Bleak future for sharks

[Inferno]

Apologies if this has been posted already, but I think it deserved it's own thread.

Cronulla chairman Damian Irvine refuses to sugar-coat the future for Sharks fans, conceding there may be further tough times ahead before the club reaches full recovery mode.

Another tumultuous chapter in the club's colourful 43-year history closed on Tuesday when Ricky Stuart walked away after four years at the helm – the latest coaching casualty in the failed quest to deliver the club its first premiership.

The untried Shane Flanagan is next cab off the Cronulla rank, with Irvine prepared to give the new Sharks boss the time he needs to turn the club's fortunes around.

When it was suggested time was one thing Cronulla fans had long run out of, Irvine shot back: "I share their frustration – that's me, I'm one of them."

"It's hard to tell a Cronulla fan to be patient because they are."

"They are the most loyal, toughest fans going."

"But we won't be expecting miracles and making large promises."

"We won't be spending money just to try and win a premiership next year or the year after."

Irvine says the club's long-term financial health is the board's priority, doing away with the year-to-year thinking that he believes has cost the club in the past.

"It's time that this club started doing things for the long-term with a master plan," he said

"That takes time to build. We've brought in some fine coaches and fine players (previously) but it's been a bit slap dash."

"It hasn't been a great plan. We've had three and four year cycles with coaches where the club has stripped out, re-built, stripped out and re-built."

"That's not how we're going forward now. We're 100 percent committed in Shane and his team and the players we've got here."

But that won't stop the Sharks from being aggressive in the player market.

Flanagan has earmarked a number of potential recruits and hopes to hear back from at least two of them – a forward and a back - by the end of the week.

"We've got enough money and we will be competitive," Irvine promised.

"It's an awkward market in terms of getting confirmed deals out there but we are definitely recruiting and we've very selective."

"It's two or three players in select positions (we're after) and it's very important they are Cronulla style players."

"We're not going to buy a premiership because we can't. We're going to build one and have people here that are doing it because they want to win for Cronulla."

Link

 

[Inferno]

I think this is a very telling quote

"We won't be spending money just to try and win a premiership next year or the year after."

It's a short term pain for a long term gain. If this is the vision the club continues to work towards I will be very happy. While struggling in terms of playing roster when compared to many other teams, I do think the playing squad we have available can perform better than they have shown, I think the first step for next season has to be a completely revamped attack.

 

[roboshark]

I wish he would stop fuggin telling the press how bad we are going. Ffs we know already. Shutup

 

[steve2689]

"It's two or three players in select positions (we're after) and it's very important they are Cronulla style players."

Let's hope they're not Cronulla style players! :crazy:

 

[Snoop Shark]

FMD thats hardly a confidence booster

 

[millersnose]

sounds attractive for sponsors

hey

we are shyt

 

[squiddy]

Apologies if this has been posted already, but I think it deserved it's own thread.

Link

Dont want to pat myself on the back but i will

I have posted this theory in about my last 4-5 posts and no one has commented except for a couple of idiots on here who chose to call bullsh*t via PMs. well they can now f**k off back to their other kiddy forum and make up some more stories .

I guess I have been vindicated. We are farked

Reefy has also been saying similar for a while now too

 

[millersnose]

well done squiddy and reefy

i, like many of the posters on this board, was totally unaware that the sharks had financial problems and was only alerted to them by you guys posting

 

[carcharias]

well at least he didn't say we are gonna change the culture and win a comp so the players will never have to pay for a coffee in the mall ever again.

 

[Generalzod]

Cronulla's Damian Irvine says critics can't handle the Sharks' new direction

By Stuart Honeysett
July 22, 2010 Cronulla chairman Damian Irvine has rejected suggestions he is a divisive influence at the Sharks, claiming instead he is an easy target after forcing change at the struggling club.
Irvine responded to a story on Wednesday which claimed captain Trent Barrett was parting company with the Sharks because of a frosty relationship with the chairman.
The Sharks have already lost coach Ricky Stuart and chief executive Richard Fisk this season after they fell out with Irvine.
"I'm an easy target, I guess," Irvine said. "The club was a horrible, horrible place last year in May and it was crying out for change.
"I put my hand up to come in and help to do that and there's going to be people that are going to be disenchanted by that and upset by that, so that's the only guess I could have.
Join Cronulla's Paul Gallen and Canterbury-Bankstown coach Kevin Moore on NRL Tactics on Thursday from 6:30pm (EST) on Fox Sports 2HD and Fox Sports 2.
"I'm coming in there doing it for nothing, purely for the benefit of the club and what's best for the club, and if that doesn't suit individual agendas that are getting paid then obviously I'm the easy target to make it look like I'm the rookie and I've got no idea.
"Day to day I'm not there overseeing things. It should have no affect on the club whether they like me or not - it's really irrelevant. There's no fracture at that club."
Irvine came to Cronulla last season during a tumultuous period which saw chief executive Tony Zappia sacked and the board overhauled.
His relationship with Stuart deteriorated after he was linked to an approach to Huddersfield coach Nathan Brown to take over the reins next season.
Barrett has had little time for the Cronulla chairman ever since the club's round two loss to the Warriors when Irvine allegedly turned his back on the Sharks No 6 following a poor game.
The Sharks captain has cited family reasons for his decision to retire at the end of the season, but has been linked with a possible switch to Parramatta for one last hurrah in 2011.
"I was so surprised and shocked by what I read that I chatted to Trent and he laughed it off and he said he would talk to me if there were any problems," Irvine said.
"Trent and I met only as recently as Friday, and we spoke together at the chairman's club before the game on Saturday.
"There were no problems whatsoever and we even spoke about him definitely staying at this club and not Parramatta. Knowing Trent as a man of honour and integrity, I would be shocked if he changed his mind and I've got no reason to think he will.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27442891-5018866,00.html

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

interesting.

theres definantly an agenda. from someone. somwhere.

 

[Stoner Rock]

There's nothing in these articles that makes things out to be any worse than we already knew them to be. Irvine seems to have the best interests of the club at heart and his main focus is on survival and retaining our identity. The "Bleak future" crap is just the addition of some dumb sub-editor. So long as there is a salary cap and we are financially capable of spending close to the full amount then there is no reason we can't be competetive and possibly even succesful. Who cares if we can't attract a bunch of overpriced showponies? Hopefully we now have a coach who won't be trying to make excuses for poor performances by claiming his team lacks talent.

The only thing any NRL team needs is a good attitude and support from the fans. Of course the attitude must come first and it must be evident on the field before we fans can give out full support. A few wins and all these negative media stories will go away.

 

[Tyler Durden]

no great loss.
hurry up and die. central coast is ready to come in.

 

[Inferno]

Personally I think the title is totally misleading. Existing for the next 10 years is more important than short term success, though of course any success will assist in this endeavour. ATM all our resources should be going into ensuring the long term longevity at the club, so it's understandable how that could put a few people offside.

 

[Ausguy]

ahhhh Dyler Turden returns.... where ya been? Stalking kiddies on school holidays have ya?

 

[Generalzod]

no great loss.
hurry up and die. central coast is ready to come in.

Haven't you shot yourself yet.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

pretty over rated movie to be honest

 

[Snoop Shark]

no great loss.
hurry up and die. central coast is ready to come in.

Blacktown on the beach...appart from centrelink who will be their sponsor?

 

[Bastard Squad]

Haven't you shot yourself yet.

He puts the gun to his ear and pulls the trigger, but there's nothing for the bullet to hit on the way through.