Universal Love Keith Thomas

[Us against the rest]

Probably not, but it’s surprising sometimes what a good negotiator can achieve.

Very true. I think you covered just about everything I see wrong at the club atm.

 

[bomberclifford]

CU@T he

I read that as C U N T H E B A L L

 

[DaTBird187]

There was something they managed to harness in 2013/14 and even 2015 that is completely missing now.

It's more than just viewing through disgruntled eyes, the game day experience has turned up the lameness to eleven and forgotten about the reasons people come to the footy.

I personally don't mind the Perfect Pair thing, it's a minor aspect of the game day and engages well with a certain demographic, it's also bloody easy to ignore of it's not your thing.

The worst thing about game day for me is the ground announcer. Either their personal style is wrong or the brief they are given by the club is wrong. It feels like a bland and generic 'shouty' man is given mic just before a game.

Surely there's a Port person out there, more capable of doing this.

Matt Tarrant is the first name that comes to mind but his availability through the season would rule him out.
Dylan Lewis would be an option but I don't know where he's located these days.


Regardless, my overall impression on the game day these days is they are trying too hard, doing too much and not really understanding the type of person that supports Port Adelaide.

I was recently told by someone at the club that "Port supporters aren't Gucci and Bollinger, they're Peter Jackson and Jim Beam" which is reasonably accurate, however the presentation of the club's brand on game day is more "Sports Girl and Fruity Lexia".

I'm more Bollinger & Beam.

 

[Janey]

The 'Norwood flog' reference came from Port supporters filling out the survey, referring to KT.

How are you not getting this?

There's a lot of this going around on here.

 

[DaTBird187]

CU@T he

It rolls of the tongue nicely.

"So what exactly is your problem with Ken Hinkley?"

"Mutha****a got us playing C u n t he ball"

 

[Butters Made Me Do It]

 

[HinkleysHeroes]

Recognizing that Keith has essentially admitted that they [he] has made some mistakes and is planning a course correction what things would you [as Keith] do before next season [accepting you probably can't terminate Ken]. Mine would be;

1) Refocus the organization by changing it's mission statement back to "We Exist to Win Premierships" and eliminate any process that DOES NOT contribute to achieving that mission. (ie it must be able to be demonstrated how every process contributes to winning premierships).
2) Instruct the coach that he is to appoint a single captain for the 2020 season - that captain must be in place before preseason starts and assigned Travis Boak as his mentor. The captain is to front up to EVERY post match press conference and answer questions when asked.
3) Instruct the coach he is to bring in skills/kicking/tackling consultants as appropriate [ie Ben Perkins] to fix our deplorable skills issue.
4) Instruct the coach to appoint an actual forward as Forwards coach.
5) Instruct the players that they are being paid to be in peak physical condition and to play football at the peak of their ability. It is their responsibility to conduct and present themselves in a manner that allows them to meet that requirement (this may mean making individual sacrifices - ie water skiing etc). It is also their individual responsibility to be able to perform basic football skills (kick accurately, handball accurately, etc) to an acceptable AFL standard.

There is the old adage that you don't necessarily make your best salesman the sales manager. I think this probably applies to Ken - I think Ken is probably an excellent Assistant Coach but for whatever reason just not a very good AFL Head Coach. With this in mind in addition to the above I'd like to also see us be leverage Kens greatest strength (which appears to be his ability to build strong player relationships) and do the following (which may or may not be possible; Note: Achieving this would challenge Keith's leadership and negotiating abilities);
a) Create a position of "Chief Performance Officer (CPO)" (or some such position/title) and 'promote' Ken into that position - the position would be structured to utilize Kens strengths - namely being his ability attract talent and to foster strong coach/player relationships) and as an advisor/mentor to the "Head Coach". He sits in the coaches box at the pleasure of the Head Coach on game day. He is paid commensurate with the terms of his existing contract.
b) Appoint either Monty or Schofield as the new "(Junior) Head Coach". 2+1 Year contract.

If Ken must remain then there is only one thing needed that can help improve on field performance.

1. Employ a coach above Ken who overseas the overall game plan, Team balance and selections. Come on down Mr.Noble.

This leaves Ken as just a game day motivator and could possibly seek termination of contract.

 

[RossFC]

My feeling, KT is more traditional Port than Koch.

Who rubber-stamped co-captains?

 

[Enviable Tradition]

If Ken must remain then there is only one thing needed that can help improve on field performance.

1. Employ a coach above Ken who overseas the overall game plan, Team balance and selections. Come on down Mr.Noble.

This leaves Ken as just a game day motivator and could possibly seek termination of contract.

Ken as game day motivator?

Have you seen our first quarters?

He obviously isn't that motivating!

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[HinkleysHeroes]

Ken as game day motivator?

Have you seen our first quarters?

He obviously isn't that motivating!

On SM-G960F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Oh I know. But he cannot become the boot studder, or could he?

 

[crafty_bernardo]

I believe KT was hesitant on the captaincy debacle, but it was Ken's push for co-captains. So I suppose that's another failure on KT.

Keith has put too much trust and given Ken too much of a say. Now it looks to be he'll be falling on his own sword.

 

[TheFVK]

Anyone hear Fagan on ABC breakfast this morning with Ali Clarke and David Bevan? After about 5 minutes defending what's going on at the crows and the backlash from their fans, David Bevan asked him about KT's email where he says he's responsible for the club's poor season and then asks are you going to do the same?

Fagan says he read it this morning and said its an interesting note, then says as leaders we always accept our responsibility, starts to waffle a bit and then
Bevan asks - so what have you got wrong?
Fagan - with regards to what David?
Bevan - you say I've gotta take responsibility for my bit.
Fagan - I think we are taking responsibility for, jointly that our performance for the last month hasn't been great.
Bevan - (bluntly) So what have you got wrong?
Fagan - as leaders ( pause as sounds flustered) well David I think, at the moment, the footy department run the footy department and I run the whole club
Bevan - yeah, yeah, so I'm asking, the bit that you've done, what did you get wrong? cause if you say we're all taking responsibility, so if everybody takes responsibility for everything, nobodies taking responsibility for anything, so Andrew Fagan which bit did you get wrong??
Fagan - Well David I don't think its the right question to ask, because at the moment we're talking about a bad month of football and not issues that sit beyond that.
Bevan - so you just think this is the last 4 weeks
Fagan - sorry, isn't that, previously we were sitting 4th or 5th on the ladder and our last 4 weeks has been pretty poor and we dropped down to eighth, its primarily what we are talking about ........

Bevan - so if people are looking at the crows thinking - ah this is crap - we're sitting in 8th we should be doing a lot better, they're not looking at the same thing as Andrew Fagan, cause Andrew Fagan looks at this and says no its just the last 4 weeks its just an aberration.

Fagan - David I don't think I used the words aberration at all.
Bevan - I'm asking you is it just the last 4 weeks? Its just an aberration.
Fagan - No, no, I'm saying our performances the last 4 weeks has seen us drop down the table, as i said previously in the interview we haven't really hit top gear throughout the season and that's what the coaches have been working on ..........

The interview starts at 2.51.00 and above starts at 2.58.00 for about 3 minutes and ends around 3.03.20 and they read out some txt messages that came in during the interview.

Breakfast

The people, the stories, the news, the laughs. Adelaide wakes up with Ali Clarke.

www.abc.net.au

Shades of Koch's at 11-4 and everyone thought Ken was superman.

KT has put himself out there. Probably wont do any media interviews as a result.

KT taking responsibility for backing Ken to the hilt. The feedback from that survey a week or two ago would have laid it out that we are unhappy about the game style, selections and the rush to re-sign him. KT not dodging that responsibility and trying to protect the coach. I like that there was a bit of collateral damage to the other mob where it doesn't look like anyone wants to take responsibility for issues more than just the last 4 week.

Don't know who David Bevan is but respect to the man for asking some pointed questions and not losing focus amongst Fagan's waffle. A rare skill for journalists these days.

 

[Northalives]

"We were also independently recognised as having the some of the most engaged supporters in world sport.

We were operating in this glorious sweet spot where our on field performances were mirroring the values our community expected of its football club.

Fast, aggressive, never ever give up footy…and a club mindset that always put our community first." (email Monday 29/7/19 7:09 pm)

Then you dumb campaigner, you and the yuppie Koch f**ked off our communities, the ones you reckon you always put first, so we can molly coddle the AFL kiddies and having them all at the same place by severing all our ties with the communities that had been Port through and through for generations, poisoning our roots and turning us into a soulless morass and you now have the gall to ask for forgiveness and that you will be "putting our members back at the heart of our club." ?

How in f**k's name are you going to do that? "Members" aren't just the financial, card carrying Port Adelaide people. For every one of those, there were 7,8,9 others who didn't carry Port Adelaide cards but like those card carriers, they carried Port Adelaide in their hearts and you burnt them you f****ng ares hole! You turned them all away because the f**k wits that run the "football" department, the same **** heads that give us the s**t we see on match days, you listened to those cocooned wan***s and like a moronic blind c***, you assassinated our people who represented 145 years of a proud Port Adelaide tradition and now you think that you can magically make those traditional Port Adelaide people and days return?
F**k off and take the spivs and pretenders with you.

 

[Contested Marx]

24 hours later, the thing that bugs me the most about KT's email isn't the apparent falling on his sword or the possibly faux 'we can fix this' line, it's the self-deprecating schtick, which while different in tone to the chrome-domed chairman still is fundamentally loser talk, acceptable for banter maybe but not the words of a manager to members

 

[Prison bar Pete]

Don't know who David Bevan is but respect to the man for asking some pointed questions and not losing focus amongst Fagan's waffle. A rare skill for journalists these days.

I think David Bevan is the only serious interviewer-journalist in this town nowadays

 

[Portology]

I believe KT was hesitant on the captaincy debacle, but it was Ken's push for co-captains. So I suppose that's another failure on KT.

Keith has put too much trust and given Ken too much of a say. Now it looks to be he'll be falling on his own sword.

Remind me what was KT’s previous media industry management role?

Just about now he’s starting to sound a bit like a manager spooked by alleged “star” performers being “difficult”.

I could be, probably am, hopefully am very wrong.


On iPhone using recycled electrons, via BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Duck Farmer]

KT's biggest failing is his inability to put heat on Hinkley and hold him to account.

 

[afl2004]

Best thing about the email was the "Norwood flog" bit because everyone in the national media was like "What's a Norwood?"

 

[Duck Farmer]

Best thing about the email was the "Norwood flog" bit because everyone in the national media was like "What's a Norwood?"

I reckon it could take off as a comeback.

Person A: "You're sh1t champ!"

Person B: "Gnaw wood, flog!"

 

[Northalives]

The problem being with so many outsiders in our club (atm), I don't think they fully understand the PAFC and it's members. They have tried to change who we are (20,000 Happy Clappers) and we all know how that ends.

We are a no nonsense club that just gets it on the footy field, that's why we exist. Most supporters would gladly give up all the pre match fan fair, for a football club that gave it's all win lose or draw. Our standards have slipped, lowered the bar so to speak. I don't care what other clubs do, I care what we do and we need everyone on the same page.

To be the Port we need to be, we also have to have a coach that gives the team the best possible chance of success and that is not Ken, his selections are at times woeful (Sutcliffe) and the development of players is poor.

Underestimating the intelligence of the Port faithful will be a big mistake. I am convinced, that they can't wait until all us fans, that were privileged enough to to see those famous Port Adelaide premierships are gone, so they can get their generic type of supporter base, that clap the boys and coach off the ground after a weak performance.

I love your sentiments but I'm going to have to be the c*** that tells you that when you say "We are a no nonsense club......" what you should say is we WERE a no nonsense club because unfortunately, the word "Club" in Port Adelaide Football Club, is only there now to fool people into thinking that we have some kind of alliance with an area, a community and we no longer do. The real name of that which used to be our club should be Port Adelaide Football Inc.

We can't keep fooling ourselves into thinking that we are what Messrs. Weber and Boulton and the true believers set up. We are completely different and irrelevant to the history and traditions of the Port Adelaide Football Club and the longer we keep just plugging away oblivious to the tourniquet that has been applied to us by Koch, Thomas et al. the absolute certainty of us withering away and dying.

George Fiacchi's words, "These twenty blokes, everyone whose helped us, are sensational people and all the views that you have read in the press the one thing that really matters is that there will always be a Port Adelaide Football Club." when receiving the Jack Oatey medal for being BOG in the 1990 Grand Final have been proven wrong because we cut off our nose to spite our face.

I'm not having a go at you Us against the rest, I know exactly where your heart is but I'm going to keep pointing out what has happened to us until we, if ever, go back to what we were, I die or Port Adelaide dies. I fear that I will be alive when Port Adelaide dies.

 

[Us against the rest]

Oh I know. But he cannot become the boot studder, or could he?

The players would continually slip over because Ken would only use the short studs.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Don't know who David Bevan is but respect to the man for asking some pointed questions and not losing focus amongst Fagan's waffle. A rare skill for journalists these days.

David Bevan spent over 2 decades combined as a court reporter, then ABC Radio Adelaide's political reporter based at parliament house. In 2002 he teamed up with another political journo Matthew Abrahams, ex Advertiser pre News Ltd take over days, then post News Ltd take over, to do the morning program together, then they took over breakfast program in 2011.

In 2017 after Abrahams retired, he went back to mornings and for 1/2 hour does a joint show with Matthew Clarke's missus Ali, after the current affairs AM program, between 8.30-9.00am. That's why she tried to lighten the mood because Bevan is good at cutting thru the BS spin from politicians and was always less rude about it than Matthew Abrahams.

 

[Us against the rest]

I love your sentiments but I'm going to have to be the c*** that tells you that when you say "We are a no nonsense club......" what you should say is we WERE a no nonsense club because unfortunately, the word "Club" in Port Adelaide Football Club, is only there now to fool people into thinking that we have some kind of alliance with an area, a community and we no longer do. The real name of that which used to be our club should be Port Adelaide Football Inc.

We can't keep fooling ourselves into thinking that we are what Messrs. Weber and Boulton and the true believers set up. We are completely different and irrelevant to the history and traditions of the Port Adelaide Football Club and the longer we keep just plugging away oblivious to the tourniquet that has been applied to us by Koch, Thomas et al. the absolute certainty of us withering away and dying.

George Fiacchi's words, "These twenty blokes, everyone whose helped us, are sensational people and all the views that you have read in the press the one thing that really matters is that there will always be a Port Adelaide Football Club." when receiving the Jack Oatey medal for being BOG in the 1990 Grand Final have been proven wrong because we cut off our nose to spite our face.

I'm not having a go at you Us against the rest, I know exactly where your heart is but I'm going to keep pointing out what has happened to us until we, if ever, go back to what we were, I die or Port Adelaide dies. I fear that I will be alive when Port Adelaide dies.

I understand what you say here but what we are asking for is a competent coach and 1 captain, that is not asking for too much surely.

 

[Northalives]

I understand what you say here but what we are asking for is a competent coach and 1 captain, that is not asking for too much surely.

No no, it's not asking to much at all. A competent coach and 1 captain is what we need immediately.

 

[chickentendies]

no dad rock in this thread please