V’landys was even less inclined to discuss Greenberg’s two-year contract extension, which was supposed to be signed before Christmas, then early in the new year, then when V’landys returned from holidays in late January, then early February, then the end of this month …
The pair are expected to meet late on Friday, after the annual general meeting, to discuss the deal. But it wouldn’t surprise if negotiations dragged on until the start of the season.
V’landys and Greenberg say there’s nothing to see here, but the reality is there's a considerable power play happening behind the scenes as V’landys stamps his authority on the code.
If V’landys had complete faith in his chief executive, surely the extension — which was one of the loose conditions of former chairman Peter Beattiestanding aside in October last year — would have been signed off by now.
As one club boss said this week: “In this game, your chairman and chief executive need to be so close that you can’t fit a cigarette paper between them”.
V’landys has consistently denied theories about him wanting Greenberg’s job, although
his remarks at a Carbine Club lunch at the Magic Millions racing carnival in early January about juggling his day job as Racing NSW chief executive while ruling rugby league stirred plenty of chatter in both sports.
“I'll decide in the next 12 months,” V'landys told the room, according to several people at the function. “If I see that I can't do both, I will have to make a decision.”
His trip to the US with Abdo and not Greenberg has been interpreted by some club bosses as a sign that V’landys wants to cut Greenberg out of the broadcast deal. It’s no secret that V’landys is a huge supporter of Abdo.
Greenberg attended the WCC, Abdo was supposed to be on the same trip but was a sudden withdrawal before being redirected to the US with V'landys.
ARL Commission sources say the board has been split about Greenberg’s contract being extended. Is Greenberg the right man for the game’s most thankless job — even if it does pay upwards of $1.2 million a year plus bonuses?
The announcement on Thursday of a $30m profit for last season suggests he’s doing OK, although club chief executives will grill him at the annual general meeting about the game’s costs.
There’s still a belief, certainly among the clubs and the states, that Greenberg is more worried about surviving than having vision; about perception and optics.
He’s made some mistakes but had several wins, and at the very least the game cannot really afford to sack another chief executive and find a new one, especially this close to the start of the season. Better the devil you know and all that.
Should he survive, it will be compelling viewing as he goes about his business for the next two years with V’landys sitting on his shoulder.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/v-...nberg-future-grows-murky-20200227-p544z5.html
