McLardy: Players signed, extension for Schwab & response on list management

[Range Rover 1,935]

AmericadeCali won't be happy.

Demons re-sign key players, Schwab

[rjay 24,917]

AmericadeCali won't be happy

Demons re-sign key players, Schwab

Me neither RR. It will be the biggest mistake this club has made since his extension last year the previous biggest mistake was appointing him in the first place.

If it is true then I now have the opinion that "sit on your hands" McLardy must also go.

[Moonshadow 17,676]

Someone fill me in please...

Tigers and Freo friends of mine claim CS was a disaster for their clubs.

What has he done in the past that is so impressive that makes the club want to keep him on?

Most here either rate him or hate him.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Someone fill me in please...

Tigers and Freo friends of mine claim CS was a disaster for their clubs.

What has he done in the past that is so impressive that makes the club want to keep him on?

Most here either rate him or hate him.

He seems to be regarded alternately as a shrewd and skilful administrator by some, a divisive and aloof character by others.

Fact is in professional footy, where people want to stick around as long as they can to feed from the trough, 'suits' of his type are a lightning rod for discontent because they can end careers as quickly as they can help start them.

Someone has got to do the 'dirty job' of telling over-the-hill footballers that their time on the payroll is over, otherwise they'll just hang on forever.

[Moonshadow 17,676]

Someone has got to do the 'dirty job' of telling over-the-hill footballers that their time on the payroll is over, otherwise they'll just hang on forever.

doesn't the coach tell players that?

Why was CS so disliked at other clubs?

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

Wel well...that is a suprise. The MFC better get this one right...

[biggestred 5,079]

no problem with this - club has come from an untenable position financially to having top of the range facilities, no debt and are now in a position to pump money into the footy dept.

players may not like him because he sticks to a budget and sometimes doesnt put money into footy (in the past) but thats better than not having a club (see rangers fc)

[Dee Fan 3,247]

He seems to be regarded alternately as a shrewd and skilful administrator by some, a divisive and aloof character by others.

Fact is in professional footy, where people want to stick around as long as they can to feed from the trough, 'suits' of his type are a lightning rod for discontent because they can end careers as quickly as they can help start them.

Someone has got to do the 'dirty job' of telling over-the-hill footballers that their time on the payroll is over, otherwise they'll just hang on forever.

When Cam was at the club the last time round he used to walk around and talk to the supporters in the red seats and most of us appreciated that he did this, you know mingle with the common folk type of thing.

This time round I reckon he's changed and in my case I've met him several times at breakfasts etc but the following day he will walk past you and ignore you. Now that in itself doesn't worry me, what does is that there may be others that it does worry; there may be influential supporters that will take umbrage to that sort of treatment. Mind you he's not the only one that ignores people they've recently met, there are others in positions where they should be schmoozing up to those that donate money but simply don't.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

doesn't the coach tell players that?

Why was CS so disliked at other clubs?

Someone once linked a big speel from an honest disgruntled Fremantle supporter answering this very question from a curious Melbourne supporter on Big Footy which explained it all. Very intriguing read it was.

Perhaps someone could give it a "bump" for you if they know of it's where a bouts!

[DeeSpencer 25,682]

Pretty much what he has been accused of at Freo and at Melbourne is interfering in the football department.

The Geelong saga last year got put down to the players giving up in a game as they were sick of the interference from Schwab and the position it put Bailey in. Really though you could easily put this down to a desperately Bailey who meant well but eventually needed a fall guy for his own shortcomings.

However the Cameron Schwab when Bailey was coaching was very vocal and talked a lot of footy in his whiteboard wednesday segments amongst other things like his twitter and very football based blueprints. He has now stepped away from doing as much and let the football department represent itself, coming out only when necessary such as the Jurrah issue and Neeld racism issue. He's let McLardy be a spokesman for the administration and I agree McLardy has done a decent job in asserting himself at the right moments.

Unless we have been duped the facts are that Schwab and his crew have done a decent job off the field with AAMI park, Casey and the bank balance. However, if there is suggestion of ongoing interference it is so disabling for the club that I'd change my opinion on him. I'm inclined to think Schwab has become wiser and learnt from his mistakes, be they real of perceived and that the likes of Todd Viney, Neil Craig, Healy and Mark Neeld will be strong characters who can enforce boundaries and keep strong relationships.

All in all its much easier to commit to Schwab now with a steady (yet abysmal) on field and football department than it is when things are up in the air. But from the outside looking in I'd say he is the best candidate for CEO.

[General 35]

After the energy watch disaster the club seemed to be in all sorts. Off the field. Since then we secured webjet, hertz, Opel and minor sponsors, seems a good recovery on the surface. The onfield performance, and the off field antics of some of the players would do little to attract investment. We have no bonafide stars for sponsors to use in marketing. His year looks good , all things considered.

[Pates 9,660]

It will be the biggest mistake this club has made since his extension last year the previous biggest mistake was appointing him in the first place.

Can't agree with that, he's made mistakes and the debarcle last year was I'm sure a big part his doing. But he came back to our club when we were on our knees and with Jimmy got us out of debt.

The way he's handled our misfortunes this year has been excellent, and I would be supportive of us giving him an extension.

That said, I feel the club should do its due diligence and see if there are possibly others available who could be better for the club. I can't help but feel there is a bit of a mates group about our club, and someone with a fresh outside approach might be the way to go.

[rjay 24,917]

Pretty good 5 minutes from McLardy in which he said

1.The AFL can go f&*k themselves.

2.The architect of our "re-build" was Cam Schwab- who has done a good job and will stay on.

3.Weve resigned Jones and Howe for 3 years.

4.Go F&*k yourselves media parasites

5.Carry on.

He isn't high profile but I like him .

Great re-build

After the energy watch disaster the club seemed to be in all sorts. Off the field. Since then we secured webjet, hertz, Opel and minor sponsors, seems a good recovery on the surface. The onfield performance, and the off field antics of some of the players would do little to attract investment. We have no bonafide stars for sponsors to use in marketing. His year looks good , all things considered.

Who put us in this disaster?

When Cam was at the club the last time round he used to walk around and talk to the supporters in the red seats and most of us appreciated that he did this, you know mingle with the common folk type of thing.

This time round I reckon he's changed and in my case I've met him several times at breakfasts etc but the following day he will walk past you and ignore you. Now that in itself doesn't worry me, what does is that there may be others that it does worry; there may be influential supporters that will take umbrage to that sort of treatment. Mind you he's not the only one that ignores people they've recently met, there are others in positions where they should be schmoozing up to those that donate money but simply don't.

There are

Someone fill me in please...

Tigers and Freo friends of mine claim CS was a disaster for their clubs.

What has he done in the past that is so impressive that makes the club want to keep him on?

Most here either rate him or hate him.

...and he was for us in his first stint and is for us now.

[Johnny Karate 559]

Haters gonna hate. He is obviously a divisive figure but ostensibly offers a bit of stability. Sometimes it's better the devil you know, anything but the old days where the CEO's office was a revolving door.

[Guest KingDingAling]

After the energy watch disaster the club seemed to be in all sorts. Off the field. Since then we secured webjet, hertz, Opel and minor sponsors, seems a good recovery on the surface. The onfield performance, and the off field antics of some of the players would do little to attract investment. We have no bonafide stars for sponsors to use in marketing. His year looks good , all things considered.

I'd say that Jeremy Howe is as good of a sponsor for Webjet - as they are for us:)

[Retrospective 104]

His contract is coming up ......Are we going to look at other options or just annoint?

Check if there are others we should consider?

Interview someone else?

That doesn't mean his term should not be extended.... he may in fact be the best guy for the job. But how about we go out and check

One thing for sure.....if we don't consider anyone else then he will be the bet option on the short list of one.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

CS comes from a long family pedigree in AFL football administration.

His first stanza at MFC was marked by a falling out with the then President, Gutnick. (Its not hard to do). CS inherited a shambolic contract management arrangement when he joined MFC. His biggest fault was not cleaning it up. And Gutnick publicly sacrificed him to the AFL for his own ends.

Schwab then went to Freo where off field Schwab turned a financial struggler into a strong and profitable sporting organisation.

While tarnishing his profile at MFC, Schwab was rated highly as an AFL football administrator by the AFL. Together with Stynes, the AFL "encouraged" Schwab to take on the difficult task of running MFC in 2008.

IMO, Schwab's time at MFC has been a mixed bag and his relationship with the Board was been variable over the journey. I suspect there are still scars from the Board being prepared to have sacrificed Schwab before 186.

I am not sure if Schwab is the right choice going forward but I cant see MFC attracting any other capable executive to potentially destroy their career at this Club. I have no confidence that the Board will make the right decision anyway.

[Rob Mac...... 638]

I've known someone closely most of my life who's often confided in me, is incredibly intelligent, reads people extraordinarily well, is extremely successful in business, loves footy & finances his local team. He often meets AFL people especially at Crown, but isn't in the footy industry. ...asked about the Melbourne problem recently he said, "You need a very bright CEO to run your day to day business. Melbourne has Cameron Schwab. He previously was at Richmond & Freo who both faired poorly when he was there & so is Melbourne now. That says something. I've met him a few times. He's a likeable, nice guy who says a lot of nice sounding things at the time, but he can't walk the walk. I wouldn't hire him, wouldn't let him work for me, he isn't smart enough." That's all he said.

It's with trepidation that I post this at all, understanding its anonymity won't carry weight anyway & will possibly cause some posters to consider me an ass (but my friend would hate to be quoted & feel betrayed. He's not a Demon & his popularity helps his business.)

Personally I'm clueless on this subject, I know nothing about the inner MFC folk, but just hope the good people that do can have the smartest, most astute football & footy business brains running the club.

[jnrmac 20,060]

How many CEO's have we had in the past 15 years?? something like 13??

We can't keep chopping and changing. Either we choose them badly or there is something at our club that makes it impossible for a CEO to do his job.

I am not a CS fan having met him a few times. Agree that he talks the talk but he fails miserably with sponsor engagement and micro-managing footy matters (at least prior to 186)..

[whatwhat say what 22,745]

I'm not a massive fan - I see him as part of the boys club that I still think dominates our club - but I'm not opposed to this.

Stability is key.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

In the game, players require that little bit extra to get an edge to at least keep up to the competition. All the drafts, talent, money, facilities will not help if players dont have the psychological desire, loyalty and commitment to make it all work. At the moment we are a hollow club spiritually and nothing over the course of the season has shown that we have improved in this regard. The players couldn't even raise a yawn to honour the passing of Jimmy. Somehow I dont believe anything will change whilst CS and his grand master plan remain. Most evidence points to him for creating an environment that is divisive and mistrustful amongst the players and they perform accordingly. I thought the board may have had some wisdom and seen this but it appears not. This saga is not over yet.

Edited August 5, 2012 by america de cali

[Choko 493]

In the game, players require that little bit extra to get an edge to at least keep up to the competition. All the drafts, talent, money, facilities will not help if players dont have the psychological desire, loyalty and commitment to make it all work. At the moment we are a hollow club spiritually and nothing over the course of the season has shown that we have improved in this regard. The players couldn't even raise a yawn to honour the passing of Jimmy. Somehow I dont believe anything will change whilst CS and his grand master plan remain. Most evidence points to him for creating an environment that is divisive and mistrustful amongst the players and they perform accordingly. I thought the board may have had some wisdom and seen this but it appears not. This saga is not over yet.

Rank post.

How can you possibly justify the statement that the club didn't honour the passing of Stynes. What do you think would have been respectful to mark the passing of Jim? Winning every game? Winning the premiership? Grow up, stupid.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

Rank post.

How can you possibly justify the statement that the club didn't honour the passing of Stynes. What do you think would have been respectful to mark the passing of Jim? Winning every game? Winning the premiership? Grow up, stupid.

Maybe the club did off field and the supporters certainly did. Even the media, government and football public did but not reciprocated by the players in the tribute games which were quite pathetic.

Edited August 5, 2012 by america de cali

[Range Rover 1,935]

I'm of the opinion that we should canvas options before considering reappointing Schwab. If there is a better person out there, particularly from a successful background at a strong club, then I would look very closely at them.

I don't buy into ADC's argument that he is the reason blokes (in particular well paid senior players) have fallen short of providing what the club needs on field, but also I don't like the fact that his people skills are not as evidently strong as you'd want in a person in that position.

He is a holdover from a troubled past and should ideally be replaced with a Neeld-type outsider who comes from a successful environment. I'm a big believer that this 'old boys' element within the club needs to be knocked on the head.

[DemonWA 3,934]

Its only rumours and speculation that lead me to have any negative feelings towards Cameron Schwab.

On the flip side, he speaks well to the media, has obvious passion for the Melbourne football club and it's history. Whilst i'll admit the Blazers were a little cheesy, i generally like the way he romanticises our past.

Also, getting too involved in Footy matters only shows to me that he is passionate about the club. He's stepped back now, and if things are running well i see no reason not to keep him on.