Jump to content

  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    The Demonland Terms of Service, which you have all recently agreed to, strictly prohibit discussions of ongoing legal matters, whether criminal or civil. Please ensure that all discussions on this forum remain focused solely on on-field & football related topics.


Recommended Posts

Posted

All good points but irrelevant - we are not judging him on what he did outside the MFC - we are shining the spotlight at what he did during his time as President and his recent comments as Ex President regarding the club. I dont think it is unfair to acknowledge that someone succeeded in most areas of his life but in another area he was found wanting.

Edit: I just read BH's post and tend to agree that whilst I am not privvy to all his work as President each time he opened his mouth ... ughh ... culminating in his spirited defense of his presidency in the papers late last year and distancing himself from any wrongdoing - these comments were apparently done according to some with the best interests of the club at heart.

If you had actually followed the thread, I responded to another poster who made an uninformed slur on Gardiner that he did the Oxfam walk to add a footnote to his CV and self aggrandisement. Given he was already Chairman of the Australian arm of global advertising agency (which he has recently retired from) he had no need to touch up the CV. And given he had been awarded an AM for his services to the community his Oxfam efforts were just one of a long line of service.

And I agree that you are not privy to all his work as President.

Guest José Mourinho
Posted
If you had actually followed the thread, I responded to another poster who made an uninformed slur on Gardiner that he did the Oxfam walk to add a footnote to his CV and self aggrandisement. Given he was already Chairman of the Australian arm of global advertising agency (which he has recently retired from) he had no need to touch up the CV. And given he had been awarded an AM for his services to the community his Oxfam efforts were just one of a long line of service.

And I agree that you are not privy to all his work as President.

You need to read more closely Rhino.

I said he took on the presidency for his own self aggrandisement.

Not good with details..?

Posted

You need to read more closely Rhino.

I said he took on the presidency for his own self aggrandisement.

Well its hardly earth shattering news uf that is the case. Given is a time consuming unpaid role he is in the same boat as any number of current and past AFL Presidents. Shock horror Stynes included. Its does not diminish the level of commitment required and applied to the role.

Guest José Mourinho
Posted
Well its hardly earth shattering news uf that is the case. Given is a time consuming unpaid role he is in the same boat as any number of current and past AFL Presidents. Shock horror Stynes included. Its does not diminish the level of commitment required and applied to the role.

Quite the contrary.

If I myself were to take one the presidency, self aggrandisement would not be a factor.

My sole desire would be for the club to find security, then following that to prosper as much as physically possible.

I think many others would feel the same, and JS did.

I don't think that was PG's motivation.

Posted

What makes you think you can attribute "motivation" to Paul Gardner? Have you discussed this with him or even met him?

i spoke to Bev O'Connor about it at the time...she had a fair idea.
Posted

It's an easy thing to do. Attribute a motive to someone, without knowing their business and personal circumstances. We might not agree with their actions or strategies, but none of us have a right to question what lies in someone's heart and mind.

Criticism is one of the easiest pastimes to undertake. Constructive remedy is much harder. More importantly, a remedy which is achievable, under business and financial circumstances as they may apply at any given time, is even harder.

Posted
i spoke to Bev O'Connor about it at the time...she had a fair idea.

Meaning........?????

Posted
Meaning........?????
the motivations of PG & the Football Club.

His template was to turm Melbourne Football Club into a big business. A corporation of sorts.

It had some merit. But as with everything it needed balance.

Too much of the club was sucked away. The place went cold.

Bev had worked on 3 Boards, she was on the pulse.

Guest José Mourinho
Posted
What makes you think you can attribute "motivation" to Paul Gardner? Have you discussed this with him or even met him?

It's obviously just the impression I get from the man.

Hence I said I didn't think so.

I've not discussed it with him.

I have met him once, but can't even remember where it was now.

I just got the feeling he was pompous and doing it for, once again, his own self aggrandisement.

I'm a keyboard hero, what did you expect?

It's a tough gig, I admit.

I'm loathe to think what people would think of me, or who else could possibly be good for the role.

And it's not the worst accusation in the world - I'm sure Jeff Kennet did the same.

Posted
It's obviously just the impression I get from the man.

Hence I said I didn't think so.

I've not discussed it with him.

I have met him once, but can't even remember where it was now.

I just got the feeling he was pompous and doing it for, once again, his own self aggrandisement.

I'm a keyboard hero, what did you expect?

It's a tough gig, I admit.

I'm loathe to think what people would think of me, or who else could possibly be good for the role.

And it's not the worst accusation in the world - I'm sure Jeff Kennet did the same.

I think it's a very harsh judgement. He was a no name director on the Szondy Board and put in a lot of time and effort (albeit Szondy's Board was the worst in my memory). He then picked up the pieces when Szondy did a runner and worked extraordinarily hard. I'm sure there were a number of things that influenced his decision to take the position but I think to claim it was for "his own self aggrandisement" is quite insulting really.

Posted

I think all Club Presidents enjoy some self aggrandisement. It is a seat of power that is in the news year round.

Nobody is saying PG did not work hard but by the time Jim Stynes took over the place was in freefall.

The change had to come.

Posted

I think it is very easy to sit in judgement of past and current boards......I am not a business man and do not possess the knowledge or desire to be so.......I believe that all people who run/are on boards have the desire to bring new ideas and processes for the club to be sucessful........They put in a lot of hours of hard work without pay and all for the betterment of the club..

Yes they make mistakes.....Who doesn't......but you can't condem them for having a go.......Can you?????

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
I think all Club Presidents enjoy some self aggrandisement. It is a seat of power that is in the news year round.

Nobody is saying PG did not work hard but by the time Jim Stynes took over the place was in freefall.

The change had to come.

Jim Stynes and self-aggrandisement is a contradiction in terms. Self deprecating maybe. Yes, thank goodness for Jimma. As the saying goes, cometh the hour, cometh the man. That was our Jimma.

Edited by iv'a worn smith
Posted
the

Jim Stynes and self-aggrandisement is a contradiction in terms. Self deprecating maybe. Yes, thank goodness for Jimma. As the saying goes, cometh the hour, cometh the man. That was our Jimma.

Big Jimma did things differently to anyone else.

Jim bought emotion back into the MFC. How else could we have cleared that ballooning debt.

Which then allowed the club to leave the antique shop (The junction Oval)

Pity we did not take the Lexus Center Site, that was a jump we should have taken. Yes it would have cost a lot...but success aint ever cheap.

AAMI Park should tide us over till the Docklands site is sorted.

Posted
I think it is very easy to sit in judgement of past and current boards......I am not a business man and do not possess the knowledge or desire to be so.

Precisely.

It is easy but it's also necessary that boards are accountable to the members. Too often in the past, football club boards have avoided scrutiny by the members but in this modern age of computer technology, Internet, face book, twitter etc. it's becoming harder and harder to sweep things under the carpet. At the same time, it's so much easier for people to make broad statements about the conduct of such boards without providing the proof or hold different people to different standards.

I wonder whether we're better off as a result?

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    TRAINING: Monday 17th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were on hand at Monday morning's preseason training at Gosch's Paddock to bring you their brief observations of the session. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Gentle flush session at Gosch's this morning. Absent: May, Pickett (All Stars) McVee, McAdam. Rehabbing: Great to see Kentfield back (much slimmer), walking with Tholstrup, TMac (suspect just a management thing), Viney (still being cautious with that rib cartilage?), Melksham (

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    MATCH SIM: Friday 14th February 2025

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers made their way out to Casey Field's for the Melbourne Football Club's Family Series day to bring you their observations on the Match Simulation. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S MATCH SIMULATION OBSERVATIONS Absent: May, Pickett (All Stars), McVee, Windor, Kentfield, Mentha Present but not playing: Petracca, Viney, Spargo, Tholstrup, Melksham Starting Blue 18 (+ just 2 interchange): B: Petty, TMac, Lever, Howes, Bowey Salem M: Gawn, Oliver, La

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Wednesday 12th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers braved the scorching morning heat to bring you the following observations of Wednesday's preseason training session from Gosch's Paddock. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Absent: Salem, Windsor (word is a foot rash going around), Viney, Bowey and Kentfield Train ons: Roy George, no Culley today. Firstly the bad news - McVee went down late, which does look like a bad hammy - towards the end of match sim, as he kicked the ball. Had to

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    MATCH SIM: Friday 7th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatcher Gator ventured down the freeway to bring you his observations from Friday morning's Match Simulation out at Casey Fields. Rehab: Jake Lever and Charlie Spargo running laps.  Lever was running short distances at a fast click as well as having kick to kick with a trainer. He seems unimpeded. Christian Petracca, Kade Chandler, Shane McAdam and Tom Fullarton doing non-contact kicking and handball drills on the adjacent oval.  All moving freely at pace.  I didn’

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    TRAINING: Wednesday 5th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force as the Demons returned to Gosch's Paddock for preseason training on Wednesday morning. GHOSTWRITER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Kozzie a no show. Tommy Sparrow was here last week in civvies and wearing sunnies. He didn’t train. Today he’s training but he’s wearing goggles so he’s likely got an eye injury. There’s a drill where Selwyn literally lies on top of Tracc, a trainer dribbles the ball towards them and Tracc has to g

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS: 2024

    Whichever way you look at it, the Melbourne Football Club’s 2024 season can only be characterized as the year of its fall from grace. Whispering Jack looks back at the season from hell that was. After its 2021 benchmark premiership triumph, the men’s team still managed top four finishes in the next two seasons but straight sets finals losses consigned them to sixth place in both years. The big fall came in 2024 with a collapse into the bottom six and a 14th placing. At Casey, the 2022 VFL p

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Special Features

    MATCH SIM: Friday 31st January 2025

    Veteran Demonland Trackwatcher Picket Fence ventured down to Casey Fields to bring you his observations from Friday's Match Simulation. Greetings Demonlanders, beautiful Day at training and the boys were hard at it, here is my report. NO SHOWS: Luker Kentfield (recovering from pneumonia in WA), also not sure I noticed Melky (Hamstring) or Will Verrall?? MODIFIED DUTIES (No Contact): Sparrow, McVee (foot), Tracc (ribs), Chandler, (AC Joint), Fullarton Noticeable events (I’ll s

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 2

    TRAINING: Wednesday 29th January 2025

    A number of Demonland Trackwatchers swooped on Gosch's Paddock to bring you their observations from this morning's Preseason Training Session. DEMON JACK'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Beautiful morning at Gosch's Paddock. Very healthy crowd so far.  REHAB: Fullerton, Spargo, Tholstrup, McVee Viney running laps. EDIT: JV looks to be back with the main group. Trac, Sparrow, Chandler and Verrell also training away from the main group. Currently kicking to each other ins

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 1

    TRAINING: Wednesday 22nd January 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force for training at Gosch's Paddock on Wednesday morning for the MFC's School Holidays Open Training Session. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS REHAB: TMac, Chandler, McVee, Tholstrup, Brown, Spargo Brown might have passed his fitness test as he’s back out with the main group.  Sparrow not present. Kozzy not present either.  Mini Rehab group has broken off from the match sim (contact) group: Max, Trac, Lever, Fullarton

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!

×
×
  • Create New...