Keith Thomas to finish as PAFC CEO in 2020

[RussellEbertHandball]

My take on KT is he is one of those senior managers ( and there are plenty of them in the corporate world ) who come into an ailing business, make some positive changes ( some of them can be extremely obvious) and then they either sit back and bask in the glory, run out of ideas, or a combination of the two.

As a regular attendee in the upstairs members' area for Alberton oval games I noted for the first 3 seasons or so of the 3K trilogy he was always there for about 30 minutes or so before the main game mingling with supporters, and he was always very well received.

Maybe it is/was due to his work load, but I haven't seen him do that now since late in the 2015 season, so I suspect it also may have something to do with the gloss coming off that aforementioned trilogy.

I think KT made some bloody big and important changes through to the end of 2015 footy season, which saw very few major errors. It would have taxed him but he was up to the task. That's probably when the stability mantra started.

It would have been a tough 4 years, come in when we are bottom, have to review the whole club, try and rebuild on and off field, planning for AO and moving the whole club there, get back our licence, find new sponsors, find new coach and board, reunife the club in a playing sense after the OneClub legal merger, get the licence back, work out a price, get to Adelaide Oval, have to renegotiate a deal that didn't give us any of the excess cream, just miss out on making the GF, then the disappointment of 2015 season stumbling after the great early start.

Then the errors started, not planning for a successful CAS appeal by ASADA, no contingency planning for losing Ryder in particular and Monfries. The AFL are good blokes they will look after us thinking. 2016 as a result along with long list injuries saw a disaster year and we have never been able to fully get on top of things when it counted since then. Saw China as circuit breaker in our finances and hung onto too closely, didn't realize on field success was the only way to fast track big profits coming quickly out of China. But his failing has been to tie himself so tightly to Hinkley. Koch lead it, but backing up Koch to rush to resign Hinkley straight after that bloody 2017 EF loss has been a disaster for KT.

I don't know the whats or hows or who, but losing the 2018 JMS was continuation of a downward spiral. The wrong results on field because we had the wrong leader there, meant we couldn't get a premium for off field corporates and we had no leg to stand on when we pushed things with the AFL or others. We have wallowed in middle of the ladder, middle class mediocrity. Unfortunately!

The sooner it ends the better. I don't want an extra 12 months of it on top of probably the next 5 months.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Has David Hutton been discussed as KT's successor now he's back at the club?

Rowing SA CEO as experience in a like role

SA Rowing would struggle to turnover $2m, given Rowing Australia's revenue was just under $15m for 2019. Whilst that would have been good experience and having to deal with lots of similar sports issues, its basically running an amateur sports organisation compared to an AFL club with all the business, financial, marketing and politics pressure associated with the AFL and clubs.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Port Adelaide have begun interviews to find their next CEO – and are considering at least one internal candidate – but this won’t be the last we see of Keith Thomas, reports Caroline Wilson.
Caro told Rowey & Bicks on the FIVEaa sports show:

“I think the agreement between Keith Thomas and David Koch will continue and Keith will stand down at the end of the year as planned.
“I think the club’s already started interviewing external candidates and at the very least one internal candidate in Matthew Richardson [executive GM] is very much in the frame.

https://www.fiveaa.com.au/sport/por...one-of-the-contenders-is-already-at-the-club/

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Ok so she is guessing about his future.

“For all their success this year this is a cash strapped club, a club that’s had its issues. I think the China situation would’ve burnt anyone out…

“I think it was a great year to have his last year and, yes, he was probably exhausted but I also think once you’ve done well at one club and you have a year or two off, it’s an itch you can’t scratch, running a footy club…

“I think the demand from other clubs looking for experienced CEOs will see him back in the frame.”

 

[Butters Made Me Do It]

Hell go straight to the SMA

 

[Papa G]

He couldn't go to the Crows... could he?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

He couldn't go to the Crows... could he?

When is Fagan getting the arse? Reckon Caro is right that he might take a year off.

 

[Duck Farmer]

He couldn't go to the Crows... could he?

If he does we can get one back on them by landing Trigg.

 

[Doctor Feel]

my ******* God can we not go woth Richardson? Jesus christ.

Just for once I would like to get a CEO with some genuine oomph.

******* nepotism

 

[Enviable Tradition]

He couldn't go to the Crows... could he?

They'd be mad not to try.

They wouldnt know themselves with an inclusive responsive CEO like Keith.

The internal politics will also eat him alive.

The powers that be at the Crows would hate his transparency.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Sleezy]

They'd be mad not to try.

They wouldnt know themselves with an inclusive responsive CEO like Keith.

The internal politics will also eat him alive.

The powers that be at the Crows would hate his transparency.

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

He'd be the Eddard Stark to Ricciutto's Cerce Lannister

 

[raptalia]

From the Statement on membership 2020,

'Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas thanked the entire club membership base for their support in such a challenging year.'

Is KT still planning to walk away at the end of his current contract or has he extended his contract as he intimated he would? If it is such a challenging year I suspect KT will see the Club through the hard times but who knows?

It is now September and we have had no news about a replacement or even a search for a replacement or if there has been news I have not heard it.

 

[Shaucob_Burjan]

Sort of wonder if he had a job lined up which got put in disarray due to Covid-19 so now talks of him staying?

 

[gbear]

Thomas has been fairly quiet this season, as had Kochie. Davies has been showing the most leadership this season.

 

[Papa G]

Thomas has been fairly quiet this season, as had Kochie. Davies has been showing the most leadership this season.

Yep. Have enjoyed these 2 shutting the * up.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

KT's contract finishes 31st October. He hasn't been publiclly reappointed, 6 weeks before the end tells you everything you need to know.

Doesn't spend much time at Alberton. We have ****ed up in our run up to finals in the past, so there isn't any need to talk much.

The deeper we go in October the more you will hear from him. Good way to finish up if the team makes a GF and especially if we win. Can say he left the place in good shape. If he leaves and we win the flag he will get plenty of inquiries about potential work.

 

[It Just Is]

KT's contract finishes 31st October. He hasn't been publiclly reappointed, 6 weeks before the end tells you everything you need to know.

Doesn't spend much time at Alberton. We have f’ed up in our run up to finals in the past, so there isn't any need to talk much.

The deeper we go in October the more you will hear from him. Good way to finish up if the team makes a GF and especially if we win. Can say he left the place in good shape. If he leaves and we win the flag he will get plenty of inquiries about potential work.

Either he’s extending or they have chosen someone internal. Would be very odd to have a less than 6 week handover.

 

[PAFC_1870]

Hope he stays on personally. Things are going well atm. I'd rather keep it that way.

Havent heard of any better options.

 

[Grave Danger]

Caro on 5aark just said KT had offered to stay on next year, but the club told him "thanks, but no thanks".

 

[Jojay]

Caro on 5aark just said KT had offered to stay on next year, but the club told him "thanks, but no thanks".

You'd have to think they must already have their man/ woman.

KT would be highly sought-after now, given the current situation at Ports.

 

[Doctor Feel]

I love KT but I feel like we've sort of, outgrown him in a sense. We need a big fish CE.

That said, if we replace him with Richardson, i'll be very cross.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Caro on 5aark just said KT had offered to stay on next year, but the club told him "thanks, but no thanks".

Said the board is keeping very quiet if they have an internal or external candidate.

Have to get the podcast when its up to double check, but think she said the board thinks he has run his race.

 

[Pt Augusta Power]

Crowie reckons that the crows are going to have KT, Balme and Bassett next year

 

[PowerLil]

Crowie reckons that the crows are going to have KT, Balme and Bassett next year

Good.

 

[Forzaport]

I love KT but I feel like we've sort of, outgrown him in a sense. We need a big fish CE.

That said, if we replace him with Richardson, i'll be very cross.

Internal promotions are fine but like all appointments, they need to be based on merit and the right fit. Chris Davies was an internal promotion and he's proven to be a good call. In fact, I'd go as far to say that you would want an up and comer as opposed to someone moving sideways or worse.