the media in line with the amount if dollars they've chipped in over the last 12 months.

Penn has much to say under that quota.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Don't you mean Kampuchean? And I'm fine with Penn talking, he is our chairman after all, but it is pointless blabbing to the media about the others. He can make his power play & get rid of them, or else bite his tongue. He is in a great position to take the moral high ground if he stopped this sort of behaviour.

Do you seriously find nothing odd in Penn coming out saying we shouldn't air our dirty laundry in public, but by the way the others are muckrakers?

A tad hypocritical isn't it?

 

[Cameron]

One thing that needs to happen is the fc and Penn need to forget the petty **** and work together.

 

[swoop]

Penn whinges about people airing out their dirty laundry through the media, but correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't Penn the instigator of the factional brawl in the first place when he ran to the media and publicy said that Max hasn't been paying his share. Why did he go to the media instead of sorting it out at board level?

 

[DSM5]

Can't we all just let this go. Just how many days till the footie starts? And how the fucque did Robbie Farrah get selected in the Australian squad over Ballin?

 

[byso]

Totally agree swoop

Dsm5 these are perceptions the supporters are getting by the way the owners are using the media. They need to know how the supporters feel.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Totally agree swoop

Dsm5 these are perceptions the supporters are getting by the way the owners are using the media. They need to know how the supporters feel.

It would seem that more than just owners are using whatever means they can to sway public opinion on the matter. Even on these forums there are some with agendas they are pushing. The rest of us are quite confused.

 

[Jethro]

Penn whinges about people airing out their dirty laundry through the media, but correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't Penn the instigator of the factional brawl in the first place when he ran to the media and publicy said that Max hasn't been paying his share. Why did he go to the media instead of sorting it out at board level?

How do we know that Penn didn't try that option first and failed to get any result and then felt the need to sort of shame Max into paying his share by then going to the media? We are all just a bunch of mushrooms as far as anything that we know of what happens behind the scenes of the boardroom.

 

[Matabele]

Penn whinges about people airing out their dirty laundry through the media, but correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't Penn the instigator of the factional brawl in the first place when he ran to the media and publicy said that Max hasn't been paying his share. Why did he go to the media instead of sorting it out at board level?

That was after the Max faction shafted Mayer and demanded KPIs for Des. Funny how little has changed since, some folk are all care and interference and no financial responsibility.

 

[swoop]

Penn whinges about people airing out their dirty laundry through the media, but correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't Penn the instigator of the factional brawl in the first place when he ran to the media and publicy said that Max hasn't been paying his share. Why did he go to the media instead of sorting it out at board level?

That was after the Max faction shafted Mayer and demanded KPIs for Des. Funny how little has changed since, some folk are all care and interference and no financial responsibility.

I don't care what it was or who did it first, but it's a bit rich from Penn saying not to air their stuff in the media when both sides can't help themselves by leaking to the media.

---

Penn whinges about people airing out their dirty laundry through the media, but correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't Penn the instigator of the factional brawl in the first place when he ran to the media and publicy said that Max hasn't been paying his share. Why did he go to the media instead of sorting it out at board level?

How do we know that Penn didn't try that option first and failed to get any result and then felt the need to sort of shame Max into paying his share by then going to the media? We are all just a bunch of mushrooms as far as anything that we know of what happens behind the scenes of the boardroom.

I'm not convinced by either side, but you're right we are treated as mushrooms and that's the crux of the matter. Only a select few know what really happened but they won't tell the members or fans, so how can onyone of us make an informed decision?

BTW What's Penn or anyone else going to the media achieve? Nothing, other than antagonise the situation.

 

[DSM5]

I doubt if anyone will ever know the truth behind any of the machinations that have occurred over the last two to three years. And why would any of them care whether we knew the facts or not. They are running the place, we're only the fans. Fans pay money through the turnstyles, watch the game and grumble or laugh depending on the score. The others put up the money, and enjoy the limelight. Matas I doubt whether the 'shafting' of St Grant was in any way a pivotal moment in this sorry saga, nor the KPIs allegedly demanded of Hasler. The KPIs were a bump on the road to wresting control back to the administration, where I must say, I think contracts and the money side should reside. Watch 'Citizen Kane' to get a glimpse of Hasler. Have a nice swim.

 

[Matabele]

Swoop, you say Penn fired the first shot then when presented with a contrary perspective you say it doesn't matter? Well which holds true?

---

I doubt if anyone will ever know the truth behind any of the machinations that have occurred over the last two to three years. And why would any of them care whether we knew the facts or not. They are running the place, we're only the fans. Fans pay money through the turnstyles, watch the game and grumble or laugh depending on the score. The others put up the money, and enjoy the limelight. Matas I doubt whether the 'shafting' of St Grant was in any way a pivotal moment in this sorry saga, nor the KPIs allegedly demanded of Hasler. The KPIs were a bump on the road to wresting control back to the administration, where I must say, I think contracts and the money side should reside. Watch 'Citizen Kane' to get a glimpse of Hasler. Have a nice swim.

The flaw in your argument is that at that point coach and administration were as one. The abridged party was Mr Delmege after the announcement we sought a new sponsor added weight to existent concerns about his viability. To say it was about unbridled power for Mayer or Hasler is, simply, a smokescreen.