Don McLardy on SEN

[Wormburner 674]

I don't know if anyone else caught the interview (I don't know if there is a link on the SEN site and 'm on my iPhone so can't post link sorry), but I have to say what a nice bloke and passionate supporter our man Don is.

To recap, they discussed briefly:

- said that when Jim passed, the club tried to show a strong and united front but it was a really difficult period for everyone;

- The tanking scenario, which he highlighted went as long as the Bombers supplement investigation; and

- Ox pointed out that also the Energy watch fiasco also.

Things they didn't discuss but what he had to deal with as a President:

- He had Schwab as a CEO.

- He had to go on his knees to the AFL asking for money.

- Liam Jurrah incident.

- Neeld as coach and our shocking run on the field.

Bloody hell, what a mess to deal with.

To finish off and the thing I loved the most about the interview was his passion for the club and optimism for our future.

Good on ya Don!!!!

[Redleg 40,981]

I don't know if anyone else caught the interview (I don't know if there is a link on the SEN site and 'm on my iPhone so can't post link sorry), but I have to say what a nice bloke and passionate supporter our man Don is.

To recap, they discussed briefly:

- said that when Jim passed, the club tried to show a strong and united front but it was a really difficult period for everyone;

- The tanking scenario, which he highlighted went as long as the Bombers supplement investigation; and

- Ox pointed out that also the Energy watch fiasco also.

Things they didn't discuss but what he had to deal with as a President:

- He had Schwab as a CEO.

- He had to go on his knees to the AFL asking for money.

- Liam Jurrah incident.

- Neeld as coach and our shocking run on the field.

Bloody hell, what a mess to deal with.

To finish off and the thing I loved the most about the interview was his passion for the club and optimism for our future.

Good on ya Don!!!!

He also had the racism issue to deal with.

[Elwood 3184 1,316]

He also had the racism issue to deal with.

How did that happen?

[beelzebub 23,380]

How did that happen?

an over zealous Mifsud. had own agenda

[Wormburner 674]

How did that happen?

From memory it was between Neeld and Flash. I believe Flash said a comment to the AFL's indigenous ambassador about Neeld either being too hard or ignoring them (something to that effect). The ambassador took his comments that Neeld was a racist, to which Flash had to correct him on.

But you're right Redleg, another one Don had to deal with.

[What 18,810]

good man is Don

Steered us through a very dark period to the best of his ability

Have nothing but respect for him

[Guest]

I liken Don to James Scullin (Australian Prime Minister when the Depression broke).
He was a good man who was overwhelmed by events. He made some gaffes (the stuff about 'fake supporters' pizzed me off no end) and made some bad decisions (resigning Schwab to 3 years off the back of a disastrous 2012 campaign being the biggest one) but the reason why things ultimately failed on his watch was because of the tidal wave of crises that engulfed the entire club. Some where of his doing but others were not.
I don't dislike Don at all but being a footy club president was clearly not his go. Got plenty of time for him though.

[Redleg 40,981]

Being a President of an AFL club is no easy gig. If you are winning flags you are great.

Look at Angus Johnson at the Lions. Highly regarded by the AFL, a Board member when they won 3 in a row. One decision, to get rid of Voss which was incidentally moved by the bloke who after that wanted to get rid of him and using that decision as the basis of getting rid of him and after a Legend gets involved and he is yesterday's fish and chips wrapper.

[old dee 23,801]

Now DM may be a throughly nice guy, a MFC supporter to his boot laces and someone who gave it his best shot.

I dare say he would have done a better job than me.

However he was VP and then President of the MFC through what may be judged as the worst period in our history

Certainly the worst in my memory.

Under his supervision we made some of the worst decisions in the history of the AFL

Resulting in us Being uncompetitive with probably the worst list in the AFL in 2013.

I cannot feel much more than anger towards him and the board he presided over.

I pray to God we are now moving up after having him at or near the helm over the last six years.

Please DM stay in the shadows.

Edited November 16, 2013 by old dee

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

Instead of calling the shots he was Schwab's puppet through and through IMO. Should never have been president but Schwab needed a stooge to manipulate upwards. I seriously doubt that a competent independent thinking presidential type like Jackson could have ever been tolerated by Schwab.

Edited November 16, 2013 by america de cali

[mjt 640]

I don't know if anyone else caught the interview (I don't know if there is a link on the SEN site and 'm on my iPhone so can't post link sorry), but I have to say what a nice bloke and passionate supporter our man Don is.

To recap, they discussed briefly:

- said that when Jim passed, the club tried to show a strong and united front but it was a really difficult period for everyone;

- The tanking scenario, which he highlighted went as long as the Bombers supplement investigation; and

- Ox pointed out that also the Energy watch fiasco also.

Things they didn't discuss but what he had to deal with as a President:

- He had Schwab as a CEO.

- He had to go on his knees to the AFL asking for money.

- Liam Jurrah incident.

- Neeld as coach and our shocking run on the field.

Bloody hell, what a mess to deal with.

To finish off and the thing I loved the most about the interview was his passion for the club and optimism for our future.

Good on ya Don!!!!

Good on ya Don great job!!! You must be joking,he went cap in hand to the AFL because of the putrid decisions made under his eye, yeah thanks don great job well done, remember when people where naming there starting 22 for the premiership in 2013 5 yrs after Watts, Scully and Trengove where taken, it's because of incompetent fools like Don is why we won 2 games this. year, would nearly go down as the worst AFL president of all time, lets all pat dumb Don on the back.

[stuie 7,374]

Good on ya Don great job!!! You must be joking,he went cap in hand to the AFL because of the putrid decisions made under his eye, yeah thanks don great job well done, remember when people where naming there starting 22 for the premiership in 2013 5 yrs after Watts, Scully and Trengove where taken, it's because of incompetent fools like Don is why we won 2 games this. year, would nearly go down as the worst AFL president of all time, lets all pat dumb Don on the back.

You really should stick to writing for People and Zoo.

Edited November 16, 2013 by stuie

[Wormburner 674]

Good on ya Don great job!!! You must be joking,he went cap in hand to the AFL because of the putrid decisions made under his eye, yeah thanks don great job well done, remember when people where naming there starting 22 for the premiership in 2013 5 yrs after Watts, Scully and Trengove where taken, it's because of incompetent fools like Don is why we won 2 games this. year, would nearly go down as the worst AFL president of all time, lets all pat dumb Don on the back.

Is that you Enyaw??

[mjt 640]

He turned a blind eye to CS, and every single one of you are paying the price for it now, and to little Stuie at least I read zoo instead of the putrid disgusting things you probably do with it.

[Cranky Franky 2,065]

Seems a thoroughly decent fellow who did his best but clearly not up to it. Only got on the Board because he was a friend of Jim. A dreadful blunder not to sack Schwab & Connolly when he had the chance in fact he extended CS's contract.

[mjt 640]

Seems a thoroughly decent fellow who did his best but clearly not up to it. Only got on the Board because he was a friend of Jim. A dreadful blunder not to sack Schwab & Connolly when he had the chance in fact he extended CS's contract.

Well put, mind you extended CS contract while under serious investigation, we only occupy the cheap seats, should never be let in a boardroom again.

[Matt Demon 1,473]

Great bloke

Shocking President

[Bitter but optimistic 22,242]

He turned a blind eye to CS, and every single one of you are paying the price for it now, and to little Stuie at least I read zoo instead of the putrid disgusting things you probably do with it.

He turned a blind eye to CS, and every single one of you are paying the price for it now, and to little Stuie at least I read zoo instead of the putrid disgusting things you probably certainly do with it.

[DemonFrog 1,354]

He well may be a nice guy but IMO was clearly not the right President for the issue the Club was facing.

Don term as President will not be fondle remembered by most and he appeared to be a AFL Yes man.

[mjt 640]

He well may be a nice guy but IMO was clearly not the right President for the issue the Club was facing.

Don term as President will not be fondle remembered by most and he appeared to be a AFL Yes man.

He wasn't an AFL yes man, what he did was make bad decisions that backed him into a corner, if he ran his personal dealings like he did at he MFC he would be living in a Government Commission Home, and sadly that's hard for some people to swallow but it's the truth.

[Craig Drinker 179]

Now DM may be a throughly nice guy, a MFC supporter to his boot laces and someone who gave it his best shot.

I dare say he would have done a better job than me.

However he was VP and then President of the MFC through what may be judged as the worst period in our history

Certainly the worst in my memory.

Under his supervision we made some of the worst decisions in the history of the AFL

Resulting in us Being uncompetitive with probably the worst list in the AFL in 2013.

I cannot feel much more than anger towards him and the board he presided over.

I pray to God we are now moving up after having him at or near the helm over the last six years.

Please DM stay in the shadows.

To be fair to Don, I don't think he had any aspirations to be President of the MFC and only took it on because Jimmy was deteriorating rapidly before everybody's eyes. Good on you Don for putting your hand up and I will never criticise anyone who is willing to taking something on and giving it their best shot in very trying circumstances.

If I ever bump into Don at the footy I will express these thoughts to him in person and give him a big pat on the back!

[DemonFrog 1,354]

He wasn't an AFL yes man, what he did was make bad decisions that backed him into a corner, if he ran his personal dealings like he did at he MFC he would be living in a Government Commission Home, and sadly that's hard for some people to swallow but it's the truth.

May be your right but once I saw the his acceptance of the $500K fine for not Tanking, I lost respect for the guy.

Call Don whatever you like, I will call a President who refuses to fight for his Clubs best interests an AFL Yes Man

We has such fun times being lead by these guys.

[mjt 640]

May be your right but once I saw the his acceptance of the $500K fine for not Tanking, I lost respect for the guy.

Call Don whatever you like, I will call a President who refuses to fight for his Clubs best interests an AFL Yes Man

We has such fun times being lead by these guys.

Would you go up to someone in a pub and fight them then ask for 50$, think about it, that dirty stinking rat in that picture standing at the front has a lot to answer for, there was fools on this forum that defended him until the day he stood down, blind leading the blind.

[Elwood 3184 1,316]

He turned a blind eye to CS, and every single one of you are paying the price for it now, and to little Stuie at least I read zoo instead of the putrid disgusting things you probably do with it.

Really?

Can you give us some specific detail as to what he was turning a blind eye to?

[rpfc 28,543]

You shouldn't have bothered jnrmac, this thread simply provided a vehicle for vitriol.

The failure of the McLardy presidency and of Schwab as CEO is there for all to see, document, lament, and move on from.

They're all Demons and they will be there when the tide turns and you can do what you like but I will be there singing the song with them - they are not evil.