Rflowerwing

I feel for Cameron Schwab. Luring a major sponsor will be Mission Impossible. (Pun intended).......

Sorry for Schwab? You're kidding, right?

He's on $500k pa plus. At the top of his job description is the identification, signing and management of relationships with major sponsors. He has failed abjectly with this project.

What has he got to say for himself? "Melbourne is about rebuilding on a long-term basis." Talk about inane. I would have thought a $4.5 million sponsorship would have gone some way to ensuring our long-term future which now remains in grave peril.

I hope you feel as sorry for Bailey when we walk off the ground after a belting from the Bullies.

Exactly what has Schwab achieved in his time at the Club? Hired high priced help to do his job for him, designed a logo to go on the bottom of Club emails and put in a jockstrap sniffing appearance at training the first day back after the break.

Great, just great!

I understand our last/only major sponsorship prospect fell over in the weeks leading up to Christmas. As I understand it, the company was a Mexican-based food manufacturer.

....like I said.

I'm waiting for pitmaster to blame this disaster on Gardner and Harris.

Keeping up the reputation of the Politburo in at the Kremlin as the greatest tossers in the game. They are totally out of touch with the real world and the struggle street out here in Clubland.

Imagine how the embattled secretary of some Club out in the Wimmera would feel reading about a 2 week, all expenses paid rort for three of them when the money involved could sustain a country Club for a full season.

On the Monday after last year's Grand Final when the players from the participating teams were enjoying the now-traditional "Mad Monday" if you rang AFL headquarters after noon you got a recorded message saying that the office was closed for the day.

Why?

Because all the suits were having a "Mad Monday" of their own.

In my office we don't all close the joint down and head for the pub on, for example, the afternoon of the Company's Annual General Meeting.

"Before you contradict an old man, my fair friend, you should endeavor to understand him".

George Santayana

US (Spanish-born) philosopher (1863 - 1952)

Tell us more O Wise One...and you can start by answering my query

Pearls before swine.

RF,

While this is a "members" forum, may I resepctfully suggest that you and the Demonland moderators acquaint yourselves with the libel laws.

RF, you are walking on some very thin ice at present.

Debate is great and welcome, but let's not get personal..........shall we?

OK - how's this then?

"...a CEO on whose watch MFC salary cap rorts occurred and were revealed costing the club a fortune in ATO and AFL fines and draft pick penalties"?

Schwab did not initiate the salary cap rorts. They occurred in seasons 1995-98 inclusive. Schwab was appointed CEO in 1997. The decision as whether to come clean on what had been happening was the cause of the falling out between Schwab and Gutnick.

Truth is an absolute defence in a defamation proceeding.

And BTW - ever stop to think "Who were the players in receipt of the under the counter payments?".

"What would you have done in the Boardroom in November 2003 when evaluating the Primus and LG offerings?"

Answer the question.

"The main reason we lack a sponsor at present is a thing called the global financial crisis, which, of course, is not the current administration's fault".

Actually I have it on good authority from pitmaster that Harris and Gardner were also responsible for the global financial crisis.

"Think about it, the lack of a current sponsor cannot be blamed on Jimmy or Schwaby and the current Board".

Under the terms of the expiring sponsorship deal Primus had until 31 July to commit to a new sponsorship. Any hope that this might have gone in our favour went out the window with the sacking of our CEO and key negotiator, Paul McNamee, by Stynes 8 days earlier.

"None of this matters except that the club must not repeat the mistakes of the past when that amateur ad-man and dupe of the smooth talkers ran the club".

So why don't I feel better now that the Club is run by a ruckman and a CEO on whose watch MFC salary cap rorts occurred and were revealed costing the club a fortune in ATO and AFL fines and draft pick penalties?

"There are none so blind as those who will not see".

Apart from indulging in (erroneous) speculation as to what I have stored on my computer have you listened to a word I've said? I could be equally puerile and claim that you had the October 2003 release all along and knew that Harris did not join the Club until the following July when you implicated Harris in the LG/Primus transition. But like I said, this would be puerile.

You started out saying the Primus deal was entered into by "mugs" and named Gardner and Harris. Wrong on all counts. And even after all this you persist with this:

"OK it still looks like it was Gardner and not Harris who wanted to be the hero and delivered Primus and cost us LG which leaves us sponsorless now".

I'll ask you again - what would you have done in the Boardroom in November 2003 when evaluating the Primus and LG offerings? To say that entering into a superior 5 year deal in 2003 has left us sponsorless now is ridiculous even by your standards.

At his first Chairman's address Stynes said this:

"...we need to unite and rebuild relationships with key sponsors and donors who have given generously over the years, while also pursuing new opportunities that this new era of leadership and unity will bring..."

The only reason we are sponsorless now is the failure of Stynes and his Board to either renew the Primus deal or replace Primus with an equivalent or better major sponsor. Such a transition was within the capabilities of the discredited Szondy/Ellis administration. The inability of Stynes/Schwab to match this achievement is full of ominous significance for the Club.

How's that hamstring RFW? You over-reached that time.

You know the treatment: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation, then gentle stretching, but very gentle because you're prone to over-doing it.

Fact: Szondy annointed Gardner as president as early as August 2003.

I was wrong in linking it to Harris but that's for other reasons. The basic point remains. New Boy Syndrome. OK it still looks like it was Gardner and not Harris who wanted to be the hero and delivered Primus and cost us LG which leaves us sponsorless now.

Gardner even had the endorsement (now this is weird) of Robert Flower for the second half of 2003.

You obviously belong to the David Irving school of revisionist history. You don't want the facts to detract from a full head of bitterness. Now listen up because I'm only going to say this once:

- Szondy indicated his support for Gardner to succeed him as Chairman at the round 22 game held on 30 August 2003. The Chair was not Szondy's to give. Under the Constitution the Chairman is elected at the first meeting of the Board following the AGM. Gardner was elected as Chairman on 28 January 2004.

- the Primus deal was finalised in November 2003. Harris had no role in this - it was 7 months before he joined the Club. It began with a chance meeting between Szondy and Primus MD Greg Wilson (on a golf course). The nuts and bolts of the deal were thrashed out by MFC CEO Ray Ellis and signed off by the Board of the day. Gardner's role in this was to be one of 10 Directors approving the deal. Equally culpable in your book was Director at the time, Robbie Flower. The "basic point" does not remain. Your "New Boy Syndrome" is a product of your fevered imagination.

- the Primus deal was significantly more attractive than the expiring LG deal. Total $$$ were greater and significantly the LG deal had a significant element of product in it. Even worse, for the calculation of the value of the sponsorship the LG product had been valued at full retail prices not the value MFC could achieve from the product it then had to dispose of. The Primus deal was largely cash. Even after this LG were given the option of matching the Primus deal and were unable or unwilling to do so. Just what was Szondy and the Board at the time supposed to do given this scenario? If you think moving from LG to a new, more lucrative 5 year deal with Primus makes them "mugs" then your head is so far up your backside that you can make friends with your toothbrush.

- the "Club call" element of the Primus deal involved a rebate on call charges billed to MFC members transferring to Primus to be paid to the MFC. If, as appears to be the case from a mate of mine's recent Primus bill, these amounts are still being paid to the Club then those who negotiated a deal which continued to benefit the Club after expiry of the sponsorship itself are bloody geniuses in my book. On the other hand, if these rebates are appearing on Primus bills to customers but not being paid to the Club then the Stynes/Schwab administration are incompetent.

You won't find a harsher critic than me of the Szondy/Ellis administration but if you want to be a credible critic then (i) you need to get your facts right, and (ii) you need to be able to recognise the good along with the bad.

I stand corrected - so it was Gardner after all and not Harris. Thanks for digging that out. I'll readjust my bitterness.

Wrong again.

Szondy was Chairman at the time the LG deal ended and the Primus deal commenced. Gardner was elected as Chairman in January 2004.

More readjustment required.

No I'm not - that was the point of asking flowerwing for what he knew - Harris was appointed in June 2004 - when the LG deal ended I am not sure. I think Harris unloaded LG but while you say I don't have much at all I made the point I was willing to be corrected. I'm still waiting.

The first Members Email of season 2004 dated 15 January 2004 is headed up with the Primus header. From memory the deal was signed in November 2003.

The Club announcement of Harris' appointment occurred on 24 June 2004.

Here is the wording of the announcement

MEDIA RELEASE

Melbourne Football Club appoint new Chief Executive Officer

The Melbourne Football Club today appointed Mr Steve Harris as the new Chief Executive Officer.

Following an exhaustive search, Mr Harris was chosen from an original field of seventy-seven and an ultimate shortlist of five candidates.

Club Chairman, Paul Gardner, said that Mr Harris had proven skills in strategic development within a highly competitive and public business arena.

“Steve has managed both large organisations and start-ups. He has strong management and communications skills and also knows Melbourne extremely well. We are incredibly fortunate to have him join our exciting new team.”

Steve Harris commented, “I am excited by this opportunity. The Melbourne Football Club is at a pivotal time in its history. While the Club clearly has some challenges, there are some really positive signs with a new sense of unity and expertise at Board and management level, and an exciting team on the field.

Some clear and hard thinking is coming to the fore, as is the resolve and sense of purpose at what is an iconic sporting business, which has underperformed for some time. It has real potential,” he said.

Mr Gardner praised John Phillips’ role as Interim Managing Director over the last six months, saying, “I don’t think we could have had such a successful outcome without John. He’s kept the Club on track and operational during a very difficult time and has been well supported by Rob Ewart, Danny Corcoran and the entire management team”.

Previously, Mr Harris was the founder and Managing Director of ViaMedia Melbourne, publisher of the MELBOURNE magazine. He will remain a non-executive director of this business.

Prior to ViaMedia, Mr Harris had held the role of Publisher (CEO) of The Age Company for four years and Editor-in-Chief of the Herald and Weekly Times Group from 1992 to 1997. He is the only person to have Editor-in-Chief positions of both major Melbourne newspaper companies.

A Trustee of the Victorian Arts Centre, Life Member of the Melbourne Press Club and Board Member of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Mr Harris is married with three children.

He will begin with the Melbourne Football Club on the 5th July 2004.

ENDS

For further information:

Ildi Ireland or Leigh Newton

Melbourne Football Club

Tel: 0411 759 426 or 0419 355 762

You were saying?

Steve Harris dumped LG and brought in Primus.

Wrong. Primus was identified and signed before Harris joined the Club.

Makes the rest of your post a bit redundant, eh?

Why would collingwood give a sponsor away in the current climate? this makes absolutly no sense, sounds more like an attempt to back door us for one of our best players, I'm suprised the team from visy wasn't behind this one!

There is a finite number of sponsorship properties a Club can sell and then fulfil.

There is also the potential for clash with an incumbent sponsor so we would have to say "No" to an approach from the Herald Sun because of our existing deal with the Age.

WCE have a waiting list of potential sponsors across most $$$ sponsorship bands.

Do you think I would come on here and just make the Collingwood/Green story up?

Its more reliable than your "opinion" that its two year contract.

Still ready to take on the bet for the benefit of MFC, shooter.

While I normally share your healthy scepticism, Rhino, I give this rumour some credence.

I understand our last/only major sponsorship prospect fell over in the weeks leading up to Christmas. As I understand it, the company was a Mexican-based food manufacturer.

To show how far we have fallen, Collingwood were approached by a potential sponsor late last year. Collingwood had no interest but offered to introduce their unwanted suitor to the MFC in return for our agreement that they pitch to Brad Green and his management in the trade period.

I’ve never really made New Year’s resolutions but in an attempt to bring some semblance of balance to my life, I’ve decided to alter my approach to the way in which I support my football team.

"Loyalty, at least in football terms, was not a moral choice like bravery or kindness; it was more like a wart or a hump, something you were stuck with". Nick Hornby "Fever Pitch".

You are familiar with this sentiment, 'Vibes.

Since when did a hunchback have any say over the shape of his hump?

Well times have changed since the first few posts here. CAC was a dud in my opinion. Dunn could possibly not make it, seems less than likely at this stage, frawley has question marks, Newton wont, and buckley im not so sure about. Add Molan, Rodgers and others it seems the drafting he did was nothing short or disastrous.

You could look at any recruiting manager over an 11 year period, identify 2 or 3 that didn't work and label him a dud.

But if we are being selective let's look at the 1997 Rookie Draft. This was the first rookie draft - some clubs eg St Kilda and Brisbane thought it such a waste of time they did not participate. CAC came away with Bassett (210), Ward(136), Bishop(150), Robertson(215 n.o.) and J MCDonald(217 n.o.).

That's 2 All-Australians and 928 games.

Dud? Yeah, right!!

Well, I would like to see a transcript or quote word for word of what Stynes said. I believe you have taken him well out of context in this thread.

I heard the interview live to air.

Stynes said unequivocally that we will not play finals next season. If you want a transcript, ring Media Monitors.

I haven't been a CJ fan in the past but had to admit he did show some form last year. At the beginning of next season he will be 23 and the next few years will be his best. We have done the hard yards with him and it would be a shame if he went elsewhere and played his best footy. Its not like we have some up and coming half back flanker that can replace him!

Grimes and Petterd spring to mind as being ahead of him in the queue for a HBF spot amongst our up and comers.

So much for the AFL working closely with a new Board that they have confidence in.

The Kremlin theory is sort of like treating someone with malnutrition by putting them on a starvation diet.

As for Schwabbie - he's in Vlad's office, bent over the desk, his pants around his ankles and Vlad is assuming the position behind him. Is Schwabbie going to "stick it up Demetriou and the AFL" which seems to be a popular theory amongst our people? Or is it the reverse?

Go and list all 22 games and then I'll back you.

You should have backed me, oh ye of little faith.

RF, where did you hear/read this reported?

And what, he didn't want to travel to Casey regularly?

Let's just say that I received this information from the best possible source.

Williams lives in an inner north western suburb. The relative attractiveness for at least part of the year of the Whitten Oval v Casey Fields is a legitimate consideration for a professional, career coach. Proximity of home to workplace is one (of a number of) factors we all would consider when weighing up a job offer.

Plus none of them got the chance to help the Melbourne Football Club win a Premiership while they were a player in the 80s and 90s (or admin like Schwab) and they have a BURNING desire to help the Demons win a flag this time around.

...but that's just it - every single one of them had the chance to win us a flag and came up short. No doubting the burning desire mind you.

The answer I was looking for was that in their combined 250 years or so of experience in AFL football in a range of roles including player, coach, chairman, director, CEO, administrator and media commentator, none of them have first hand experience of what it takes to be an AFL premiership quality team and organisation.

That is why people like Bailey, Wellman and Mahoney (and the departed Williams) are of such crucial importance to our future and why the Mates should let them get on with the job without interference.

did rocket eade coach williams? if so maybe he has good info on williams or friends etc

Eade personally recruited him and coached him at the Swans for seasons 2001 and (part) 2002.

Whatever the negativity here about Williams, it was clearly not shared by the Football Dept of the MFC who had offered him a new contract which he rejected in favour of the Bullies. Casey was an important consideration in his final decision.

Williams is widely regarded as one of the more promising assistant coaches in the AFL system.

At least no-one can say we're not entitled to massive compensation in the millions for the unfair playing field the AFL presents us with every year.

Yes they can. Try most of the footy media eg Dwayne Russell, Jake Niall, Greg Denham plus the Presidents of a number of other clubs eg Kennett and Saunders (Crows) plus some who should know better eg Connolly, G Lyon plus many of our supporters including on Demonland who are all too ready to trot out the "welfare", "life-support" and "we must be financially independent of the AFL" garbage.