Humphreys where are you?

[Magpies Forever]

Our CEO has to grab things by the scruff of the neck soon (this week) and bring the club under control again, reassure fans and stop the media feeding frenzy.

1/ Publicly say the club is undertaking a clean out after loyally sticking by players hoping they would further develop over the years but this has not happened and he has had to make the decision.

2/ Publicly acknowledge that errors were made in extending some players contracts when they should not have done so and apologise for the confusion this has created.

3/ Publicly tell the players to get over it and act like professionals or they are welcome to leave too.

4/ Privately tell Sheens that whilst he supports the clean out he is under the microscope for the rest of this year and the first half of next season. If the team is still not performing then the problem must be the coach and he will ask him to draw the necessary conclusion at that stage and resign immediately (and get his agreement in writing).

5/ Publicly say that the WT have a plan to fill the vacancies through promoting young up and comers from within and targetted recruitment from outside. Dont name anyone since it seems no names are confirmed yet anyway. Just reassure that WT have a plan to get over the messy part.

 

[madunit]

instead what will happen is

1/ nothing from Humphries
2/ more rumours of other players leaving
3/ more shithouse on-field performances

 

[Magpies Forever]

Humphreys is too smart an operator to let this drag on. He has to act, and act publicly. He cant leave it to Teflon. He has to be seen to be the one in control, not Teflon or it reinforces the perception Sheens runs WT.

 

[innsaneink]

LOL...the balls still in Humptys court after his abuse directed at Saints.
Instead we get a "Sirro jnr to replace Benji" story today.
He's not smart...he's a fool.
He went on radio defending them walking Dwyer off.....while dwyer remained in hospital for a week after that.
His coach replys to journos using swear words, Im sure the sponsors love that, you can bet a player would be hauled over the coals for it but not Sheens.
Sheens runs the show, not humpty....and you want Humpty to tell Sheens he's " under the microscope for the rest of this year and the first half of next season and will get him to walk from the rest of his 2 and a half years????
Bwahaha

 

[macnaz]

What was the Shines swearing at the media bit Ink ??

 

[macnaz]

Ohh can listen to the interveiw here .. http://www.sportal.com.au/mediaplayer/audio/League/sheens-fires-up-10814

Has the full un edited after game interview and WELL WORTH listening to for those that havnt heard it all .. Hmmm not sure what to make of it ,the Robbie bit at the end was kinda wierd
Ps u may need to download a tiny microsoft update to play it , only takes a few seconds to download tho

 

[tigesup]

Humphreys is too smart an operator to let this drag on. He has to act, and act publicly. He cant leave it to Teflon. He has to be seen to be the one in control, not Teflon or it reinforces the perception Sheens runs WT.

If he's so smart WestsTigers wouldn't be in their current position.

I was disgusted with his efforts on Friday. This whole situation is a joke.

 

[innsaneink]

What was the Shines swearing at the media bit Ink ??

Journo asks him something and he replies with ''bullshit''
Now this does not bother me in the slightest, however i can imagine sponsors etc not being happy.
It is unprofessional.
He rarely loses his cool but he's feeling the heat

 

[macnaz]

Yeah just listened.. he was more than a bit flustered ....The Fonz was losing his cool lol and it Kinda sounded like Farah jumped in to save Sheens..

 

[Borat.]

good on him

 

[super_coach]

Back Door Benny, just gave Sheens a blast in the SMH, or at least said he was the one where the buck stops. People are starting to point the finger at Sheens other than us

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Article featuring Humphreys:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ough-patch-says-humphreys-20110713-1he6c.html

AT 3.10PM yesterday, as an email months in the making was dropping into inboxes to announce the signing of Adam Blair, Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys sat with the Herald and wondered how it had come to this. The club had just announced, finally, the signature of one of the best forwards in the world. But at what cost?

Four Tigers players had already been shed - Bryce Gibbs, Andrew Fifita, Tim Moltzen and Wade McKinnon - with many seeing those incumbents as collateral damage for the money that finally nabbed Blair from Melbourne. The Tigers are losing and seemingly losing faith as they watch their mates disappearing out the door.​

''I think the way it's been played out, and the way that it's been misinterpreted, is unfortunate,'' Humphreys said. ''Having said that, I'm very confident that when he [Blair] arrives here, he'll be greeted with open arms and embraced by everyone as the marquee professional that he is.​

''Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita have a fresh start with upgraded long-term contracts, so has Tim Moltzen. They've all got three-year deals, all on improved terms.​

''Those guys, hopefully, will go on to the next phase of their careers and do really well, and we'll all feel great for them if that happens. We'll get on with life here.''​

Blair, 25, will probably remain the biggest signing of the season, yet because it has been the subject of speculation that then degenerated into something closer to hysteria, the Tigers have taken some collateral damage of their own on the way to trumpeting it yesterday.​

Worth considering, too, is the prospect of Blair being seen among the Tigers' playing and supporter groups as the man who broke up the team.
But Humphreys was at pains to say that was not the case.​

''Adam is a marquee signing, world-class, international, vice-captain of his country, played in three grand finals, done things that the vast majority of our squad have not done, and I think he'll add a whole lot to our club,'' Humphreys said. ''I think we're very fortunate to have him, and the fans and the playing group here will embrace him as they should.''​

Blair will at least be joined by some other outsiders - Parramatta centre Joel Reddy and Penrith prop Matthew Bell being additions to the roster for next season.​

Humphreys maintained the talk of disharmony in the playing group over the departures of players - as well as the continuing speculation around Penrith's possible signing of Chris Heighington and Beau Ryan - had been blown out of proportion.​

''When you're not winning football games, everything's exaggerated,'' Humphreys said. ''The fact that we have underperformed to people's expectations to this point of the year means that if there is a bit of disappointment around the place, that has been amplified.​

''That's certainly the case now. I wouldn't put it as unrest. I'd say the players are disappointed with their performances this year, but are quite committed to trying to turn that around.''​

When it was put to him that the players were also disappointed that their friends and teammates were leaving, Humphreys said: ''You have to ask them that. That's more a private issue than a public thing. The players are contracted here to do a job and to play to their best. They're not contracted to play with their mates. They end up forming friendships, which has always been part of sport generally, and certainly in rugby league the friendships you make in this game are a great feature of the game. But at the end of the day they're a byproduct of it, not a reason for doing it. I think everyone will reconcile themselves with that.''

He admitted, though, he had raised the issue with some players, but was confident, having ended speculation surrounding Blair, that the club could move on.​

''I've had my conversations with a number of the players,'' Humphreys said. ''On the one hand, they are all very well-paid professional athletes who need to not get drawn into speculation, and not be distracted … there's lots of opportunity to be distracted as a professional athlete but they need to rise above that.​

''On the other hand, they're not robots. I understand why it would have been an unsettling time. I think with the announcement we can hopefully draw a line under that and move forward.''​

One thing I just remembered was that I thought there was friction between Benji & Blair a couple years ago whilst playing for NZ? Or am I remembering things incorrectly?

 

[madunit]

There may have been, I think Blair had aspirations of being the next Kiwi test captain

 

[tumblingdice]

Im sure Mr Humphreys (and Sheens) is glad about todays events....the media circus has now been distracted and engulfing Gasnier and Kevin Moore and will now forget about stirring up stories of woe in Tigpie town...he can now get back to business:roll:

 

[Borat.]

Article featuring Humphreys:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ough-patch-says-humphreys-20110713-1he6c.html

One thing I just remembered was that I thought there was friction between Benji & Blair a couple years ago whilst playing for NZ? Or am I remembering things incorrectly?

rumor was Blair grabbed him by the scruff and Threatened to belt him if he didn't stop acting up.....

Exactly what he & most players at this club needs

Pretty sure it got the best out of Benji

 

[37916319]

Exactly what he & most players at this club needs

Absolutely agree, we've needed someone like Blair around for a long time.

He would also be the prime example of what Humphries is alluding to be a professional player.

Melbourne were stripped of their premierships, stripped of their competition points, players knew there were team mates taking home a shit load more money than them and knew the team would be broken up at years end and still played well and won many games.

We on the other hand let go of a few players who go on to get better deals elsewhere and the team chucks a hissy fit and falls apart.

I just hope he is respected and accepted with open arms and not outcast.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Spot on. Blair will be a leader on and off the park.

He is also dominant in the wrestle, something we desperately struggle with.

 

[b.bear]

rumor was Blair grabbed him by the scruff and Threatened to belt him if he didn't stop acting up.....

Exactly what he & most players at this club needs

Pretty sure it got the best out of Benji

Maybe he can try the same approach with robbie and also give benji a refresher

 

[Borat.]

maybe he can give sheens a go whilst he is at it...

 

[Tigerm]

maybe he can give sheens a go whilst he is at it...

Maybe they should have a weekly award for "worst performance on game day", wins wrestling practice with him the follwing week (but if he wins it, he gets to choose), might spark em all up a bit:lol: