Cameron Schwab

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

(Sorry, didn't want to clog up the page with more quoting of Robbie's lengthy post)

I've stood up for Schwab for a long time as no one has been able to provide me with facts that would make me change my mind, but even I have to admit this shakes my belief considerably.

I'm not a blind supporter of our current board/admin, I like Don, from what is known publicly it seemed Schwab had done a decent job, and you're stories make me very concerned. It is clear from the way you write you have no anti-Schwab agenda (unlike many here), but have been hurt considerably by him and also CC. This flies in the face of the impression I had of these guys, CS as a professional administrator and CC as an all round "good bloke" of the MFC. I am truly sorry for how you've been treated, particularly as one who can't afford to give as much as you clearly have, and I thank you for helping to keep the club we all love alive.

I'd be interested to know the stats relating to the FH's and how many have been lost due to poor treatment/recognition.

I still believe Schwab has done good for the club overall, but the basis of building your business is building relationships and from your experience that sounds like a weakness of the current admin.

Well said mate.

[rpfc 28,779]

RF - that is disappointing to say the least.

Do you remember when we had a flap about whether Schwab would be kept before his last contract?

This is part of why I could see the club moving past Cameron. He is aloof and not good with stakeholders but he is good with sponsorship and articulating direction.

We have to deal with this in September/October. If the board is challenged and overcome, I hope Schwab's contract has a clause in it. Or this will not be pretty.

[frankie_d 1,471]

Thanks for that insight. Cam Schwab sounds to me like one of those guys who is so busy looking up the ladder that he doesn't realise how many fingers he's treading on during his climb. Not good.

OK.

I didn't want to go in to it as it may seem as if I'm blowing my own trumpet but I will on the basis that all I want to do is explain my point.

Over the last 5 or 6 years I've put a fair bit of money in to the club, but if I walked in to a room where all the board members and the senior administration staff were, not one of them would even know who I was.

I've attended two breakfasts where CS was in attendance and have sat round a small table talking to him, both times on the following weekend he has walked past me without any shred of recognition. I was contacted by CC last year and asked if I wanted to attend a game as a guest in the long room at an away match, I didn't want to go but he convinced me too. He said he had a list of all the donations I'd made to the club and he would make a point of looking me up at the game and having a chat to se if there was anything the club could do for me; he didn't even bother speaking to me.

CS was there and he was more interested in schmoozing up to the big wigs on the MCC board than mixing with the people that actually support the club; I don't think he went to speak with anyone on any table except the head table.

I was sitting next to one of the club board members and we had a talk for about an hour or more, the following week at the foundation heroes function he walked past me as if i didn't exist.

After the FH function the only contact I got from the club was an email with an invoice attached.

There have been other times when this has happened and I think I've made my point so i won't document them, but I will say that the club treats their benefactors (my wife uses the term fool) appalingly.

I was talking to a former member of the Woodsmen today and he said that if you put in any money at Collingwood Eddie McGuire would look you up personally and shake your hand and thank you. I'm not looking for anything from the club but I do expect at least a thanks and a word or two now and then. I think that anyone that met me would understand I don't exactly meld in with the crowd and it's not because I'm flamboyant just that I'm 6'2" with a head of white hair, so i find it hard to understand why they seem to forget me all the time.

btw I never heard back from CC even though he said he would keep in touch.

I'm a lower level contributor than you, but have had the same experience as you. Wrote to DM about it, and got a decent reply. Buy no change in behavior by the big wigs... Pathetic.

[DemonWA 3,936]

I'm not sure I agree with this part of your post, DemonWA. They may be professional athletes, but they're not robots they're human beings. On the face of it these men (Schwab, Neeld) are seriously lacking in the communications skills necessary to speak to peoples' hearts as well as their minds.

You've changed your tune mate, a week ago you had serious man love for Neeld

[Range Rover 1,935]

You've changed your tune mate, a week ago you had serious man love for Neeld

The penny was hovering over the drain for me over the pre-season. On Saturday it dropped.

[DemonWA 3,936]

The penny was hovering over the drain for me over the pre-season. On Saturday it dropped.

As it has for many.....

[dazzledavey36 55,358]

Talking about wednesday whiteboard found this of dean bailey

But seriously i too cannot stand CS.. does anyone think that every function he goes to speak he just bullshits about the past and history etc.. its one of the most boring thing when he gets up and speak! Its all about the present not the past! Im sorry i know history is important but jeez this guy craps on a bit...

Edited April 2, 2013 by dazzledavey36

[dazzledavey36 55,358]

[Dr. Gonzo 24,300]

RF - that is disappointing to say the least.

Do you remember when we had a flap about whether Schwab would be kept before his last contract?

This is part of why I could see the club moving past Cameron. He is aloof and not good with stakeholders but he is good with sponsorship and articulating direction.

We have to deal with this in September/October. If the board is challenged and overcome, I hope Schwab's contract has a clause in it. Or this will not be pretty.

Is he good with sponsorship though? We lost Hankook, failed to get Mission Foods (may have been before him?), Kaspersky was recruited by a supporter, Energy Watch you can kind of forgive but it shows we didn't do our homework, Webjet was also got on the back of a supporter from memory, he kept selling us this "China connection" that never eventuated, as far as I'm aware we're still some minor sponsors down this year etc

It just seems the longer this goes the more it seems we've been sold snake oil. I don't have anything personal against the guy as I don't know him - what I do know is I love the club and the guy doesn't seem to have the ability to lead us out of the mire. No doubt there are some positives to his resume but I feel they are far outweighed by the negatives. I would love nothing more than for him and the club to be successful but I just don't see it that way. I don't think we should slash and burn after round 1 but for me this game was the critical mass that proved to me we need new leadership at the club and this needs to be addressed later in the year. The coaches and players need to be addressed as well but the admin of the club seems to have failed us badly.

[Whispering_Jack 30,672]

Thanks for that insight. Cam Schwab sounds to me like one of those guys who is so busy looking up the ladder that he doesn't realise how many fingers he's treading on during his climb. Not good.

That's not been my experience with CS, the current board or the previous board under Paul Gardner or even when Szondy was President although I found Steve Harris a bit aloof during his time.

[Adam The God 30,418]

He may have been guilty of micro-managing (not necessarily confirmed), but our on-field success has little to do with the financial viability of the club. He's done wonderfully well with sponsors, albeit slowly at times. Still, kudos for attracting any sponsors considering the on-field rabble we've been.

[Jens Lehmann 75]

I have asked you an others to defend 101L - 32W, 13th or lower since '06 ... and you won't. What part of "this club is dying" don't you understand?

And where is the apology for the 'wife beating' comment? You're a disgrace. Go away.

It's not about defending it, and it's foolish to keep harping on trying to.

Yet you stick to it, cos you think it's some sort of argument you can win.

"This club is dying" are your words, and pure hyperbole.

I won't waste my time with it.

And "have you stopped beating your wife yet?" is a commonly known phrase.

I suggest you look it up, but don't blame me for your lack of education.

You are a disgrace, and clearly an ignorant one.

[westerndemon_daz 21]

And "have you stopped beating your wife yet?" is a commonly known phrase.

I suggest you look it up, but don't blame me for your lack of education.

You are a disgrace, and clearly an ignorant one.

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

Anecdotal is gossip/heresay/personal agend/personality clash, how do you know the sponsors left because they were shabbily treated, I actually asked somebody at the Club about Kaspersky because I was concerned, wasn't the answer or explanation I got, and it was a person I trust to be honest with me

Already explained Energy Watch, they sponsored another two or three sporting teams as well, assume what you are saying is that Cam Schwab signed off the due diligence for them as well? Ring the Club up and ask for sporting sponsorship to be explained to you, I did

Membership numbers at the moment are nearly on par as to where they were last year, so how are we going backwards?

What fracture between the departments, it has never been more together, everybody was hurting on Tuesday but everybody was rallying around to get the Club up, I know I was in the Office

And you either want Cam Schwab at the forefront of the Club, media etc, which everybody whinged about for the last couple of years, or you want him out of it and just doing his job.......which is the answer?

[mjt 640]

Anecdotal is gossip/heresay/personal agend/personality clash, how do you know the sponsors left because they were shabbily treated, I actually asked somebody at the Club about Kaspersky because I was concerned, wasn't the answer or explanation I got, and it was a person I trust to be honest with me

Already explained Energy Watch, they sponsored another two or three sporting teams as well, assume what you are saying is that Cam Schwab signed off the due diligence for them as well? Ring the Club up and ask for sporting sponsorship to be explained to you, I did

Membership numbers at the moment are nearly on par as to where they were last year, so how are we going backwards?

What fracture between the departments, it has never been more together, everybody was hurting on Tuesday but everybody was rallying around to get the Club up, I know I was in the Office

And you either want Cam Schwab at the forefront of the Club, media etc, which everybody whinged about for the last couple of years, or you want him out of it and just doing his job.......which is the answer?

Ring the club and ask About the power struggle CS had with Hankook about the FOJ space.

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

Ring the club and ask About the power struggle CS had with Hankook about the FOJ space.

No, you tell me and the source, which I assume is impeccable, then I will, because it will mean I have been lied to and I don't like that

Edited April 4, 2013 by Satyriconhome

[rjay 25,091]

...as I said before we were rudely interrupted . We have a CEO who has been told to stay out of the FD by the board and now is not allowed or able or is in hiding from the media. He's on light or restricted duties, hope is being paid accordingly.

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

...as I said before we were rudely interrupted . We have a CEO who has been told to stay out of the FD by the board and now is not allowed or able or is in hiding from the media. He's on light or restricted duties, hope is being paid accordingly.

Again, who do you want commenting on the Footy, Cam Schwab or Mark Neeld, Cam Schwab did it a couple of years ago and was howled down...no win situation.....when the 3rd sponsor was announced, Cam Schwab did it .....his job

As for Cam's personality and the "blanking", I have experienced the same thing, and like Robbie F I am instantly recognisable, but myself and my partner have discussed this a couple of times, part is his personality, but he also knows the supporters he can rely on, ie from reading Robbie F and myself, he needs to keep working on others who may be wavering, or networking with somebody he can convince to get on board, this may appear to be blanking I tend to take it as acknowledgment of my support.

In the office last night ringing around, Cam Schwab popped in about 7pm just as he was leaving work, and said thank you to the volunteers, didn't individualise but acknowledged

Edited April 4, 2013 by Satyriconhome

[Jens Lehmann 75]

...as I said before we were rudely interrupted . We have a CEO who has been told to stay out of the FD by the board and now is not allowed or able or is in hiding from the media. He's on light or restricted duties, hope is being paid accordingly.

This is utter rubbish.

Please provide evidence that he is "on light or restricted duties."

This is a fabrication.

Also that he is hiding.

I wouldn't expect him to make knee-jerk reactionary announcements about onfield performance after 1 loss.

Would you really?

[Dr. Gonzo 24,300]

Apologies, confused my sorry individuals, doesn;t really matter you are both cut from the same cloth, was trying to answer a couple and got mixed, alzheirmers rather than senility though, notice again that you haven't answered the points I raised, what too truthful for you, you follow Rangey's lead and just insult

The more I read from you two and a couple of others the more I feel sorry for you, you must have some very deep seated problems, nearly 30000 members have renewed and seem quite happy to, so the Club must be doiing something right, I think we should finish the postings on this topic, I am sure there are a few more on the board for you to pour your poison over.....I'd like to say it is enjoyable jousting with you both..........battle of wits but fighting unarmed men gets a bit tedious

Yep I do have deep-seated problems, the fact I love and support a football club that continually lets me down and proves time and again it still has not fully caught up with the modern professional game. Keep deflecting though, you're failure and complete inability to address any of the specific objective points raised speaks volumes to the validity of your arguments. I suspect that is your aim though so that all salient points in the thread get lost amongst your drivel. No worry though the facts speak for themselves and I'll keep reposting Schwab's "achievements" so that all the normal people on here can evaluate the facts for themselves.

By the way I'm one of those 30k you talk about, 24th consecutive year and a premium member and just signed up my 2 week old son. Love hearing more new members signing up - thats the point of our criticism, we want to see the club get better and the club is more important than individuals, even the CEO.

[rjay 25,091]

This is utter rubbish.

Please provide evidence that he is "on light or restricted duties."

This is a fabrication.

Also that he is hiding.

I wouldn't expect him to make knee-jerk reactionary announcements about onfield performance after 1 loss.

Would you really?

Sorry you have trouble reading.

[Satyriconhome 10,879]

Gonzo, technological marvel, how did you get that back, I am impressed, but you forgot to include your list of Cam Schwab's acheivements, can't see them, can you recover them as well, saves me listing them

P.S. you will find my rather timid effort to rebut some of your criticism above, got in post data crash

Edited April 4, 2013 by Satyriconhome

[Jens Lehmann 75]

Sorry you have trouble reading.

Rubbish.

You're making things up to back up a flimsy ill-considered argument.

[Range Rover 1,935]

101 losses 32 wins since '06.

Just in case you'd all forgotten.

[mjt 640]

This is utter rubbish.

Please provide evidence that he is "on light or restricted duties."

This is a fabrication.

Also that he is hiding.

I wouldn't expect him to make knee-jerk reactionary announcements about onfield performance after 1 loss.

Would you really?

Did he make any comments after the Tanking Investigation ? he probably should, after all he was rewarded with a 3yr contract during that debacle, if hes good enough to get a 3yr extension surely hes good enough to be our spokesman during and after that disaster.