Furious Manly coach Trent Barrett threatens to walk from Sea Eagles over lack of resources
TRENT Barrett has threatened to quit Manly in the NRL’s latest coaching upheaval, opening the door for a potential move to the available Penrith Panthers coaching role.
Sea Eagles
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sea Eagles. Followed categories will be added to My News.
TRENT Barrett has threatened to quit Manly in the NRL’s latest coaching upheaval.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal a furious Barrett has instructed his manager Wayne Beavis to send a legal letter to Sea Eagles chief executive Lyall Gorman outlining his concern over the lack of football club resources.
The move could leave Barrett on the open market and available for the Penrith Panthers job now that Ivan Cleary has declared his loyalty to the Wests Tigers.
It is understood Manly are so concerned that officials have looked at the availability of other coaches.
RANKED: NRL’s greatest players (50-26)
CLEARY: I intend to honour Tigers contract
KENT: Why Gould must resign from Panthers post
Barrett is operating without a general manager of football following the departure of the highly regarded Gareth Holmes to Canterbury.
The coach is also trying to rebuild his playing roster without a recruitment manager following a failed bid to sign former Roosters official Peter O’Sullivan, who instead went to the Warriors.
Also league Immortal Bob Fulton has not been replaced after he quit last August.
The Sunday Telegraph understands Barrett will meet Beavis on Monday for further talks about his future at Brookvale.
Gorman confirmed on Monday he was dealing with a number of issues with Barrett.
“Well, Baz is contracted for a start,” Gorman said.
“When you say he’s not happy, they are interesting words to use.
“I think he thinks there are things that can make his job a lot better and a lot easier.
“We are going to deliver those things for him.”
Barrett believes the lack of resources at Manly is making his job impossible.
The team still operates out of demountables at Narrabeen, trying to compete against the likes of Penrith and the Broncos with their $25 million facilities.
In his third season at the Sea Eagles, Barrett has only a 41 per cent win record.
He is concerned that continued failure on the northern peninsula will damage his long-term coaching prospects.
Gorman insists: “We’ve only got one focus and that’s to win our last four games.
“Then we’ll review where our club is at the end of the season.
“The job now is to avoid the wooden spoon then getting on with building the foundations for next year. I’m hopeful Baz will be there.”
When pressed on the poor facilities and lack of professionalism at Manly, Gorman said the club was taking the necessary steps to improve the situation.
“We’ve always looking for continual improvement in everything we do at every level,” he said.
“Our club is always looking to raise the bar. The things that have been raised (by Barrett) are being worked on. We’ve got 141 applicants for our recruitment manager. We’ll get there.”