Ray Horsburgh stands ground

[Burzum]

ESSENDON chairman Ray Horsburgh has ended a club-imposed gag by declaring he is not at war with former coach Kevin Sheedy and that current coach, Matthew Knights, should be at the helm in 2012.

Horsburgh, seeking reappointment as chairman for another three years, distanced himself from explosive comments made by Sheedy in the ex-Bomber coach's autobiography Stand Your Ground.

In it, Sheedy was heavily critical of Essendon board member Alex Epis, who is also up for re-election in December, and noted how another AFL coach had told him to be wary of Horsburgh in the lead-up to his sacking at Essendon.

Horsburgh said he had recently met with Sheedy and denied he had hunted for Sheedy's dismissal.

"Sheeds is entitled to have his view," Horsburgh said.

"But as far as I'm concerned my conscience is very clear on how I treated Kevin and my relationship with him.

"I haven't got skeletons, I'm not concerned about anything he's got to say.

"He was great for Essendon and he deserves the credit for that and he's got every right to make comments about people he didn't agree with along the way.

"I didn't see it as an attack on me."

Of Epis, of whom Sheedy was particular savage in his book, Horsburgh intimated it was not his fight.

"I don't know the history of that because most of the things went on prior to when I was on board. It goes back to '98," Horsburgh said.

"It's between them two and as far I'm concerned it remains between them two."

Horsburgh, Epis and long-serving official Kevin Egan face the members for re-election.

Two others, Jo-Anne Albert and Rachael Hankinson, are also seeking election.

Voting will be completed during the next fortnight and the results announced at the club's annual general meeting on December 16.

Horsburgh, who with chief executive Peter Jackson beat off a challenge to their positions at an extraordinary general meeting after last season, is confident of re-election.

"I've got the business acumen to see through these times and I've got the passion," Horsburgh said.

"And I think there is unfinished business.

"We've got a 2012 strategy plan and I've chaired the formation of that."

The strategy centres around the club positioning itself financially and powerfully with the expansion clubs arriving and the positioning of the team under Knights.

Horsburgh is bullish about the list, conceding it is young and developing.

He expects Essendon to finish between eighth and 10th in 2009, a top five or six team in 2010, improve again in 2011 and challenge for the flag in 2012.

"In 2012, I reckon we can give it a real hiding," Horsburgh said.

"Go back and look at Hawthorn's history, it's not unlike what we're trying to model.

"Two and a half years ago the papers were saying Kennett wanted to sack Clarkson and they won a flag and they did it by sticking with youth."

Horsburgh also expects Knights, who is contracted to the end of 2010, to be at the helm in 2012.

"We've got an aggressive coach who knows where he's going on field," Horsburgh said.

"This year the board encouraged Matthew to stick with his game plan and not to be deterred by the results, don't get down.

"He told the board early in the season we're going all out attack, I know we've got to get defensive skills, but I can't teach them all at once.

"I rate Matthew . . . I'd give him eight out of 10 first year, which is a distinction.

"His management of the team is excellent, he had good communication skills, everyone on that list knows what he expects of them, he's a disciplinarian and Matthew was strong on that.

"And I think he's got a modern game plan.

"I hope he's there (in 2012) . . . in my mind he would be."

Horsburgh's reappointment is seen as crucial at Windy Hill, notwithstanding the strong belief his public relations skills need developing.

A passionate supporter, Horsburgh was criticised for lying to the media after a board meeting at Windy Hill in 2007, at which Sheedy's future was discussed, and earlier this year angered senior staff at Essendon over his comments regarding the futures of veterans Jason Johnson and Damien Peverill.

Horsburgh had confirmed that Peverill and Johnson had been told by Knights their futures were limited.

The said officials believed Horsburgh should not have commented on team matters or players and the fall-out was, effectively, that Horsburgh was off limits until this week.

Asked if he was gagged, Horsburgh said: "I was advised that other people were better at handling the press than me."

Did you agree? "I have, yeah."

"I probably say what I think," the chairman said. "I'm not a diplomat and probably say it as it is. I hope that goes for me because, hopefully, we never get to a world where honesty is disguised."

On the financial front, Horsburgh said the club was set to announce a profit of $750,000, which would have been $1 million-plus, save for one-off payments to Bendigo, its VFL club, and improvements at Windy Hill.

"Financially, we are OK," he said.

He said that $750,000 was "barely adequate".

"We don't get grants like a lot of clubs, but we spent some money on upgrades at Essendon and we kicked another $150,000 into Bendigo because they were struggling," he said.

Horsburgh said the club had increased football department expenditure, citing the employment of Alan Richardson (assistant coach), Paul Hamilton (general manager, football), Stu Cormack (high performance coach) and Denise Jennings (physical preparation).

"We are giving Matthew Knights everything he wants," he said.

The chairman said it was highly probable 2009 would be the final year for Jackson - "and Peter has said that" - and that a succession plan for current chief operating officer Travis Auld to take over was in place.

"And likewise I hope there is a succession plan with the board," Horsburgh said.

"I'll probably do three years, if I get re-elected, and see my term out and I'm hoping to groom David Evans, who is a potential chairman."

Evans is the son of former Essendon great and AFL Commission chairman Ron Evans.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24683175-19742,00.html

 

[VelvetSledge]

Sheedy sure has transformed into a bitter man- I'm not sure as to whether he's telling the truth or he wants attention, but either way, that sort of stuff shouldn't come out into the public.

Thanks for the post, RIG.

 

[Bordy]

I'm sorry Mr Horsburgh but Ive voted against you.

 

[silk]

Sheedy sure has transformed into a bitter man- I'm not sure as to whether he's telling the truth or he wants attention, but either way, that sort of stuff shouldn't come out into the public.

Thanks for the post, RIG.

How is he bitter? He wrote a book telling his side of the story.....

 

[Call Me Cake]

Ray Horsburgh seems like a decent, easy going guy.

 

[DaSawx]

I'll be voting for him, I like the board and the coach being on the same page and having the same direction.

 

[sen entertainment bloke]

Tired of hearing about the Hawthorn model.

Every premiership is unique. Sure draw ideas from else where but you have to do it your own way in the end.

 

[stugots]

election time so he has to pipe up i guess

& yeh, i'd pefer the "Essendon model" to the "Hawthorn/Geelong/whomever model" anyday

 

[Calthorpe14]

You didn't get my vote Ray.

 

[mantis]

Sorry Horsburgh, I can't see your name on the ballot paper, there's a big thick black line there instead.

 

[Bombermania]

This is an Interesting election! I am in two minds about Ray Horsburgh while on one hand I'm happy with how Matty Knights is coaching and I can now say the Sheedy years needed to pass into the history books!

But it seems the past few years that the club has lost a bit of direction, yes we have the great new deal with Samsung but the club just seems to have fallen behind!

That may well be perception but maybe its as simple as looking at the 2008 scarfe but it looks cheap is this a sign of how the club is traveling!

 

[Merv]

is this a sign of how the club is traveling!

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/club/2008AnnualReport.pdf

 

[Bomber32]

Still haven't made up my mind, but I probably won't vote for Ray Horsburgh.

 

[Bombermania]

Thanks Merv!

I have read the annual report and maybe I'm mis-reading it and I'm fully aware for the diffcult economic conditions facing our club but we do seem to be going backwards.

I have a question for Rachael if she is around can she tell us how she would have handled the dismissing of Kevin Sheedy?