SYDNEY, 1 July 2024 – HarperCollins Publishers Australia are thrilled to announce that they have acquired World rights to publish Ivan Cleary’s leadership story, brokered by Head of Non-Fiction Publishing Helen Littleton with Nick Fordham of The Fordham Company.
Cleary, visionary coach of the NRL’s Penrith Panthers and undisputed champions of the league, led the team to what is considered the greatest achievement the modern game has seen – an astonishing three-peat of the gladiatorial Premiership in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Cleary’s book, Not Everything Counts but Everything Matters, will reveal all on leading, mentoring and unifying diverse and singular talent to the pinnacle of team performance.
Cleary will tell all about what he’s learned and how he leads, informed by his decades as a player and coach – a playmaker, team builder, mentor and leader who has forged a formidable winning mindset. Drawing on his years of experience – professional and personal – as well as coach’s notes and insights from players, officials and others, Cleary shares insights into his success, including the value of persistence, the importance of community, facing your fears and tackling them head-on, the architecture of achievement … and the importance of risking it all.
He’ll also delve deep into working with one of the most diverse teams in the league and the challenges he faces as leader and how to inspire a team of individuals to hall-of-fame team greatness, including working with his son and co-captain of the team, Nathan, who is regarded as the best player in the league, the young, talented grass-roots players who have come up through the local club, and the superstar players who represent the exciting and changing face of the game.
Roberta Ivers, Publisher at HarperCollins Australia, said: ‘I’m so thrilled to be working with Ivan on what will be the leadership memoir to rule them all – eye-opening, inspiring insights from the visionary behind the most exciting team in the league and the architect of one of the most stunning feats in Australian football. Fans of the team and fans of game will eat this up of course, but even more so anyone interested in leadership will absolutely love Ivan’s clear-eyed vision about team-building, mentoring and achieving sustained success in a pressure-cooker environment.’
Ivan Cleary said: ‘I’ve been fortunate enough to have been involved in the NRL as a player and a head coach for over 30 years. I guess that means I have lived a football life. My job, my wife, my children, and ultimately our family’s lifestyle has been forged within the walls of rugby league. Throughout this life, I have essentially researched and experienced the many lessons that our great game can teach us. From adversity to achievement and everything in between, I have learned that rugby league and life have many parallels. My hope is that through reading this book, there will be many people who will resonate with these experiences through either sport, or in life, or both.’
Nick Fordham said ‘The Fordham Company is thrilled to be able to help bring this book to life. What Ivan has achieved is remarkable and this is a great way to formally document and breakdown his strategy and success. Coaching is one of the most cutthroat jobs on the planet and it takes a special breed to not only survive, but to win three titles back-to-back, has etched Ivan’s name into the history books.’
ABOUT IVAN CLEARY
Ivan Cleary is one of the most successful NRL coaches of the modern era. His relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to nurturing talent has assisted in cementing the ‘Cleary’ name in Australian sporting folklore.
Cleary’s coaching brilliance and leadership has spoken for itself, as the Penrith Panthers have quickly become one of the most dominant forces the NRL has ever seen. He took back the reins at Penrith in 2019, inheriting a team that grappled with inconsistency, however presented much promise with a talented young core, and strong junior group that would quickly emerge into the first-grade side. Instilling a culture of discipline, comradery, and accountability, Cleary has created a cohesive unit with a strong community focus, led by his son, Nathan.
Since Cleary’s return to the club, he has posted an impressive 77%-win rate, with Penrith most recently winning their third premiership in a row, a feat that has not been achieved since the 1980s. He is signed on with the club until the end of 2027, where he looks to prolong this successful run at the highest level.
The 2020 NRL Coach of the Year has also had stints as the head coach of the Wests Tigers, and the New Zealand Warriors, where he led their side to their second ever, and most recent Grand Final berth in 2011. Outside of the coach’s box, Ivan has had more playing experience than most, having played 186 NRL matches across a number or teams, including the Manly Sea Eagles, North Sydney Bears, Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors, playing most of his career as a fullback and centre. He stands amongst an exclusive group of 56 NRL greats to have reached the 1,000-career point mark, a testament to his skill, and prowess on the field.
A great family man, Ivan and his wife have raised 4 children, Milaya, Nathan, India and Jett.
ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS
HarperCollins Publishers is the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 17 countries. With over 200 hundred years of history and more than 120 branded imprints around the world, HarperCollins publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year, in over 30 languages, and has a print and digital catalogue of more than 200,000 titles. Writing across dozens of genres, HarperCollins authors include winners of the Miles Franklin Award, the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award and the Booker Prize. Publishing Australian stories since 1888, HarperCollins Publishers Australia, incorporating the Angus & Robertson imprint, is Australia’s foundation publisher. For further information see https://harpercollins-au.myshopify.com/.
CONTACT
Kimberley Allsopp
0402 898 166
Kimberley.allsopp@harpercollins.com.au