Ex-Manly owner owner clubs rotating door of coaches, execs

Former Manly Warringah Sea Eagles owner Max Delmege has weighed in on the club's deepening crisis, calling on those at the top to step aside and warning that the fans have had enough.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Delmege was scathing about the culture of instability that has plagued the Northern Beaches club and questioned the decision to sack Anthony Seibold just three games into the new season.

"I always put the fans first. I would often stand with them on the hill and the fans are hurting," Delmege said.

"I speak to a lot of people in the area and see all the comments on social media. Everyone is disillusioned with the way the club is going."

Delmege was pointed in his assessment of what the club needs to turn things around, and equally pointed about what has been missing.

"You need peace and harmony and everyone working together. Then you will win games. Manly have lost that."

On the decision to move on Seibold, Delmege didn't hold back.

"You can't chop and change coaches and CEOs on a whim. You've got to stick by them. I think sacking Seibold after just three games of a new season was a knee-jerk reaction from the owners to take the heat off themselves."

His most pointed remarks were reserved for those he believes have prioritised personal agendas over the club's wellbeing.

"Some people have egos that are too big. The club becomes a political football for them. They need to remember it's the people's game. I think if they care about Manly, they should step aside and stop looking at the club as something they can get kudos or acclaim from."

Delmege said the fanbase is not being fooled.

"The fans want change at the top. They aren't stupid. They realise the club is not being well run."

The comments land at a turbulent time for the Sea Eagles and come as Code Sports can reveal that at least three consortiums have approached owner Scott Penn about taking control of the club, only to be rebuffed. One of the bids is understood to have involved Earl Evans, chief executive of major sponsor Shaw and Partners and co-owner of Red Bull Ampol Racing.

Penn, for his part, defended his tenure and pointed to the financial realities of running a privately owned club without the support of a leagues club.

"There is no secret we have a leagues club that has not been able to contribute to our junior pathways for 15 years," Penn said. "We are at a disadvantage compared to other clubs. We invest two-and-a-half to three million a year into our junior pathways. As a private club we have to fund that.

"We don't have an obligation. We have a license for an NRL team. We don't have an obligation for junior pathways or junior league, but as a family we believe in that. We still contribute. The club still breaks even or better.

"We are still in a strong financial position. In the last 12 months we had a number of medical retirements, about $1 million. We have looked around the club at areas of opportunity to save some costs to offset that."

The Sea Eagles are searching for a permanent head coach after parting ways with Seibold, with Brad Arthur, Matt Ballin and Michael Ennis among the names in contention.

Hero image: End of an era: Max Delmege saved Manly from financial ruin eight years ago - Source: News Limited