Whilst expressing empathy for the 40 plus staffers culled as part of a radical cost-reducing restructure, Peil - the man behind the success of the Anytime Fitness Group - views the cutbacks as an opportunity to learn some “painful lesions” and possibly the “start of a new beginning”.

“In my opinion we just had way too many staff - I was actually calling for cuts 18 months back in the knowledge that the Scottish Premiership, for example, is run by a team of around 18-20 people,” Peil told FTBL.

“I’m told we had 90 and that’s not really sustainable. I’m very sorry a lot of good people have lost their jobs - many of whom were head-hunted from positions elsewhere.

“But the reality is the staffing levels just didn’t make sense to me - and in one way I’m feeling more optimistic than I have for some time that we’re heading in the right direction and have the right people to move the game forward.

“While a lot of people are trying to paint this as Armageddon - I think there’s light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do but maybe it’s the start of a new beginning.”

Peil, who tasted grand final success in his first full season at the Mariners helm, pointed to his own business experience to illustrate the need to streamline APL operations, with the $40 million KeepUp media platform the most high profile casualty of last week’s slash and burn operation.

Incredulity greeted the APL management move in many quarters, with questions raised over the financial acumen and imperatives of its board just three years after wresting self determination from Football Australia.

But Peil explained: “I’ve been involved in six start up businesses, four very successfully and two very poorly - and in all six around that 18-month to two to three year mark there’s always a massive re-adjustment.

“You’ve either massively over estimated what you need or massively under estimated. Every time I’ve had success it’s been by having a clear focus on the consumer - and when I’ve failed it’s been down to sending out a message that wasn’t well articulated and failed to  focus enough on customer needs

“I think what we’ve seen with the league is a normal adjustment, without trying in any way to negate the effect it’s had on some very good people.

“It’s now vital we get back to focusing on the product, the fans and transparency. I have huge faith in our new chairman Stephen Conroy and his executive Nick Garcia”.

Peil understands the misgivings engendered by such a savage work force decimation, and is aware of murmurings by some questioning the propriety surrounding the allocation of the $140m US private equity firm Silver Lake Partners invested into the league.

But he refutes the notion of any financial shenanigans potentially being at play.

“Look, everybody loves this sport. It’s the best on the planet and I don’t think anything untoward has taken place (in terms of spending allocations),” he said.

“Let’s just learn the lessons we need to and keep on building from here.”