Brett Kenny storms out on the club

[Gronk]

Parramatta Eels great Brett Kenny storms out on the club

• Dean Ritchie
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• August 10, 2011 12:00AM

Had enough: Parramatta great Brett Kenny. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: The Daily Telegraph



PARRAMATTA league legend Brett Kenny has quit his beloved Eels in disgust - claiming the new board used him and other star players as election pawns before dumping them.

In the wake of Parramatta's humiliating 56-6 drubbing by Souths on Monday night, Kenny claimed Eels chairman Ray Spagnolo and his new board had taken the club backwards.
Heaping misery upon their onfield performance and bringing their recruitment strategy under the spotlight, the Eels yesterday announced Carl Webb had quit, following fellow off-season recruits Chris Walker and Paul Whatuira into premature retirement. With just five wins from 20 games this season, Parramatta are staring at their first wooden spoon in nearly 40 years.


Fans were scathing of the club yesterday, but the most venomous vitriol came from former champion five-eighth Kenny, who said the 3P rebel ticket that seized control of the football club and leagues club in 2008-09 had used him, Ray Price and Eric Grothe to win power.
"They used us and then wiped us," Kenny said.
"We were the ones put out there spruiking this new board and how they would take the club into the future.
"They promised us a lot but haven't delivered. I'm not the only one to think like this.

"We told members to vote for us and the club has gone backwards since. I feel sorry for the players," Kenny added. "They told us they were going to do this and do that and make the former players feel welcome.
"If it wasn't for the ex-players they wouldn't have got in. The members trusted us. They have made us look like idiots.
"Some people may not like me talking out, but I am just telling the truth."
Eels chief executive Paul Osborne yesterday was forced to defend the club's future direction while NSW prop Tim Mannah admitted his team had "let down our fans".
Former club CEO Denis Fitzgerald weighed into the debate, describing the season as a "meteoric drop".Mannah said of Monday night's 50-point thrashing: "It was frustrating and disappointing. Sometimes you let down your fans but I hope they know we are hurting as well. They won't be happy with our game but we aren't happy either.
"We take a lot of pride in our performances. It was a big loss but we don't want to dwell on it."
Osborne fronted up yesterday when quizzed about Parramatta's terrible season.
"We're obviously disappointed about Monday night but we won't deviate from the course we are on," Osborne said. "I have seen enough this year to be excited about what will happen at this club in coming years.
"We've had some terrible luck this year but Steve (coach Kearney) will keep doing what he's doing. It was one of those nights. Everything went right for Souths, everything went wrong for us. The last 10 weeks have been positive. I am sure we will bounce back next week."
The Daily Telegraph also contacted Fitzgerald and sacked ex-coach Daniel Anderson about the current crisis.

"No thanks mate, bye bye," Anderson said.
Fitzgerald added: "I'd prefer not to say too much, but it is very disappointing. Certainly the club hasn't delivered the promises made by the rebel board.
"On the field, it could well be that the 2009 grand finalists under Daniel Anderson are now the 2011 wooden spooners. It has been a meteoric drop."
Kearney sent a text to The Daily Telegraph last night, saying: "Obviously there are things that need my immediate attention.
"I trust you can appreciate my position and am happy to talk next week. Cheers, Steve."
Even leading political journalist Laurie Oakes expressed his thoughts on Parra. "Gee Eels, sacking that coach last year was a clever move," he tweeted.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...-out-on-the-club/story-e6frfgbo-1226112043564

 

[Gronk]

Brett Kenny leads attack against Parramatta Eels board

• Brent Read
• From: The Australian
• August 10, 2011 12:00AM

A DAY after one of the most embarrassing defeats in Parramatta history, Eels chairman Roy Spagnolo and his fellow directors have come under attack for the club's slide from grand finalist to potential wooden spooner.

Former player Brett Kenny was an outspoken advocate of Spagnolo and his ticket as they swept to power two years ago but he made no attempt to hide his contempt for the administration yesterday as he and Eels supporters began apportioning blame for the club's disappointing season.
Spagnolo declined to respond when contacted by The Australian, directing inquiries to chief executive Paul Osborne.
Yet it was Spagnolo who presided over the axing of 2009 grand final coach Daniel Anderson and the dismissal of former chief executive Denis Fitzgerald.
While improvement has taken place off the field, the club has struggled to match those achievements on the field.
Coach Steve Kearney has had his hands tied to a large extent by the squad he inherited.
Kenny and a large portion of the supporters instead directed their vitriol at the board, which axed Anderson less than a year after he led the club to the grand final.
Supporters also queried the club's recruitment policy, which brought in Chris Walker, Carl Webb, Chris Hicks and Paul Whatuira for this season.
Walker, Webb and Whatuira have all since retired.
"I have nothing to do with the club anymore," said Kenny, who walked away from the Eels after a coaching job he says he was promised failed to materialise.
"I always believe the head coach has every right to choose who he wants, but you need to have someone on the board who has played. They have blokes on the board who have never played the game at a high level.
"They won't say, 'Hang on a minute'. They're the ones signing the pay cheques but they're quick to blame everyone else."
Osborne responded to criticism of the club's maligned recruitment drive by pointing to the sudden retirement of Eric Grothe, the unexpected departure of Timana Tahu and Joel Reddy's injury.
"We really had no choice in relation to some of the outside backs," Osborne said.
"We have gone forward in relation to membership and sponsorship and all the back-room issues. We have gone forward."
Osborne stressed the club had recruited well for next season - they have signed Souths halfback Chris Sandow and will add North Queensland centre Willie Tonga in coming days - and backed Kearney to turn things around.
"I have no doubt whatsoever we have the right bloke for the job and it was never going to be easy. It was never going to be quick, and it was always going to be tough," Osborne said.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...matta-eels-board/story-e6frg7mf-1226111940336

 

[Gronk]

Legend claims pride will drive humiliated Eels

• Rugby League

9 Aug 11 @ 06:31pm by Jon Geddes

Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans is a big threat to the dejected Eels


PARRAMATTA legend Brett Kenny has warned that fear of ending up with the indignity of being wooden spooners will motivate the Eels to lift their effort in Saturday night’s clash with the Sea Eagles at Parramatta Stadium.
Manly will face a side desperate to restore some credibility with their home crowd after a humiliating 56-6 loss to South Sydney last night.
He is convinced that the nature of the defeat will shake up the Parramatta players heading into the Sea Eagles game.
“It will make it very difficult for Manly,” Kenny said.
“I’m sure the Manly players are expecting a tough game after last night’s performance,”
But Kenny has been impressed by the Sea Eagles, and says they will be a big threat in the premiership.
“They had a bit of a hiccup but you expect that and I am expecting Melbourne to do the same,” Kenny said.
“I think a lot of people are starting to say the Storm are the favourites but Manly are performing well.”
He said they have good forwards, two halves in Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans who are playing well and are enjoying their football. “They have everything going for them.”
And the former champion five-eighth spelt out the situation facing his former club ahead of the confrontation with Manly.
“They still have a lot to play for and, in particular, at the moment they are one point in front of the last team (Gold Coast) who they play in round 26,” Kenny said.
“If they win it at least gives them a bit of breathing space, that is what they have to be looking at.
“You don’t want to be part of history as a member of the first Parramatta team in 37 years to get the wooden spoon so they have plenty to play for.”
And Kenny said that playing arch-rivals the Sea Eagles, with whom the Eels have had some mammoth battles over the years, should be enough motivation in itself.
“There was always a good rivalry there, you never wanted to get beaten by Manly, they never wanted to get beaten by Parramatta,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter where you are sitting in the table, you know it is going to be a tough game.”
He said it wouldn’t be a good thing for Eels coach Stephen Kearney to end up with the wooden spoon in his first year in charge of the team.

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/legend-claims-pride-will-drive-humiliated-eels/

 

[oldmancraigy]

who the heck is going to prune the hedges if Kenny isn't around?????

 

[tresurehunt]

oh dear........

 

[bartman]

The article in the Manly Daily is ok, they actually ask him about the footy.

Apart from Kenny stating the obvious that the players were used as puppets in previous elections, the News Ltd articles don't really add anything that hasn't already been said on here, both critical of or in favour of the club's direction.

 

[Utey]

Good bye Brett, you're constant whinging won't be missed. All the best. I'd love to see what he has in line for his next career move.

 

[Captain BF]

Wait, last year Mr Kenny complained that he didn't have a good enough job, so this year he walks out of the job he has? I hope he has another job lined up.

Looking at the positive side of things, i might go and apply to be the new maintenance manager. I have no real experience, but i fix stuff at home.

 

[SDM]

"No thanks mate, bye bye," Anderson said.

Only smart person quoted.

 

[BigErn]

It's a sad sad day. A club legend, an absolute club legend has been forced out of the place he loves on the back of false promises.
Some of us still love you Bert. Good luck with it all.

 

[Gronk]

I agree that the former players have been played like mugs. Manipulated, used and cast aside it seems.

No-one likes that. Not a cool way of doing business IMO.

 

[SDM]

Not sure about the forced out bit though? Sounds like he left on his own.

 

[Gronk]

Not sure about the forced out bit though? Sounds like he left on his own.

I guess it depends on what was promised or inferred by 3P in return for what he brought to the election campaign. Without the players Roy & Co were just a bunch of suits.

 

[Haynzy]

When did Price and Grothe leave?

 

[Twizzle]

Kenny's tie is crooked

 

[Twizzle]

And for a bloke who didn't want to say much, Fitzy sure said alot of negative shit.

 

[Parra Guru]

Bert is always first in line to stick the boot in when times are tough.

P!ss off Bert.

 

[SDM]

I guess it depends on what was promised or inferred by 3P in return for what he brought to the election campaign. Without the players Roy & Co were just a bunch of suits.

It is true. At the time Denis was so on the nose I would have voted
for anyone, but these blokes did seem more credible with the backing of some familiar faces. If I had my time again, I wouldn't vote.

 

[Jake the snake]

News paper article should read "Brett Kenny Storms Out Of Cleaning Job In Disgust!!"

I've been defending Kenny for years because he's a legend but it's obvious now that he never got on with Fitzgerald and the former board because they did not give him a job and now because he didn't get a job with the Leagues Club he's crying again. Maybe he needs to pull his finger out and get qualified and look for a job like all of us have done. He thinks he's entitled to be on the board.... What makes him think that?

 

[Delboy]

Look, how many jobs has B\rett had, unfortunately he has tried coaching and not been successful. From memory he has had numerous jobs from sponsors and none have lasted .

It is that time of year again for Brett, he could be putting has name out there for a chance of a better job, he does tend to do it by blaming people other than himself. That can be difficult to agree with but is probably true