Trent Barrett proposes structured pay out in bid to force exit from Manly

Trent Barrett has reportedly issued Manly Sea Eagles two legal letters as he tries to force the issue over the coaching standoff at the club.

The Sea Eagles unveiled former coach Des Hasler as the man in charge for 2019 after Barrett gave notice in July that he wanted out for this season.

Barrett is under contract, however, with Manly not prepared to pay him out and expecting him to see out his 12 month contract.

Fairfax Media reports that Hasler does not want Barrett on his coaching staff, leaving the former coach looking at ways to secure a payout and early departure.

That is not in Manly’s plans, says chairman Scott Penn.

 “That’s one of the reasons lawyers are involved,” Penn told Fairfax. The fact is if any employee or contractor resigns, the company needs to protect itself … We’re still going to pay him, we’ll tell him what we want him to do essentially.

“We have never been unreasonable in this process. It’s disappointing to be here, it’s not where we thought we’d be and he triggered it.”

Barrett’s team are believed to have structured a proposed payment plan as opposed to a lump sum, to help sweeten the deal for Manly.

Sea Eagles chief executive Lyall Gorman said the club was confident the legal dispute with Barrett would be resolved soon.

“That will be resolved over the next couple of weeks, I would have thought,” Gorman told the Big Sports Breakfast on Tuesday.

 “Probably by brains a bit smarter than me with lawyers and so on. But hopefully respectfully and with dignity and class, though.”