Ah dear, never upset the football media.
I know their culture well as I was once a sports editor. Outsiders are not welcome and I am an outsider
They are taking after me because I said yesterday it is time for the AFL to step in to Melbourne and that the first thing I would do is start change from the top - dump the chief executive Cameron Schwab.
READ: The smell of death is around the Melbourne Football Club
He is the man who has put this football department in place. He is the man who some say is not helping the culture of the club.
I know people at high places in football, at clubs, and at the AFL who strongly agree - but won’t say so.
Of course dumping Schwab won’t fix everything, but there is something polluting this club behind the scenes and it needs to be fixed.
I am getting various versions of what is going on, but I don’t know. I just know if Melbourne doesn’t fix it, the AFL will.
Anyway, some in football media don’t agree. Mark Robinson from the Herald Sun said on AFL 360: “Neil, you go and help!”
“You are…one of the most powerful, influential public commentators in this town. Neil, you get off your bum and go and help.
“You say you’re a passionate Melbourne fan…All these Melbourne people who are talking about this football club – and I’ll say it again – get off your arse and help.”
Fair enough, but Robbo doesn’t get it. I have offered many, many times to help the Demons. I have offered my help to the president and the chief executive, but they don’t need me or want me. Fair enough, it’s their call.
In previous years, I have done speeches, emceed events and hosted lunches; That is what I can do, but that is their call.
I have got sick of offering and sick of not even getting a call back. I can get a call back from the Prime Minister’s office, but not the Melbourne Football Club.
But the broader point for Robbo: I can’t be President, I can’t be a board member - not while I am in this job. I could never do what Eddie does, it is a direct conflict.
Imagine if I was on the board and I knew Melbourne was negotiating to pinch Jobe Watson from Essendon. If the rumours got out and I was on-air and a caller asked, I would know it was right but couldn’t admit it; I would be lying to you as the audience. I would be putting the footy club ahead of ethics.
That is why I won’t do it.
There is an inevitable and unanswerable conflict between being a participant in the system and also being an observer and commentator. My first duty is to you, not the Melbourne Football Club, and sadly many in football just don’t understand that.
James Brayshaw, Eddie McGuire… There are enough conflicts going on without adding to it, And I won’t.
I am still there to help in any other way, but they have just lost my phone number.
There has been heaps of feedback on our website about this, summed up perhaps by Monica who says: “Melbourne have had seven years of top quality draft picks and priority picks. If they can't build a super undefeatable team out of that, then they need to go.”
Excellent point. We have got it wrong in our recruiting and in many areas, and that comes back, not to the players, but to management
I still reckon they need to shave off their beards, just to make the point. We care more about competing on the field than competing with our beards. Shave them off and at least look like footballers.
No comments:
Post a Comment