Story by USC - The Age
Roos lose another top administrator
By CAROLINE WILSON
Another key Kangaroo, long-serving marketing executive Francis Trainor, has officially quit the club.
The 43-year-old, who has masterminded one of the football year's biggest off-field functions - the North Melbourne breakfast - joins chief executive Greg Miller and, potentially, football manager Geoff Walsh in an administrative changing of the guard at Arden Street.
However, club chairman Andrew Carter has persuaded Trainor, who leaves the Roos after 15 years, to remain at the club as a consultant overseeing the breakfast, a series of new functions and major sponsorship renegotiations.
"We are determined to retain Francis and he has expressed a desire to run our functions, including the breakfast, as well as growing a couple of others," Carter said.
"His family has been a part of this club for a long, long time and that's not going to fall apart."
Trainor said he had been considering his position at the club for some time and had told Carter of his decision earlier this month. He has agreed to remain full-time at the club until December.
"If there's a changing of the guard then it's probably time for me to go too," Trainor said. "I've thought about leaving over the years and I've been offered some tempting opportunities, but I just always felt as though I belonged here.
"I would never work for another football club on a full-time basis, but now I have the opportunity to do other things as well. The commitment and the hours are just crazy."
Trainor has been the Kangaroos' marketing manager for 12 years. Both his father Tony and grandfather Frank presided over the Kangaroos.
Trainor's resignation follows the imminent departure of the Kangaroos' chief executive, Miller. The club's football manager, Walsh, was in Fremantle yesterday being interviewed for the chief executive's position at the Dockers, a position tipped to go to Cameron Schwab.
While the Roos are searching for a new full-time marketing manager as well as a chief executive, Walsh is not in line for the top job.
News of Trainor's departure follows the Kangaroos' submission to the AFL on Monday that included a one-off request for cash to reinvigorate the club, which lost $1.14 million last year and which has prepared a strategic review that could lead to it establishing itself at Colonial Stadium.
While the Western Bulldogs' request for $2 million became public, Carter refused to reveal the size of the Kangaroos' submission for "working capital assistance" before the end of the year. "Club's need oxygen to breathe," he said.
"That's the first step where we are concerned. The second step is for the AFL to undertake a strategic review of the structure of all 16 clubs and their viability."
The Roos are looking at setting up new headquarters alongside Colonial Stadium on the proviso the club was allowed to train there each week. They are awaiting a decision from Stadium Operations Limited chief executive Ian Collins.
The two other venues being considered by the club are Latrobe University or a refurbished Arden Street and Carter said he expected any move to take place by the end of next season.
The Kangaroos have also asked the AFL to look at restructuring the revenue from finals both in terms of gate receipts and prizemoney. "We are happy to accept blockbuster games during the season but we believe clubs who earn the right to play in finals deserve a better share of those gates," said Carter.
He scathingly dismissed Carlton president John Elliott's hypothetical merger scenario aired last weekend on radio. "I can only assume he was struggling for something to talk about," Carter said of Elliott's comments regarding a merged "Carlton Kangaroos".
"It's deja vu for John isn't it? We'd be happy to have a chat to him, too, and we'd let him wear the white shorts with our jumper, Denis Pagan as coach and Wayne Carey as captain. We might pick up **** Pratt if he was available."
Roos lose another top administrator
By CAROLINE WILSON
Another key Kangaroo, long-serving marketing executive Francis Trainor, has officially quit the club.
The 43-year-old, who has masterminded one of the football year's biggest off-field functions - the North Melbourne breakfast - joins chief executive Greg Miller and, potentially, football manager Geoff Walsh in an administrative changing of the guard at Arden Street.
However, club chairman Andrew Carter has persuaded Trainor, who leaves the Roos after 15 years, to remain at the club as a consultant overseeing the breakfast, a series of new functions and major sponsorship renegotiations.
"We are determined to retain Francis and he has expressed a desire to run our functions, including the breakfast, as well as growing a couple of others," Carter said.
"His family has been a part of this club for a long, long time and that's not going to fall apart."
Trainor said he had been considering his position at the club for some time and had told Carter of his decision earlier this month. He has agreed to remain full-time at the club until December.
"If there's a changing of the guard then it's probably time for me to go too," Trainor said. "I've thought about leaving over the years and I've been offered some tempting opportunities, but I just always felt as though I belonged here.
"I would never work for another football club on a full-time basis, but now I have the opportunity to do other things as well. The commitment and the hours are just crazy."
Trainor has been the Kangaroos' marketing manager for 12 years. Both his father Tony and grandfather Frank presided over the Kangaroos.
Trainor's resignation follows the imminent departure of the Kangaroos' chief executive, Miller. The club's football manager, Walsh, was in Fremantle yesterday being interviewed for the chief executive's position at the Dockers, a position tipped to go to Cameron Schwab.
While the Roos are searching for a new full-time marketing manager as well as a chief executive, Walsh is not in line for the top job.
News of Trainor's departure follows the Kangaroos' submission to the AFL on Monday that included a one-off request for cash to reinvigorate the club, which lost $1.14 million last year and which has prepared a strategic review that could lead to it establishing itself at Colonial Stadium.
While the Western Bulldogs' request for $2 million became public, Carter refused to reveal the size of the Kangaroos' submission for "working capital assistance" before the end of the year. "Club's need oxygen to breathe," he said.
"That's the first step where we are concerned. The second step is for the AFL to undertake a strategic review of the structure of all 16 clubs and their viability."
The Roos are looking at setting up new headquarters alongside Colonial Stadium on the proviso the club was allowed to train there each week. They are awaiting a decision from Stadium Operations Limited chief executive Ian Collins.
The two other venues being considered by the club are Latrobe University or a refurbished Arden Street and Carter said he expected any move to take place by the end of next season.
The Kangaroos have also asked the AFL to look at restructuring the revenue from finals both in terms of gate receipts and prizemoney. "We are happy to accept blockbuster games during the season but we believe clubs who earn the right to play in finals deserve a better share of those gates," said Carter.
He scathingly dismissed Carlton president John Elliott's hypothetical merger scenario aired last weekend on radio. "I can only assume he was struggling for something to talk about," Carter said of Elliott's comments regarding a merged "Carlton Kangaroos".
"It's deja vu for John isn't it? We'd be happy to have a chat to him, too, and we'd let him wear the white shorts with our jumper, Denis Pagan as coach and Wayne Carey as captain. We might pick up **** Pratt if he was available."
