Board Challenge Soon

[Persevering Saint]

Oh, and Nexus, I look forward to your return.

 

[St DAC]

I think the loss od TD (terry daniher) was a big one. I have always liked him and i thaught he was doing a good job with Thomas. did TD and Crips go because ross lyon didn't want them?

TD was sacked when Thomas was coach. Burke left when Thomas was coach. For GT's last year as coach (2006) he had Rendell, McGuane and Mifsud as assistants.

 

[cartwright]

Nonetheless, there is a big diff between a telling off with a subsequent apology, and getting sacked when you're the most financially successful President a previously debt-ridden club has ever seen.

What I want is for GT to get his money, Butterss to say, "Fine I stuffed up and let personal issues get in the way of business and I'm sorry," and for Everyone else to say, "Fair enough, mistake made, but otherwise you're doing a good job." I know, I know, I'm too much of an idealist.

Ideally this is what should happen.

Just annoyed that every other year this crap happens. Maybe more annoying from these 2 who both promised to always put St Kilda first. It was the first time I could remember that strong, positive leaders were at St Kilda for seemingly the right reasons

 

[sauce_head]

Maybe more annoying from these 2 who both promised to always put St Kilda first.

Agree

RB - no pay
GT - suing for a bonus he does not deserve

I know who I believe has the clubs interest first, even if he did let personal issues slip in. I do not belive Thomas was sacked because of personal disputes.

 

[Fehring]

Agree

RB - no pay
GT - suing for a bonus he does not deserve

I know who I believe has the clubs interest first, even if he did let personal issues slip in. I do not belive Thomas was sacked because of personal disputes.

Thomas was a tool who actually thought it was in the best interests of the club to control player contract negotiations. And we wonder why we got done over tactically 20 weeks a year. The man had a god complex and only ever cared about one person - Thommo. All footy journos know he's been backgrounding them all year to destabilise Butterss. He is a cancer on our club.

 

[sauce_head]

Thomas was a tool who actually thought it was in the best interests of the club to control player contract negotiations. And we wonder why we got done over tactically 20 weeks a year. The man had a god complex and only ever cared about one person - Thommo. All footy journos know he's been backgrounding them all year to destabilise Butterss. He is a cancer on our club.

You are probably right, but I believe he was acting in what he thought were the clubs best interest when he was there. I do not believe he is since he left.

 

[Persevering Saint]

It's looks like the board challenge is on. Westaway with Burke, and possibly even Andrew Thompson, fresh out of his last game!

Partly the question has been whether there should or would be a challenge. But now that there is one, what do we think are Butterss' chances of holding on. Westaway doesn't strike me as another Bedders (remember THAT little challenge that lasted about a week during the first half of the year... what a joke...)

 

[cartwright]

wow - Thompson that is 1 out of left field.

don't know anything about this Westaway person-

Still think this is destablizing, an agreed transition is one thing, a forced spill of the board is another.

From the HSun:
"The new group can force a spill of all board positions by gathering petition of members that demands a special annual general meeting."

How many members are required for the petition? 100?

 

[Qsaint]

No matter what GT is like Butters made it personal, and that was stupid

I also think Freds right our revenue streams from Sponsorship are bad. Our deal with the Dome is safety first and doesn't net us much at all. I think we are in the Bottom 4 on Football Dept Spending. Spending another300K on fitness etc might have got us another 3 or 4 wins. Some one should tap Butters on the Shoulder and tell him to go quietly

 

[Oh When the Saints]

The challenge will be unveiled at Telstra Dome tomorrow, with Greg Westaway, Nathan Burke, John Gdanski, a QC and a female candidate involved.

 

[jbazzle]

So can somebody explain what this challenge involves?? Are all these people trying to dismiss the whole board or just Rod Buttres or what?

 

[ChrisFooty]

The challenge will be unveiled at Telstra Dome tomorrow, with Greg Westaway, Nathan Burke, John Gdanski, a QC and a female candidate involved.

No Andrew Thompson? The challenges are not returning the phone calls to RB, so nothing can be discussed between the two parties before the potenmtial board spill (HS today)

Thoughts? No communication between the two parties. None

 

[sauce_head]

A lot of information on this site:

http://www.westofmoorabbin.com/

 

[Falchoon]

I'd take a quality medical/fitness department over a million dollar profit.

It's been a problem at our club for 5-6 years and last year we had players booked in for operations late and started the season with the lowest fitness base of all 16 clubs. Why?

Butterss harks back to the financial stability which is great but as alluded to by Fred, at what expense in terms of on field results has that come.

I barrack for a football team, not a corporation.

Also Butterrs complete and utter naivety/stupidity in the way that he sees his "innocent sweetheart" deals being interpreted is beyond belief. Perception, Rod, perception.

"ST KILDA president Rod Butterss said yesterday that he was bewildered that a rival group would today launch a challenge to the Saints board."

let's see

we have no home
no major sponsor
off field distractions
a shyte injury management system
closed appointments shrouded in nepotism
a premiership window with the lowest spending football dept
etc

Time's up

 

[ChrisFooty]

Falchoon, you make some very good points. We should be spending money on our medical and football departments. Face, a successful on field st.kilda leads to increased profits. When they saints are losing, i think you will find (like most clubs) they will be struggling to make a profit.

So therefore, it's a disgrace the saints aren't spending what they should be, on the medical department. It has cost us for a few seasons. This problem won't go away, as soft tissue injuries will become more apparent, as the game becomes more faster.

 

[twoforjoy]

i hope you dont mind me posting my 2c. from the outside looking in it seems like your club is the meat in the sandwich between the giant egos of GT and RB. i dont know or care who is wrong or right but your club wins nothing out of it. these challengers might not be the right people but a new broom might be a good thing. eddie shits me for lots of non-footy reasons, but he swept out the pies when he came and a rock solid and silent administration is a beautiful thing

 

[sauce_head]

I'd take a quality medical/fitness department over a million dollar profit.

It's been a problem at our club for 5-6 years and last year we had players booked in for operations late and started the season with the lowest fitness base of all 16 clubs. Why?

Butterss harks back to the financial stability which is great but as alluded to by Fred, at what expense in terms of on field results has that come.

I barrack for a football team, not a corporation.

Also Butterrs complete and utter naivety/stupidity in the way that he sees his "innocent sweetheart" deals being interpreted is beyond belief. Perception, Rod, perception.

"ST KILDA president Rod Butterss said yesterday that he was bewildered that a rival group would today launch a challenge to the Saints board."

let's see

we have no home
no major sponsor
off field distractions
a shyte injury management system
closed appointments shrouded in nepotism
a premiership window with the lowest spending football dept
etc

Time's up

I support a football club as well, one that i would like to be able to support for the rest of my life and one that any little sauce_head's that may come along can support as well. That is relatively certain with Butterss.

We do have a home, but that is being rightfully evaluated so that we can maintain our commercial interest there. It should also be evaluated for growth potential. At present it looks like we are staying. This doubt would not reduce under a new president, unless the local council was somehow made to come on board, which they will do anyway.

Not certain on the sponsor, so I will not comment.

Off field distractions. All cubs have them. Look at th best club of the last five years, West Coast, and tell me they do not have off field distractions! Hawthorn have them as well and are not doing badly. All clubs do, well are seen to, by the hype the media drum up.

Our injury management system is open to debate. Time will tell if it has been unlucky or not. Let's not forget we hasd Brisbane's (can not recall name) head of training, who performed well for them, but not for us. All clubs go through horrible runs, Geelong last year, West Coast this year, Adelaide this year, it comes good, albeit with work.

The last closed appointment was Thomas. That has been fixed. Ken Sheldon as head of football, or whatever, is a relatively standard post these days.

Perhaps spending could be up, but in 20 years I would prefer to watch my team play, than say, "Remember StKilda, they won in 2008 but were bankrupt two years later. Perhaps we can go to the Gold Coast to watch them play next year?"

Not a lot of answers being given, just problems that are percieved are being thrown around. Sadly, the most important aspect of a club is its financial health, and with Butterss, that is a sure bet.

I hope this challenge does not destabalise the club and set it back as has happened in the past.

Same old StKilda? If there is another boardroom overthrown, the answer will sadly be "yes".

 

[Qsaint]

Vodaphone is bailing as a sponsor
2nd lowest recruiting costs
8 fewer people in the Football Dept then North

http://realfooty.com.au/news/news/key-saints-come-out-swinging/2007/09/10/1189276634511.html

 

[cartwright]

have also read previously that RB has never knocked back a football department request.
so the lack of spending ... is that the ex-coaches/football dept fault for not requesting/demanding more money?

Danny Frawley our longest serving coach, is perplexed. Robert Harvey - our club legend is surprised.

When we were making finals everyone was quiet.

If he goes, or needs to go - let it be for the right reasons, not because we didn't make the finals.

 

[Qsaint]

have also read previously that RB has never knocked back a football department request.
so the lack of spending ... is that the ex-coaches/football dept fault for not requesting/demanding more money?

Danny Frawley our longest serving coach, is perplexed. Robert Harvey - our club legend is surprised.

When we were making finals everyone was quiet.

If he goes, or needs to go - let it be for the right reasons, not because we didn't make the finals.

Well Harves has been Diplomatic his entire career and he is still on the list so don't read too much into that. It seems Burke et al have Sheldon clearly in their sights as head of the footy dept. Don't surprise to see Frawley back as Football Manager either

 

[Qsaint]

http://realfooty.com.au/news/news/vodafone-wont-play-ball/2007/09/10/1189276634503.html

Read about the boards total mishandling of the Vodafone sponsorship. This is very ordinary the marketing guy should have a list of all individual and club sponsors and make sure their is no conflicts


SO next season with Bill Express gone we have no major sponsor

 

[Falchoon]

"ST KILDA president Rod Butterss said yesterday that he was bewildered"

we're all bewildered, daily there is a report detailing mismanagement

got to go, not that i necessarily agree an off field team made up entirely of St Kilda old boys (Frawley, Burke, Thompson) is necessarliy the correct solution.

 

[Fehring]

Although I am reluctant to quote Patrick Smith (I've edited out the rubbish about other clubs...

Ego is not enough to run a successful club

By Patrick Smith
September 11, 2007
GRAHAM Smorgon has been a very successful businessman. He has also been chairman of the Carlton Football Club. He isn't any more. Ray Horsburgh has been a very successful businessman. He is also chairman of the Essendon Football Club. Probably wishes he wasn't....
Greg Westaway is a successful businessman, who is reported to be gathering forces to take on Rod Butterss and his board at St Kilda. We have no idea why and neither does the AFL.
St Kilda is a well run club, debt has been retired and each 12 months a profit of around $1m is recorded. This year the club's profit will reach an impressive $1.08 millian after the Saints budgeted for $870,000. Under Butterss the club has been to two preliminary finals while dogged by injury.
The presumption that anyone can run a football club is almost specific to the AFL. It is not enough to drive a fine bottom line. It is essential to know the rhythm and lore of football.
Some, like Smorgon, never learn it. It applies to chief executives, too, who come into club football simply unprepared for the scrutiny of supporters and the media. For this reason Westaway would be a great risk. The turnover of CEOs has slowed but five years ago it was laughable it was so high.
Nathan Burke, a St Kilda champion, who was an assistant coach to Grant Thomas, said on Melbourne radio SEN yesterday that he was talking to several parties interested in taking on Butterss.
He did not articulate his position very well. But he has apparently been moved to consider joining a rebel ticket because he thinks the football department could be better run. That is hardly a reason to destabilise a club that could well push deep into the finals next year.
Football departments can be made better and should be but it doesn't need a coup to do that. Interestingly, on his retirement three years ago Burke said that the club had never been in better shape. He had a short stint coaching with Thomas but left unexpectedly. Sources said it was because of a falling out with Thomas but both men deny this.
Burke said that the rebel group was to have been announced on Monday, but instead a 10am news conference has been called for Tuesday morning. The rebels claim to have the numbers to call an extraordinary general meeting. Current board members Ross Levine and John Gdanski are on the rebel ticket.
...The Essendon supporters have a legitimate cause for their anger with the way Essendon removed its coach and effectively wrecked any chance the club had of playing in the finals. The push at St Kilda, though, seems baseless and driven by nothing more than egos and the smart of old wounds.

 

[promking22]

THE following statement has been released by ‘St Kilda Footy First’ at StKildafootyfirst.com:

… This is a pivotal time in the Club’s history as we introduce the Footy First team.
Footy First is set to invigorate the Saints with exciting new ideas in all areas of the club but with an emphasis on football which of course is our reason for existing.
This is where the current regime has dropped the ball.
They have concentrated solely on reducing debt at the expense of the football department.
Footy First fully supports Ross Lyon in his endeavour to win us a flag.
To do this we need more football people on the board and we have that in our esteemed former captain Nathan Burke and Andrew Thompson.
Through our board and by posting the administration resources we will provide better value for our current sponsors and grow our membership base.
We will not simply cut costs.
By challenging the current Board, we are not merely rocking the boat.
We are serious in wanting a strong, successful and viable future for St Kilda and we will ensure the transition is as seamless as possible.
St Kilda supporters are passionate; they are the lifeline of our club.
We will listen to our members, running the club by consensus where practical and not operate as an autocratic business.
We will be keeping members completely informed about us and the process via an information pack that is on its way to every member and you can find out more about your Footy First team at www.stkildafootyfirst.com
Remember - it is your club, your team, your choice and we need your vote to make change.

 

[St DAC]

a rock solid and silent administration is a beautiful thing

Never a truer word written. Absolutely spot on.

I especially like the silent bit. RB, STFU for a while willya.