Dr. Gonzo

I went just about every week with my dad, uncle and cousin all over Melbourne when they still had most of the suburban grounds in the late 80's. Never really had a choice but wouldn't have mattered if I did I was red and blue through and through an even converted some primary school mates to the dark side which I bet they regret now! My dad said I could support anyone I wanted but if it was anyone other than Melbourne I'd have to sleep outside. Garry Lyon cemented it for me though from 1988-1990 I wouldn't hear a bad word about him. Darren Bennett was also a favourite but then injuries struck them and a bloke called Allen Jakovich came onto the scene burning brightly but all too quick. Having them make regular finals and GF during my formative years can't have hurt retaining me as a supporter, my earliest memory of a game was round 1, 1988 when we smashed Richmond. All I remember is leaving walking around the back of the old Southern Stand and Tony Campbell kicking a bag. I recently got a copy of the Channel 7 replay of this game (and many others from that era) and I can't remember a thing from the game other than we smashed the Tiges. I think I went to games in 1987 as a 5 year old but I can't remember them though I do remember being at the Show on PF day 1987 with my then-Hawks cousin (now Richmond like his old man) and getting regar updates from staff during the day. That was devastating when I heard we lost after everyone told us we'd been winning all day though not as devastating as the following year when I was up at the crack of dawn watching the GF Marathon and U19's GF ready to go and watch the Mighty Demons in my first GF after seeing them the week before at Waverley and going to training during the week only to be told by my old man as he left that he couldn't get a ticket for me! I was shattered but then the game happened and after half time I switched off and went and kicked the footy in the backyard reenacting how I thought the game should have gone with Melbourne winning of course.

The sad part is we lost a great thread by bananas titled "Run, run, run" which was a pretty good analysis of part of the reason why our team continues to flounder.

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.

I thought that quote was ridiculous as well - did he watch a different pre season to us? He must have because the one I saw was quite putrid and I certainly didn't think we were going OK watching it.

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.

Thanks for the insights RobbieF I really do appreciate stuff like this and it's not like you're divulging sensitive club info or talking out of school. I think it's disgusting to be treated in such a manner particularly considering you are one of the supporters actually digging into their pockets to keep this club alive and allow the likes of Schwab etc to be able to say "look at all the money we've raised/debt we've demolished". No one does that for the plaudits they do it for the love if the club but its fair to say a little recognition wouldn't hurt. If I spoke with someone for an hour one week and then ignored them completely the next at my job I'd find myself on the outer pretty quickly. You don't expect them to memorise 30,000 members but if you attend functions regularly, donate significant amounts of your hard earned and engage in lengthy discussions with some of these guys you'd expect they'd at least remember you and you'de expect they may at least make the effort to acknowledge the people in the room not just those who can help them climb up the ladder. It's the difference between an inclusive club and a soulless franchise.

What's the point? They'll only fob you off with a glib stock standard response from a call centre employee anyway.

I agree the players and coaches need to be blamed/held accountable for the weekend. However Schwab is in the gun too and not on the back of one game. He is a senior leader of this club, why have we not heard a goddamn thing from him since the weekend when the supporters are bleeding following another inept performance and the realisation of get another long year to endure under his tenure? In an article this morning it stated in over 15 years of Schwab being a CEO at different clubs only 1 year a club has made the finals! 1 year!! Despite the fact he does not line up at CHF his administrations are abject failures when it comes to a footy clubs prime objective, to win games of footy.

It's been reported in the media numerous times, has not been refuted by the club and has been verified by those with links to the club like Lyon. If you really don't believe that Schwab was going to be sacked on the eve of 186 and think its all just some conspiracy to tarnish his name I really don't see how you can offer anything of substance. There is supporting the club and then there is blindly following the pied piper.

It's part of what's wrong with our culture - it's one thing to not air dirty laundry it's another to keep these exclusive cliques that view long term loyal supporters with contempt (see Schwab's last post on Demonland - I'd bump the thread but it was locked by a mod). BTW not having a go at you in particular RF there are many on here who elude to things but fail to elaborate as the rank and file are not part of the inner circle or boys club.

You've got rocks in your head mate, not gonna waste my time banging my head against a brick wall when you just continue to deflect and fail to address simple questions. You still claim Schwab is responsible for our facilities despite the fact its been pointed out multiple times this was set up by the prior board. You're a dead set joke, keep playing the sycophant though if that's what floats your boat.

The best stat in football is still that since 1982 Fitzroy has made the finals more times than Richmond. I love it how this continues to hold up year after year.

There is a stat "Hit-Outs to Advantage" recorded by Champion Data however they refuse to release this info publicly and none of the media sources seem to think analytical stats are worthwhile. Suffice to say his stats in that area would be well below 4th. When we re-signed him last year for 3 years I though it was a huge mistake and I stick by that. 3 years for a bloke who has had one passable season in his 10 year career - ridiculous.

Why was the club going to sack him on the eve of 186? You seem incapable of answering this simple question.

Membership decreased last year and will again this year - that is shrinking. What happened before Schwab is irrelevant - the business model under Schwab is unsustainable. Sponsors have been largely gained through efforts of supporters and one in particular (Hankook) was disenfranchised and pulled his money despite being a long term supporter of the MFC. The article you referred to he is praised by McLardy who just reappointed him - wow what a surprise! After 186 we sacked the coach but the CEO's head was on the chopping block the day before? Why? You've failed to answer that.

The players are part of (the most important part of) the club. All you are doing in this thread is proving you have NFI whatsoever about the operations of a modern day professional footy club. You've still failed to answer how Schwab has been successful considering the facilities were set up by the previous admin, the business model is unsustainable, our membership base has shrunk and will shrink again this year and the performance of the club/team has gone backwards at worst and failed to improve at best in the last couple of years. Why do you think he was on the verge of being sacked in 2011 before Bailey got the chop? Or do you think that is just more conspiracies to unseat the great man?

And the CEO, President and board are responsible for the coaches and players they appoint.

You just don't get it... Taking your argument, if Neeld is the odd one out who appointed him? Should those people be held responsible for the performance of the person they appointed? Or do we just keep sacking coaches and letting the same people choose another and then another?

Maybe one day the penny will drop that pro sports clubs are nothing without strong leadership at the top and that the performance of the team is often a reflection of the leadership of the clubs admin. Yes the players and coaches need to also be held accountable for Sundays efforts but when this has been an ongoing feature of the club for several years it is more than just that. Why can the Bulldogs, Power, Suns and Giants give spirited performances in round 1 despite being just as terrible as us last yer? Why are Tigers, Bombers and Kangas challenging for finals when not too long ago we were on a par with them? Something is seriously wrong at the club to quote Paul Roos and its not just the coach and players.

One and the same.

I agree we can't sack anyone after round 1 but this performance for me is the straw that broke the camels back and will be the catalyst for change later in the year. The decision for me has been confirmed now and the club if it were serious should start scouting replacements for Schwab. A successful sports team cannot exist without a successful admin and this is true for any pro sports comp in the world. Schwab doesn't play CHF but he does lead the club as its CEO and so he is ultimately accountable for the on-field performance (along with yes the coach, players, President and board) if it fails after several years to improve at all.

Can we have the AGM in October as well instead of February? By February a lot of things from the prior year are forgotten and/or swept under the rug, many supporters minds aren't as focused on the footy and the club is likely to answer any probing questions about the previous year with platitudes such as "we have a new season upon us now and are looking forward, not back" etc etc

Maybe if we're lucky he'll grace us with his presence on here to ridicule the most loyal and passionate supporters the club has like he did last time.

How has he rebuilt our facilities? Our business is founded on an unsustainable model of handouts and donations. Media most certainly is a part of his job. Where is he? Haven't heard boo from him for quite some time. He was the CEO of the club at the time therefore responsibility ultimately falls to him. I think they did the right thing by the club in securing the PP but if there is a hangover of division within the club remaining from this then he has to bear ultimate responsibility for that.

It was a comment along the lines of the MFC being a club that was about anything but football - apparently as relayed to him by Neeld as Neeld's first perception of the club on arrival.