Don McLardy resigns

[Whispering_Jack 31,267]

But Jack, if everything isn't Gardner's fault then whose fault is it? Seems I might have to go back to canp for reprogramming.

By the way, is it true that you are working on the ALP's 2013 election campaign?

"You voters are all idiots. We haven't been in power long enough for you to judge us. The government has never been more united. Anyway, it's all John Howard's fault."

I reckon that's a winner mate.

Nice change of direction but you haven't answered my question because you can't.

And in bringing up the coming federal election (which doesn't surprise me) you've highlighted exactly what's wrong with the type of political discourse you and the others are engaging in and which I've been so critical.

When I decide who gets my vote it will be for the party that has the most practical vision for the future and not anyone who's so blinkered in their thinking that they must look at the past failings of others to explain themselves.

[Ron Burgundy 8,588]

The AFL have virtually stepped in to run our club, that is the equivalent of the recievers coming into a failed business. It represents a failure of the highest order, and the responsibility for the rests with the Board and in particular the Chairman. That the oldest club in the competition, the club which virtually began the game itself, is named after our capital city and plays at the greatest venue in the land, has been reduced to this, is staggering.

I don't understand any apologists for the Board or Don McLardy, where's the anger, the fire? We are the shareholders of this business and it has been driven into the ground by those who took on the responsibility of running it. If Melbourne footy club were a business and we had all done our dough, I'm certain nobody would be excusing the Chairman's performance because he came in at a tough time or that he didn't really want the job or that he had the best of intentions. If he didn't want the job or was not up to it, he should never have taken it on.

I understand that these are voluntary positions but there is great kudos associated with a Board position on an AFL Club, and especially that of Chairman. The profile certainly wouldn't do your other interests any harm. The point is mute anyway - a individuals level of responsibility is not reduced when they don't take compensation.

I've often heard our Board called "well credentialed" and it is and has always been. Maybe we have had too many credentials and not enough time and enthusiasm? A case in point is the Stuart Grimshaw. As CEO of the Bank of Qld he is no doubt a clever guy with a great understanding of how an organisation should be run. I note that he is also President of Hockey Australia. He is now leaving because he has too much on, is that an admission that he always had too much on to give the MFC the time it deserved?

It worries me no end that now everyone is talking of Geoff Freeman becoming Chairman but he isn't sure if he wants the job or is in the right state of health to take it on. If he is not absolutely certain he wants or is physically up to the job, then we should draw the line through his name right away. I bet Collingwood wouldn't have to convince someone to take on their Presidency.

I write this because we deserve better. We deserve representation from quality people who want the job. People who have a fire in their belly and the time to give the task what it requires. At the very least we deserve and should demand a Board spill and an election. This club belongs to it supporters and we deserve a say in how it is run.

Not a perfect analogy IMO. It is more like the franchisor stepping to manage its brand and business by an inept franchisee. The underlying business has not failed - one of the business's franchisees simply cannot operate the underlying business to the expected standards of the franchisor.

Big difference. When receivers are appointed, the underlying business virtually always ultimately fails (or has failed and the receiver is simply selling off assets).

In this case, the franchisor (AFL) is stepping in with the intention of guaranteeing the viability of its franchise. I think this is a good result for us.

Even though it's obviously absolutely pathetic we're in this situation, the fact that the AFL is helping us out is a long way from a secured creditor appointing a receiver. A very long way from it.

I otherwise agree with the sentiments you've expressed in your post.

[jnrmac 20,302]

Gardner left this place in a horrible state while all the time telling us things were good and we were running at a profit. Unfortunately the boys club came in and made what seemed like good decisions regarding the footy dept but were found wanting.

Some of these decisions you move on from. Everyone was well intentioned. However the decision that is still unfathomable was the one to re-appoint Schwab. His first appointment was highly questionable. The extension of contract was a blunder of the highest order.

We have to go back to square one which PJ looks like doing. The scary part is there are no Demon people leading the call for change at the top. It is being left to external parties - the media, PJ, the AFL and the worst of all, Kennett.

Where are our supporters and leaders?? Who are the 'well heeled' supporters that should be leading the charge?? We need strength, smarts, passion, leadership, loyalty and money. I fear that we actually don't have anyone of the calibre we need.

[rpfc 28,964]

This is where you are completely wrong Jack. I don't think anyone here takes any pleasure about our situation

Uh-huh...

Not sure what you are objecting to. I agree with everything you say:

• The "cheap seats" supporters are idiots
• Anonymous people who have had serious concerns about their footy club are now over the moon that we are so stuffed that it is obvious to everyone
• But actually, the Mclardy era was very successful
• The football results over the last 6 years are actually someone else's responsibility/fault so it is probably unfair that Schwab and McLardy have been forced to leave
• Anyway, we should now just totally ignore the events of the last 6 years, even though they have been so successful
• Whilst we are an absolute laughing stock on and off the field to the extent that we have had to have an AFL appointed administrator come in and try to fix the mess, a mindless and meaningless one-liner from Andrew Demetriou several years ago demonstrates that we were totally worse off before anyway so congratulations everyone
• We need to get on with improving the club further (if that's even possible). I assumed you meant we should appoint Connolly as Chairman here on the basis of our strong recent record.

While I've got you WJ, where can I buy that kool-aid that you brought to the reeducation camp?

This is where you are completely wrong Jack. I don't think anyone here takes any pleasure about our situation

You were saying?

[Hazyshadeofgrinter 80]

Nice change of direction but you haven't answered my question because you can't.

lol

Everything is Gardner's fault:

I think it's undeniable that it inherited a financially stricken club with a decaying player list brought about by years of poor coaching, woeful development and diabolical list managementon.

Our on field results are Gardner's fault:

he main weakness of the Gardner years was that the eye was taken off the ball in respect to the core business of the club. By the end of 2006 the team was about to go into rapid decline with the impending retirements of many of the better players, our failure to promote a proper succession plan in on field leadership* and to recruit and develop younger players coming in to fill the void (see the recently revived "young guns" thread).

[* not having a go at Junior here but rather commenting on the lack of leadership depth at the club when Dean Bailey took over]

Our financial situaion is Gardner's fault:

Our disunity is Gardner's fault:

If we are going to look critically at the current Board and Schwab's performance, then the circumstances of the club they inherited and its condition both on and off the field at the time needs to be taken into account. It's fair comment to say that our finances were in a parlous state, that we were on the nose with the AFL and the MCC and that the new Board has been instrumental in turning all of those things around and doing so dramatically and effectively to the club's advantage.

This thread has been partly about unity and given suggestions by some that unknown former board members and/or employees have been feeding information to their friends in the media for the purpose of denigrating the Board and Schwab then we can't shirk from such discussion. Perhaps it might merit its own separate thread if anything further arises.

Our sponsorship issues were Gardner's fault:

I'm getting a bit tired of the blame game on this sponsorship issue. People might want to go back years and blame Gardner and Harris, they might want to blame PMac.

Gardner was worse, also pathetic for resigning:

I don't believe that Kennett (a man who, when questioned, didn't know the club song) is a realistic candidate but our greatest fear should be that these latest rumblings might see the emergence of another group of people of the ilk of the Szondy regime which left tax bills unpaid in a cupboard and the club chairman walked out without facing the members at an AGM. That's governance?

Can we see worse than what we have now? We've had them.

Schwab's resignation was Gardner's fault:

Cameron Schwab was forced to resign as a result of our abysmal on field performance which most of us around here have identified as being due to a number of factors ranging back some time and encompassing different boards, different ceo's, different coaches and playing groups.

Cancer is Gardner's fault:

The cancer at the club began long before Stynes took over in 2008 although reading this and many other threads you would hardly know it.

[The Chazz 4,077]

It is known that Jimmy was one of the people who wanted to keep CS after the 186 event - mainly because they believed loosing both coach at once would have been to unstable for the club.

Personally I think that was the right decision. Having both president, coach and CEO turnover in the same year wouldn't have been an ideal situation for the club to be in, would have been hard to control, possible adverse effect on sponsorship, effect on players, would be hard to manage and control, issue of who would be intrim CEO, care taker coach all at once and possible negative stigma on new possible replacements.

Why CS was kept onwards after MN was chosen beats me, possibly to see if it could work with him and a new coach/FD including Craig. Clearly just prolonged the inevitable.

2013;

President - gone

CEO - gone

Coach - watch this space

Funny how in 2013 it will help the Club, but back in 2011 it wouldn't have been ideal.

(Nb. I'm not having a go at you PJ!)

[titan_uranus 25,209]

Hazy, whether you're right, wrong, or otherwise, the more you keep posting in the current manner, the more most people will be sick of reading you.

Maybe more people would have listened to what you were saying if you said it civilly?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Actually for the record when Hazy was one of the few lone voices of dissent on the current board, he was treated with the widespread abuse from a village torch bearing lynch mob. Now that the yak fat has burnt off the torches, it seems those memories have gone too.

It's ironic those calling for the end of the partisan politics have been front and centre on history revisionism to fabricate the facts.

It is indeed interesting that those people are being exposed now in the light of day.

[Nasher 33,617]

Anyone else find this banter really tedious?

[mjt 640]

Anyone else find this banter really tedious?

Would be nice to have some positive threads, the place has been a disaster since the Energy Watch fallout, it' seems everyday since then when I buy the Sun I think to myself what bad news wil be in there today.

[Whispering_Jack 31,267]

lol

Everything is Gardner's fault:

Our on field results are Gardner's fault:

Our financial situaion is Gardner's fault:

Our disunity is Gardner's fault:

Our sponsorship issues were Gardner's fault:

Gardner was worse, also pathetic for resigning:

Schwab's resignation was Gardner's fault:

Cancer is Gardner's fault:

Not even close to answering the question asked which was:

Are you able to point to one post on the site where anyone (other than yourself) has claimed that everything is Gardner's fault?

You've even found one that mentions Szondy so you're a big fail based on your own criteria.

When you go back to the reeducation camp try the course on reading and comprehension. It might help.

[Whispering_Jack 31,267]

Would be nice to have some positive threads, the place has been a disaster since the Energy Watch fallout, it' seems everyday since then when I buy the Sun I think to myself what bad news wil be in there today.

Glad to see that you've woken up mjt.

I've been trying to steer this thread onto the positive path where we should be going in the post McLardy (and now post Neeld) era but as you can see, we're being held back even here by some negative forces that delight in hijacking threads.

I agree Nasher, this is getting tedious.

Would you like to pull the plug or will I?.

[Demonland 73,834]

Glad to see that you've woken up mjt.

I've been trying to steer this thread onto the positive path where we should be going in the post McLardy (and now post Neeld) era but as you can see, we're being held back even here by some negative forces that delight in hijacking threads.

I agree Nasher, this is getting tedious.

Would you like to pull the plug or will I?.

No, let me do it.