Toovey as a Coach

[Canteen Worker]

No-one has loved Geoff Toovey more as a player than me. I was there when he made his debut on a winter night in 88 against the Poms. His guts, determination and drive were one of the best things about the club and he has certainly brought this to his role as a coach. That he took on the role in an hour of need, when Des departed (in a highly unusual fashion) was great credit to him.

Since the assumed the reins though there have been 'whispers' that Tooves was not a great head coach. He got good results but some accredit this to inheriting a great team from Des (though with salary cap pressure.) We should have won the 2013 GF, though some on the inside give much of the credit to the influence of Brad Arthur. The other whisper has been that the player leadership has had a huge impact, contributing more to the success than the coach.

I listen to these opinions without knowing the reality of the matter - but they are certainly out there. I have also heard some say that he has 'lost the players' though that sounds like nonsense.

Even the most maroon and white eyed fans have to admit that the team has been in decline for a while and this year has proved it.

The questions now are:

• "Is Tooves the man to rebuild the team?
• Will he attract the sort of players to the club to add to the roster?
• Can he grow and build the club?
• How should Manly treat a club legend when the belief is that there are better options outside?
• Can a rookie coach who did not play for Manly be successful?

 

[cherry_poppins]

Yes he could

That's Bob's job, furthermore who wants to play under a rookie other than panthers and they aren't winning the comp either

Yes given the chance, his whole career has been cleaning up Desmond's mess

With respect unlike the actual situation

Unknown but what is known is that no coach who didn't play for manly ever won a comp as coach

 

[Deleted member 24974]

Yes he could

That's Bob's job, furthermore who wants to play under a rookie other than panthers and they aren't winning the comp either

Yes given the chance, his whole career has been cleaning up Desmond's mess

With respect unlike the actual situation

Unknown but what is known is that no coach who didn't play for manly ever won a comp as coach

Desmond's Mess!
Two premierships, one runner up and the most successful team in the last decade. I'll take that mess anytime.

 

[cherry_poppins]

Desmond's Mess!
Two premierships, one runner up and the most successful team in the last decade. I'll take that mess anytime.

Plus cap issues that only come good next year

Toovey has never had the chance to have a team worth the full cap

 

[Deleted member 24974]

Plus cap issues that only come good next year

Toovey has never had the chance to have a team worth the full cap

Unfortunately Tooves has had to deal with many problems that have not been his fault during his coaching career.
A dysfunctional board not only caused Des to leave but has also contributed to Toovies downfall.
An aging roster led to difficult and unpopular decisions having to be made. Add to that disruptions from the contract negotiations from DCE and Foran.
I don't think the salary cap has been a major issue in Toovey being replaced.

 

[Masked Eagle]

I doubt any coach could have performed better under the circumstances Tooves has dealt with. And how has he managed it, to still have class when dealing with the avalanche of distractions? Because he is Manly through and through! He'll always have my respect, and I think his treatment is some of the darkest pages in our history.

 

[The Who]

My query over 2V is his selections. How could he:
# drop Tom Turbo for Hiku
# continue to pick Hasson

 

[Fluffy]

We will never know.

Much easier to improve a team coming near the bottom of the table than to keep a team up the top year on year.

He has won 4 from the last 6 since getting a good amount of players back, if we back that up and finish 8 from the last 12 that is a pretty good finsih to a injury ridden year that no coach has had to deal with.

The closest team injurywise to us are the panthers - a team on their way up who fell one short last year with a superstar coach according to reports and whispers, yet we are now above them on the table now and look certain to remain that way until seasons end.

 

[sheridanstand78]

We will never know.

Much easier to improve a team coming near the bottom of the table than to keep a team up the top year on year.

He has won 4 from the last 6 since getting a good amount of players back, if we back that up and finish 8 from the last 12 that is a pretty good finsih to a injury ridden year that no coach has had to deal with.

The closest team injurywise to us are the panthers - a team on their way up who fell one short last year with a superstar coach according to reports and whispers, yet we are now above them on the table now and look certain to remain that way until seasons end.

This is all true in what you say.
If you look at the first 10 rounds of the comp this year, we cop Storm, Dogs and Panthers all twice in the draw, not one of those weeks were Manly at full strength and as a result we were 3-7 after that period, that has left us too much to do.

 

[bones]

He's getting sacked and is being replaced by an assistant coach from a team who are below Manly on the ladder.
Yep. Tooves really must be getting sacked for performance reasons.

 

[Loobs]

My query over 2V is his selections. How could he:
# drop Tom Turbo for Hiku
# continue to pick Hasson

I would also add some of his comments on 360 in regards to technical aspects have been cringe worthy. His teams have also repeatedly failed to close out games. We are also bandits for stupid holding penalties.

 

[HappilyManly]

My query over 2V is his selections. How could he:
# drop Tom Turbo for Hiku
# continue to pick Hasson

Hiku is an International, current World Cup Team member and TT has plenty of time to play FG

Hasson is fit and his selection rivals that of Dez sticking with Trex

 

[The Who]

Hiku is an International, current World Cup Team member and TT has plenty of time to play FG

Hasson is fit and his selection rivals that of Dez sticking with Trex

So, you are saying that it's wise to stick with proven out-of-form players!

 

[Fluffy]

I would also add some of his comments on 360 in regards to technical aspects have been cringe worthy. His teams have also repeatedly failed to close out games. We are also bandits for stupid holding penalties.

Stupid holding penalties are easy to blow and it would be rare for any team not to have at least 1 tackle per set where you could blow it. There is no consistancy in those "stupid" penalties and we cop the raw end more often than not there. Often you can count to 5 for the opposition right after we get pinged for a 3 second tackle.

It is a blight on the game and gives way too much power to the refs to influence.

At most these need to be 6 again set and remove the kick.

 

[Eaglessss]

Toovey is a great coach and Manly through and through.
Yes I believe he can bring players to the club that can get us back to premierships. But that role is taken by Bozo who is meant to be signing these players and play a huge role in finding them... Can Geoff coach them. Of course he can.
This year we have been plagued with injuries which haven't helped our on field performance.
Apart from that he has had to deal with week in week out reading about himself in the media and how he hasn't got the full support of the current board and owners, so despite the odds, Tooves has done remarkable.
Then came the Foran and DCE circus surrounding us and now once again today is apparently the day a media press conference is going ahead..
How would you feel in his situation? It must be tough for him to hear/read this garbage then be expected to still be at his best.
Let him get on with his job at the realm, he is getting results for us, he bleeds Maroon and White and is a man who deserves to be our coach.

Barret.. What has he done? In all honesty he wasn't even really a good player!
Cartwright.. Won the premiership for Panthers as assistant coach under Lang, then what has he done?

To replace a great man with 2 people who have nothing to show... Really??

 

[lsz]

If the decision was based only on results on the park then you would like to think we are not the kind of club that would sack someone after one poor season.

As a result there can be little doubt that this is due to off field reasons which could be issues with members of the playing group, the whole Glenn issue, the way players are developing in training etc or something else

 

[HappilyManly]

So, you are saying that it's wise to stick with proven out-of-form players!

Hiku and 16 others were out of form the week before.

 

[weev]

I love tooves too. While his record as coach might be a good one on paper (taking over Hasler's roster), its this year alone when he had to reshape a new team. I don't think Toovey has got the best out of the new players whilst somehow getting offside with some of the established ones.

I think recruitment and retention for 2016 appears successful because of the promised new coaching era.

Why? Who knows? Foran left to play for a different coach, one with a worst record on paper. I think DCE would have left too if Toovey stayed.

However, the leaks and the Sargent Shultz's are making this all a bit of a mess and getting people irate.

I believe we could have kept Toovey for next year, but lost DEC, lost a lot of new signings and written off 2016 before it began.

I read the club will post a record loss this year and fans are talking about withdrawing their memberships. Come on people.

 

[The Who]

Hiku and 16 others were out of form the week before.

No. The week before the 'Boys match we beat Cronulla, which gave us heart that a resurgence was imminent.

 

[malroon]

1) yes he can..

2) the Manly brand does that by itself..

3) thats up to the board, not coach..

4) make sure its a better option ..

5) NO..!!!!!!!!!