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Very impressive 
Toast Welcome to Carlton Brian Cook
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I liked his 'players to watch'/'excited to see next season' answer too; TDK, then Cerra, Marchbank & Fisher
ferrisb
Brownlow Medallist
Cook answers fans' questions
Chief Executive Officer Brian Cook answers your questions in this edition of People's Presser.www.carltonfc.com.au
Intro – been a big month, he’s tired!
On field expectations – want to see improvement and consistency in work-rate, being ultra-competitive. Doesn’t focus on specific # of wins. Looking for improvements throughout the whole club.
Rebuild – every club is always looking to improve its list. Aiming to get to the stage where list supports sustained success. Still got a way to go. Need to identify and develop competitive advantage.
Breakout players – TDK, Cerra, Marchbank if he gets fit, Fisher. But seriously how exciting is TDK?!?!
Biggest surprise/standouts – much less turmoil than being portrayed by the media. So much more stable than most ppl think, although can always have more direction. Some good talent, good people, club is resource-rich. Nice and welcoming club. Needs more diversity (like a lot of AFL clubs).
Club’s biggest weakness – not totally dedicated to the plan and values, perhaps plan not ‘owned’.
Culture – going to take time. Will hold workshops/forums, will help to develop biz plan, with mission, vision, values, KPIs. Important to get right ppl, with right values. Player leadership team as important as executive leadership.
Football philosophy – club needs to be team-driven. Players, marketing, backline, admin etc. All about working together. Important to lead teams, not just individuals. Ppl should have faith in current people/leaders. Everyone on the same path, not deviating.
Successor – always training up a successor. About six CEO that have come through him. Looking for a COO type, who has broad understanding of ops including footy. It's not as simple as making most successful/senior person CEO.
Biggest impact/changes so far – being part of hiring Voss. We have too many sub-committees, will be reduced. Would like clarity around board vs management, don’t want them getting in each other’s way. (Ed: Yeah, STFU billionaires!!!!). New indigenous support staff coming in.
People over talent – talent is often overestimated (in importance). Character can be more important. Costa was a ‘character-first’ person and he’s taken that on board. Character needs to be in alignment with club. So important to get the right ppl.
Replacing Liam Jones – working with AFL on ‘compensation’. Prob won’t be the only club, so AFL needs to be conservative. (Ed: the word compensation was in the Q, and Cook used the word loosely)
Why Carlton? – Not ready to retire. Great opportunity to apply all the experience and skills he’s gained over 30 years and hopefully changing club to be long-term success.
Leadership – do what you say, about other people not you, trying to help lead them to where they want to go.
What is non-negotiable? Core values. Club’s purpose is key too, but you can drift a little. But not on values.
Goals at Carlton? Long-term – premiership. Short-term – putting biz plan into place and achieving steps along the way, like making finals, moving towards 100K members.
Redeveloping Princes Park to host AFL games – flat out not going to happen. Would cost $300-400M, and smaller crowds would hurt our game receipts. Forget it. But the ground redevelopment is going well, great facilities; museum, admin spaces, training, event space etc.
Making MCG our sole home ground – flat out not going to happen. AFL own Marvel and are in charge of fixturing. Zero chance we move to MCG 100%. But some chance of playing more games there (wasn’t too convincing on that last bit)
Letting fans in to see ground redevelopment – not while it’s a building site, but keen to have fan tours once up and running. Maybe a year away?
Letting fans to see training – COVID still an issue. But whenever we can do it, we will do it.
Doch update – has completed his last treatments, super keen to start rehab/football recovery. So impressed with his manner and determination. Boys shaving hair was awesome sign of solidarity.
Mental health – players have plenty of options; we have our own full-time psych, plus AFLPA support, plus independent service provider.
Separating from gambling – not sure the club has a formal position. If we decide to, it will take time, as it takes time to replace $$$. Took Geelong eight years.
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The Old Dark Navy's
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Biggest impact/changes so far – being part of hiring Voss. We have too many sub-committees, will be reduced. Would like clarity around board vs management, don’t want them getting in each other’s way. (Ed: Yeah, STFU billionaires!!!!). New indigenous support staff coming in.
So long recruiting sub-committee. SOS was right here.
So long recruiting sub-committee. SOS was right here.
Loved the interview. Our biggest offseason recruit
In a world full of bulltish artists, Cook is immediately identifiable as a stand-up guy.
A leader you would work with, not plot behind.
A leader you would work with, not plot behind.
unless your only involvement is in one of those excess committees or perhaps a board/coterie/etc member who wants more influence...
dare say those types, if still involved, might be weeded out soon enough
Not just by the media, some of our supporters sharing so called information/facts
Cook answers fans' questions
Chief Executive Officer Brian Cook answers your questions in this edition of People's Presser.
I watched this and I'm really confused. I feel like I'm being spoken to by a genuine, honest, humble, competent human being rather than a marketing machine. I don't know what to do!!
PS Club is in bloody good hands IMO.
Was on SEN this morning too, 9min interview, obvisouly covers some of the same stuff as the club interview yesterday but also covers some other topics too
player.whooshkaa.com
Carlton CEO Brian Cook (19/11/21)
How he has been "pleasantly surprised" by the talent at Princes Park, Michael Voss' primary mission with his assistants to focus on the technical elements, his discomfort over Liam Jones' decision to retire rather than be vaccinated against COVID-19, how the Blues will pursue a replacement, why...
Cripps2Walsh
Debutant
Incredibly refreshing interview to listen to. Chalk and cheese to Cain Liddle.
BlueGum
Navy Blue
ferrisb
Brownlow Medallist
That's also the general nature of leaks/info.
No one rings up a mate and says 'hey, I just had a really uneventful week' or 'hey, you wanna hear the latest goss at Carlton? Everything is going smoothly'.
But you ring up and say 'you'll never guess what I overheard' or 'SOS and Liddle don't get along'. Never mind that SOS and Liddle each get on fine with 100 other people (well, maybe not SOS nor Liddle in this example
)Think about this... how often do you call up a phone/internet/utility company to tell them everything was working as it should? Now compare that to how often you call when your internet cuts out for more than 5 mins....
Info leaking out of the club is naturally going to be biased to negative news.
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A snapshot of Brian Cook's extensive People's Presser
See what Brian Cook had to say when he answered fan questions on Thursday.
This guy, WOW!. I have said it before and Ill say it again, he is THE most important person at our Club. Professional, knowledgeable, wise and has a proven track record. If he can't fix us, padlock the doors and hand back the license.
That's also the general nature of leaks/info.
No one rings up a mate and says 'hey, I just had a really uneventful week' or 'hey, you wanna hear the latest goss at Carlton? Everything is going smoothly'.
But you ring up and say 'you'll never guess what I overheard' or 'SOS and Liddle don't get along'. Never mind that SOS and Liddle each get on fine with 100 other people (well, maybe not SOS nor Liddle in this example
Think about this... how often do you call up a phone/internet/utility company to tell them everything was working as it should? Now compare that to how often you call when your internet cuts out for more than 5 mins....
Info leaking out of the club is naturally going to be biased to negative news.
Moreso the embellishment either way. Like everything in life, never as low/bad, never as high/good
ferrisb
Brownlow Medallist
A snapshot of Brian Cook's extensive People's Presser
See what Brian Cook had to say when he answered fan questions on Thursday.www.carltonfc.com.au
Already done.
Keep up Carlton! Sheesh...
thebluenewdeal
Club Legend
- Oct 23, 2020
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I still think it’s feasible for us to play 1 or 2 games at princes park a year without it hurting our books… I mean we barely get 30 k coming to our home games against gc, gws or freo. Also wouldn’t have to split the money made with marvel.
Indeed. Love his no bullshit, open and professional manner.
Very refreshing.
Also love how he did not beat around bush when asked what chances of games at Princes Park again. Not going to happen.
Showed straight away he not there to try to be popular or for any type of superficial bullshit. He just going to say what is the truth for where we going as a club.
What I also like is he does not seem to be in a rush to change the club. He just going to methodically go about what needs to be done to help set up the culture and character this club needs to get back aligned to. That calming effect will flow on to many others in leadership positions. I think that going to have a great effect on the likes on Lloyd, Voss and all key leaders in the football staff.
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- Sep 19, 2019
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I really enjoyed listening to his approach. KISS seems to be the principle. I like the mission to get away from gambling as a revenue source. I also like the reality that IKON is not a realistic venue, like all the other historic, boutique venues. IKON is doing its job in its context.
SBYM
Fish, chips, cup o' tea, Mary @#? Poppins. London!
Not sold on this Cook bloke.
Didn't guarantee a flag in 2022. He's not serious.
Didn't guarantee a flag in 2022. He's not serious.
Refreshing honesty following on from the slippery commercial stratagem of recent years.
I think the club would much prefer to see 40k screaming passionate fans at marvel than invest upwards of 300 mill for 1 or 2 games at year at pp.
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I know he says stuff we should expect but quite like that when asked how is is in interviews he’s honest. If first inter the said he wouldn’t mind a break between leaving Geelong and starting with us and in this interview he says straight up “I’m pretty tired “ 
what it tells me is this 65 year old bloke isn’t interested in bullshit or his legacy. The club will either do what’s expected or he’ll ride off into the sunset and leave the club to sink into the swamp of its own s**t culture.
CFC need to improve to meet his standards, not the other way round.
what it tells me is this 65 year old bloke isn’t interested in bullshit or his legacy. The club will either do what’s expected or he’ll ride off into the sunset and leave the club to sink into the swamp of its own s**t culture.
CFC need to improve to meet his standards, not the other way round.
