Cameron Schwab Resigns

[dee-luded 2,959]

That was not my intetntion. You should read the entire post.

The players have had a handy scapegoat fall on his sword today.

I hope their emotions are as vexed as mine are.

Actually he was the scapegoat for the angry members.... & the way I read it, as the club undergoes its membership drive, that they didn't want to remove Schwab, but must have felt it would help the club withstand the anger with the management of the whole club at the moment.

so those close & inside the club, seeing what actually takes place think he was doing a good job.

the Age sports editor & the AFL have their scapegoat from past issues.

[Outside fifty 967]

Good luck and thank you Cameron. All the best for your future endeavours. You have done the right thing by the MFC by putting the club first, and for that I will always be appreciative.

[Arrow 1,257]

I think he really does want what is best for MFC and leaving like he has, has given the club the best opportunity to do so. I respect him for that.

His time at MFC hasn't been all roses, but at the same time he took the least attractive job in the AFL for a club with no assets no membership and no team and has managed to create profits. The 4 years won't go down as a success but I thank you for your time and your inroads Cameron and hopefully this can turn the club like you've been trying for so long.

[50 Years A Demon 8]

After 50 years and the emotion and passion running at the moment, I have now signed up to have my say. Got mixed thoughts on Schwabb going, has helped turn us around financially, and still struggle to understand how a CEO can direcly impact on playing performances. Never been a big fan of Neeld and the lack inspiration in his pre prematch address should be holding Neeld more accountable, not a CEO.

I have always thought that the little turd Chris Connoly was behind some of the back room stir ups, still think he had numbers on himself coming over and coaching us, thank god he never did, hopefully the new CEO will give him the flick.

Just had an interesting call from the MFC, I had another call coming in and had to cut short the person from the club short but suspect that they were chasing why I hadn't renewed my membership this year. Call what ever you like, but is my own personal protest on a $500k fine from the AFL when the club chose to cave in and accept it and not fight it, think what we could have done with an extra $500k ! Just thought the timing of the call was interesting in that it was not that long after Schwabb standing down, wonder if there has been a directive internally to start following up with non paid up members to see if attitude has changed now that the 1st sacraficial lamb has found the chopping block. Had the leaders called the AFL's bluff and challenged the handing down of the fine when the club was not found guilty we could have saved a lot of money.

Oh yeah and before I forget, looking through this website, which I think is great, I am intrigued about the 3 faces on the right hand side at the top of the website. The other 5 are all legends for Melbourne, and it is insulting to have 3 that have done nothing to prove themselves in such prominence next to legends. The Ox better deserves to be there before them, fighting back from 3 knee reco's becuase of his passion for the club and the game, just wish that some of that past passion would rub off on them.

[fuchsia 37]

I haven't heard the presser yet, but I'd be tipping that the reason that Don is so shell-shocked is that he made the call to the AFL and they immediately organised Cam's departure. I have no information but I wouldn't be surprised if they (AFL) will pay Schwab out of his contract.

there was a 6 MONTH TERMINATION CLAUSE in his last contract when written.

this was obviously anticipated then & as such,absurd in the nature of decision making.by the pres.

[Young Dee 1,303]

Presser on MFC website:

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2013-04-09/cameron-schwab-and-don-mclardy-media-conference

[dee-luded 2,959]

Mclardy is talking gump. He won't last imo

did you ever get the impression it was a job given him, against his & the boards wishes?

Don't you think he would have been sacked before now if he was a problem? especially after the AFL/Caro inquisition...

I'm sure Cam isn't the catalyst, but a sacrifice to the Devil.

We will improve anyway, by getting senior players back on the park & regain fitness....

.

[Jaded No More 68,867]

I don't think the club sacked CS because they were looking for a scapegoat. If he really was doing a great job and was well liked, then it would have been much easier to sack a Neil Craig for example.

You don't sack a good CEO in response to bad on field performance. It makes no sense... Unless said CEO is consistently involving himself in footy matters and putting noises out of joints.

I'm not usually one to believe baseless rumours, but where there is so much smoke, there is a fire burning somewhere.

Who knows what impact this will have in both the short and long term, and only time will tell.

I certainly don't expect a finals campaign now.

[Carlos Danger 380]

Who will take over?

Critical....

That's where the AFL comes into it.

The "we want to help, just give us a call" speech from Demetriou more than likely led to McLardy making the call then having the talk with Schwab.

The way I perceive most successful CEO's in the AFL is they are either ridiculously passionate about the club and/or fantastic businessmen. Cameron was neither.

It would have been a tough thing for McLardy to do with what appears to be a lot of love for Schwab from the board but I am very grateful he did it, the club is a lot stronger for it.

[bing181 9,194]

... my own personal protest on a $500k fine from the AFL when the club chose to cave in and accept it and not fight it, think what we could have done with an extra $500k ! ... Had the leaders called the AFL's bluff and challenged the handing down of the fine when the club was not found guilty we could have saved a lot of money.

Welcome aboard.

I'd be taking out a membership, we need it more than ever. As for your reasons .. don't agree at all. We won that one, hands down. Only $500K for Hogan, Dawes and Barry ... where do we sign! No point bringing up the "we were found not guilty", that's where we won, because we were guilty as all hell (Bailey admitted as much in what he said to them.) The AFL DID back down (bigger fine, draft picks and penalty points lost, unfavorable scheduling, loss of CEO and/or Board members, and the ensuing loss of gaming license ... it just goes on and on ...) - and we agreed to a comparative slap on the wrist so that everyone saved face.

[bing181 9,194]

You don't sack a good CEO in response to bad on field performance. It makes no sense...

Tell that to some around here. If there are enough wolves at the door, whipped into a frenzy by a press that smells blood, it doesn't really matter how well you're doing your job.

[Carlos Danger 380]

If you happen to discover any logic one day, please re-read over my comments where I ALWAYS said the MFC know best and if they chose to get rid of him then I totally support it.

Your logic is blind faith?

Surely by now it's fairly obvious they haven't "known best" for a long long time.

[Pennant St Dee 13,118]

Not after his role in the tanking investigation, what is Eugene AROCA doing now

An interim CEO in the meantime..

As i mentioned last nite:

Adrian Anderson does something for Cricket Australia until mid year.. then..?

Id be talking to him now..

[45HG 1,539]

Of note is that he was originally sacked for being too involved with football matters. He's focused himself on the business side, which Mclardy says is fantastic, yet now he's sacked because, apparently, our football performance is poor.

We're not hearing the whole story and I think Don should be the next cab off the rank / hopefully a good, strong person comes forward to lead the club.

[stuie 7,374]

Your logic is blind faith?

Surely by now it's fairly obvious they haven't "known best" for a long long time.

I'm not at the club every day, are you?

So taking that into account, I trust the MFC to know better than me, or Range Rover, about what happens inside the club.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,219]

I haven't read the previous stuff on this issue so apologies if I'm repeating. I took no particular interest in the Schwab matter but apparently it was his turn to stand under the hospital handpass. There was a pommy bloke called Jeremy Bentham who made a big deal of the "greatest good for the greatest number". So Cam takes the hit - the rest of us keep our well paid jobs.

Reality. Win games of football and all will be forgiven and we will make a profit. That is the bottom line - win games of football.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Welcome aboard.

I'd be taking out a membership, we need it more than ever. As for your reasons .. don't agree at all. We won that one, hands down. Only $500K for Hogan, Dawes and Barry ... where do we sign! No point bringing up the "we were found not guilty", that's where we won, because we were guilty as all hell (Bailey admitted as much in what he said to them.) The AFL DID back down (bigger fine, draft picks and penalty points lost, unfavorable scheduling, loss of CEO and/or Board members, and the ensuing loss of gaming license ... it just goes on and on ...) - and we agreed to a comparative slap on the wrist so that everyone saved face.

Nup.

We caved. Absolutely humiliating it was.

And that's why what is happening now .,. is happening now.

Don's next out the gate.

[DemonWA 3,931]

I think CS can walk out with his head held high (from my perspective anyway)...

He has been a driving force behind us celebrating our history - Just the other day Vlad refered to us as the oldest Club in the land, as if that would have happened years ago?

We have a club emblem, not an ever changing logo. Old dee has his Blazers too.

Thanks for your hard work Cam

[Guest]

I believe true justice has now been served. Don't think this makes me a Bailey supporter as I am far from it. I believe he needed to go and he needed to be stronger in his dealing with CS and the club. When Schwab was sticking his hooter into the football department, Bailey needed to be a bigger man and tell the club 'Either this bloke gets out of the football department or I leave.' He would have left the club potentially viable as a coach. That he tried to play the game with CS and CC by buddying up with the players was his downfall.
But it needed to be said that Cameron needed to be relieved of his duties at the time of 186. Just because Bailey was wrong doesn't mean the CEO was right. It just showed they were both not suitable for their roles and both needed to be moved on. Garry said that if we were to fire both, the club would be seen to be falling apart. By not firing both, we looked slightly less calamitous but still calamitous. It then created a festering sore in which the players felt those above them were not being even handed and validated a bloke who had been a destructive influence.
That being said, Cameron seemed composed. One thing that can be said for him is that he has always been a polished media performer and a great talker. It's one of the reasons he has continued to get jobs in footy (and will probably continue to).

[Hardnut 327]

Yeah lets go back to unfit players, not trying to reach high standards in training or developing leaders, gee thats why we are in this mess in the first place

So you think that's what we've got at the moment - suggest you open your eyes!

[Range Rover 1,935]

I think CS can walk out with his head held high (from my perspective anyway)...

He has been a driving force behind us celebrating our history - Just the other day Vlad refered to us as the oldest Club in the land, as if that would have happened years ago?

We have a club emblem, not an ever changing logo. Old dee has his Blazers too.

All that for $2 million plus in CEO wages?

Hmmm ... seems worth it.

[DemonDan... 77]

Not after his role in the tanking investigation, what is Eugene AROCA doing now

Or Eugene..

I thought of A.Anderson 1st because he would know what Demetriou would be thinking short / long term for the game in general - and that sort of info would be invaluable to know..

Plus he has a great blend of business and people skills.. (but so does Arocca)

I wouldnt worry about the past - if Ando's the right person for the job and interested - we need a Gun Ceo right now..

[Hardnut 327]

And who will be left? Can it be ALL of their fault. How about the lazy players, or those who chose to under perform because they didn't like the CEO (presuming that was / is a factor).

Do you want to scrap the lot of them - staff, coaches, administrators, players, and start with a real clean slate? How about the fans too?

Read what I said - I only nominated two individuals.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

I'm happy cam is gone. None of us know the full story but some on here have bound cam and don together because of cams three year deal. Surely you can't do that now. If on face value don told cam to resign then don is attempting to do the right thing by the club and unite members and unite the footy department and the board. I hope we can resemble a team on the g this weekend.

[Range Rover 1,935]

I'm happy cam is gone. None of us know the full story but some on here have bound cam and don together because of cams three year deal. Surely you can't do that now.

Of course we can.

You can't endorse someone so feverishly, sign them up to a whopping three-year deal, then weeks later make an about face and give him the boot.

That's politics I'm afraid. Credibility shot.