Cronulla Sharks CEO Barry Russell has announced he will be resigning as the club's CEO next month, after helping the club become salary cap compliant for the 2019 season.
Russell was at the centre of the Sharks' recent salary cap scandal, although the NRL looked favourably on the Sharks when handing down their penalty after Russell self-reported the club to the league.
Russell has released the following statement on the club's website.
It is with great sadness that I inform Cronulla Sharks Members, fans and Corporate Partners that I have made the decision to resign from my role as Cronulla Sharks Group CEO. I will depart the Club early April after ensuring we are Salary Cap compliant for the 2019 season.
It has been a very tough 12 months, both for the Club and for me personally. As you are aware, there have been several challenges we have had to face and resolve, particularly concerning integrity, governance, finances, personnel and structural change within the business. When I made the decision to self-report a salary cap discrepancy last year with the full approval of the Board, I most certainly did not foresee all the issues that were to follow. As hard as it has been I did however remain committed to seeing the Club through these challenging times and set a new course of proper Governance and Integrity. I’m proud that I’ve been able to clean this mess up and give the Club every chance of success.
We are now through this very difficult period and I believe the time is right for the Club to have a fresh start and be taken forward in a new direction. A new CEO will have the opportunity to start with a clean slate, alongside our talented new Head Coach John Morris, and build the best structure possible to lead the Club forward without any negative remnants from the past 12 months.
I’m so proud of what I have achieved over the last year and see this as a real turning point for the Club. It breaks my heart to walk away from a Club that has done so much for me and I have a great love for. This has been my greatest honour. I will always operate with the Club’s best interests at heart and I know this is best for our Club and myself.
My love for and loyalty to the Sharks remains forever strong and I want nothing but its long-term success. The Sharks will be a powerful force during the 2019 season and well into the future.
I would like to thank the Board, my wonderful staff, our awesome playing group, loyal members and fans for the role they have played in what has been an unforgettable journey carrying out my dream job. It just didn’t end the way I had imagined!
Lastly, thank you to my wife Jodie and family for their unconditional love and support. I could not have done the last year without you.
Thank you
Ah poor old Barry, obviously to honest for an organisation like the sharks. To run that place you need a PhD in cheating, dishonesty, lying and fabrication. Just goes to show what the people in that place are like if he was on the outer. Heaven forbid your CEO should do the right thing.
I reckon it was a ploy from the NRL get Barry Russell in to stuff us over and for everyone to think he’s a good bloke.F…K YOU RUSSELL came in gives us up costs us close to a million dollars gets our coached sacked and when his jobs done goes again.
Who the hell self reports a small amount to the NRL he knew what he was doing
Step forward Shane Flanagan, Cronulla Sharks new CEO.
Only a one eyed Sharks supporter could see it that way and I will bet that is exactly the reason he has resigned. He will have had to put up will an awful lot from fans and players as he has become the scapegoat for everything the sharks did wrong. Lets ignore the fact that Flanagan showed complete disrespect for the NRL and the whole sport. Lets ignore the fact that the sharks cheated the cap and then get away with penalties so light it is laughable.
Good Luck to you Barry, at least you get out of that place holding your head high which is more than can be said for many people leaving that club.
If this is all legit, then I hope the next ceo follows in Bazzas footsteps & continues with doing a great job. Thanks for setting us in the right direction Bazza Was a good little player in his day. Good turn of pace & I remember watching him running off Gavin miller passes back in the day when I was a teeny bopper. Those two used to carve up on the field.
You mean he admitted to all the cheating you guys did? Yeah terrible that. What an immoral person.