Bucky gone?

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Thread starter Moderator #1
Wonder if Bruce Webber is sitting by the phone? ;)

`Bucky' back in favour for AFL post
By MICHELANGELO RUCCI
07nov03

PORT ADELAIDE chief executive officer Brian Cunningham is back in favour to be the new AFL general manager of football operations – the job vacated by Andrew Demetriou, the league's new chief executive.

Cunningham, 51, may be appointed to the second most powerful position in Australian football – and as the second South Australian to hold high office in the AFL – as soon as next week.
Demetriou, who replaced SA-born Wayne Jackson after the grand final in late September, is understood to have briefed the AFL Commission on candidates for his former job yesterday morning.

The commission, which yesterday had to review its strategy planning for the next year, will meet again in a fortnight.

It may leave Cunningham's appointment until then.

Among the first tasks that Cunningham could take on at AFL House in Melbourne is a review of the trade process – as sought by Port after the Nick Stevens saga last month.

The Power has recommended that AFL rules be rewritten to demand any player coming out of contract and asking to be traded to one club declare their preference before the trade period begins. Stevens did not put his demand to go to Collingwood to the Power until 27 hours before the five-day trade period ended.

"The AFL has come back saying it is a good idea and that the league will take this into account when the trade process is reviewed," Cunningham said yesterday.

In that review is also Adelaide's call for the trade period to be shortened from five days to three next year.

This recommendation could have been pushed by Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg, who at the weekend rejected the AFL's request to be short-listed for Demetriou's former job along with Cunningham.

The five-month search for Demetriou's replacement has become a saga in itself with a new favourite every month.

When the AFL advertised nationally, it drew 240 applicants for the job. None has advanced to the shortlist.

Then the AFL head-hunted West Coast chief executive officer Trevor Nisbett, who in grand final week rejected the strongest overtures citing family reasons for keeping him in Perth.

Demetriou also canvassed several other AFL club chief executive officers, in particular Cunningham who has publicly declared he has applied as requested by the AFL.

Kangaroos chief Geoff Walsh also is linked to the job.

The AFL now appears to be choosing either Cunningham or AFL commercial general manager Ben Buckley.

Cunningham, who through football circles is regarded as more than qualified and well suited for the role, yesterday said he was hopeful of an answer in the next week.

"I know I am still in consideration but who else, who knows?" Cunningham said.

His impending departure from Alberton would then start a guessing game on his replacement. The newest name being added to the list – which includes former football operations manager Rob Snowdon and his successor Mick Moylan – is the Power's Melbourne-based manager Chris Pelchen.
 

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Portia

#DrewBlood
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#2
If we got Bruce Weber back, I would cry tears of joy. Eddie wouldn't even be page 3 news with Bruce in town. A single Weber & Williams press conference could keep the journos in stories for a full season.

It would suck a bit to lose Bucky though.
 
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