I put it to one of the board members to come online and let us know the true state of whats going on and also let us know what is in the pipeline regarding debt reduction.

We are members and should know.

Some board members regularly used to come and communicate with us, but it has since stopped. They cannot only come to us when they want to be voted in.

Love to know what each of the board members have actually achieved for the club. I would suspect some have achieved alot and some are there for their ego's.

I know they do not get paid but being on the board is not about egos it should be about actually bringing something to the club. Same names have been around for a while, I wonder what they have actually achieved in their time.

Debt demolition (if this is true) is not original and more ebarrassment to the club. I hope this is not the case and our board can actually come up with some other income streams. Seems alot of hot air said by some at the time of Smorgan/Election era. We were told there would be so much support coming back to the club to assist $$$$$

I hope Swann or someone comes out and clears up this situation. Good point by Drewgirl if it was election time I am sure we could attract some board members on here to tell us how much they have contibuted - where are they know.

Yes I am selfish, but we could really do with Richard Pratt being around. Not for his own money but he had big players around him. We shouldn't purely rely on the big players with $$ but we need some inovative income streams. Reading about the membership numbers of our rivals is also a concern.

Remember never criticise teh Board they are a very tempermental lot and will get upset if we challenge their fragile ego's.

Worthy question. But which states are those supposedly debt free clubs supposed to be in? Another worthy question? The AFL's plan is not immune to another Victorian club or two ceasing to exist.

The AFL is expansionist more than protectionist unless enough objections are raised. That's an 'ongoing concern'.

Maybe that was the expectation but the cost inflation in football would have been very high over the last year - the leading Clubs are adding more & more off-field staff and structures and that is being paid for on the other side. Perhaps on 2000 cost levels most of the 'businesses' would be able to turn a profit.

Collingwood's clear revenue strength allows them to provide massive support levels to the team (paying two senior coaches buckets each) which is driving an 'arms race' if you will.

We dont as a club sell ourselves to well.

Our Admin ie Kernahan and co hardly give interviews, and dont really make themselves accessable. Our players barely are in the media selling the club.

So then the media find stuff to write about us and its always negative.

We need to be out there selling ourselves more to generate interest.

The club even keep their members away, by the amount of closed training sessions.

They want to keep everything quite and ticking over. Not always the best policy.

Sponsors want their brand to be out there in a positive way, if we decide not too give many interviews the media will dig something to report, and unfortunately its always crap.

The club has not even come out and spoke to their members to refute and justify the Age article. Surely they would want to speak to their members.

Some worthy concerns in this thread- particularly our manifest lack of any semblance of an "image." Our Directors need to have sunset clauses on their Directorship and should be made to satisfy performance targets every year. No point just keeping the seat warm.
Besides for a small handful of Directors (including the ones who have been past contributors to this forum) the rest are seriously holding us back.

With 10 teams in Melbourne and a sporting landscape getting more competitive by the minute, football clubs simply cannot afford to carry passengers. We seem to be doing something about this on the field- we have a long way to go off it.

Totally agree. While Sticks remains President we will be for forever linked to the Elliott days, the salary cap penalties, the failed Pagan sacking, the woeful interview following the Fev sacking, "We are Carlton F the rest" and most bad decisions made in our dark decade.
By his own admission he is a reluctant president so he must have his own doubts about performing the job.
We have a suburban footy club feel about us where the former club great becomes "Pres". What we really need is someone qualified enough to run a multi million dollar business.
No doubt Sticks loves Carlton and credit is due for keeping a unified board after such along period of instability but it`s time for change in my opinion.

Well said

We need some fresh blood with new ideas and direction at the top - nice to have past players in such positions providing they have a business mind and understanding to keep pushing the clubs interests forward.

I sometimes worry that former players are only put up to shore up votes and protect running partners rather than add value to the club.

Are there any potential board members being kept at bay by guns and ammo?

No point lamenting what we don't have, when there clearly hasn't been anyone ready to stand up against the board.

There was a guy last year, who came on TC to showcase what he had offered and quite frankly, he was cross between Kevin Rudd and a lobotomy. Not his fault, but he wasn't very inspiring in what he had to say or had to offer.

People talk of Fahour as possible Prez, yet he hasn't put his hand up for the gig or even to have a seat on the board.

So unless someone decides to stand up and run for election who actually knows and has an idea of how to generate revenue, then this becomes an annual jabfest that doesn't get us anywhere.

I'm not disputing the need for change, as I do believe a few members have been there too long, but I would like to see genuine interest in joining the CFC board by genuine people who can make a difference and not just be another passenger.

I thought the Pratt family member Raphael Germinder was doing his apprenticeship on the board to eventually takeover?

The first year or so that Pratt took over, there was action a plenty around the Club with a new CEO, new Footy Manager, new Coach, Big new sponsors, new facilities, the luring of Chris Judd....
I think from the start of 2009 onwards, apart from the big Mars sponsorship, the club seems to have stagnated a bit off field (Im counting the New facilities as a Pratt thing so they dont count). Maybe I'm wrong, but as theres no one out in the media spuiking our club like there is for the Filth (Eddie), and the Scum (countless journos) we seem to get more negative the npositive publicity and this seems to have hurt our image...

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James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

Important we don't confuse the perception peddled by Essendon* supporting journalists out there in the media and the reality. We have made some great strides over the last few years, funny how people forget how far back we were coming from.

In the last couple of years we have:

- survived the death of our patron and continued to make solid improvements both financially and on-field
- improved our facilities at Visy Park a thousand-fold
- made a stand on player culture by engineering a brilliant trade deal for Fev
- put together a competitive, young list capable of matching the likes of Geelong and St Kilda
- made the finals twice in a row (and poised to make the next step this year)
- improved the coaching staff with the appointments of Brown and Richardson

I am quite happy where Carlton is at and more importantly, where we are heading. Sure there are things to improve and the board may not be perfect, but when the season starts and we see Chris Yarran roving a Nick Duigan punch in the backline, streaming forward, handballing to Kane Lucas who handballs to Judd who then hits Lachie Henderson on the chest with the ball lace out, I'm guessing life in navy blue will look pretty damn good!!

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In WADA we trust

Look there may be some big things going on in the background, however I don't know that.

What I do know is how I feel and that is exactly what you said D7.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I agree.
The last couple of years have been successful.
Now what about the next few?

Good organizations are constantly planning their next initiatives to continue their success. Any consultant will tell you that an organization who can't point to recent successes needs to be assessed and given an overhaul.

Sticks and the board are not at that point, they have some 'runs on the board', but as has been mentioned: most of the action/planning came out of that initial period of Pratt's Presidency.

It's time for some new initiatives - a strategic plan? A new board? A new financial plan? A new President? A new recruit?

Renewing Hyundai was a good step, but surely there's other areas of the club that can be improved.

Congratulations to the club on all the recent achievements, think positive, but be ambitious too.

Dud clubs don't win premierships.
(Maybe North Melbourne was the exception)

In reality, looking at most boards in the AFL, most people get on when they are endorsed by the incumbents. Not many people can get on without that. Peter de rauch is a prime example.

People who are worthwile generally don't nominate themsleves. They are asked to nominate and endorsed because they will enhance the board.
The problem at Carlton is that if we do have deadwood, they are hardly going to nominate bringing in succesful people to replace them. Everyone would think they personally are doing a super job.

We would need a few big hitters at the club to take charge, which may be what Geminder will do, and try to bring fresh blood that will rejuvenate the place.

Tom Elliot is someone I'd like to see in discussions. He's a very smart man. Successful businessman/hedge fund manager and media friendly. I think 3AW are grooming him to take over from Neil Mitchell.

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T E A M

I think it is important not to confuse the football department with the board.

We need to dramatically increase our revenue streams if we are to continue investing in programs and facilities that will improve our football department.

Every successful business requires that cash streams are assigned each year to capital improvements and growth of financial income, failure to do so will result in stagnation of growth and outdated infrastructure. Once you get behind the benchmark then you will continue to shrink your business at an ever accelerating rate, AFL clubs are no different which is why the same clubs always continue to struggle.

We were very fortunate that a wealthy businessman broke the cycle by investing enough cash to do all the great things that you listed, however he passed on before he had the chance to instil the business philosophies that will ensure that we exceed the benchmark and secure our long term future. That responsibility now rests with the members and board to make the correct decision, if Sticks loves the club as much as I think he does, he needs to stand down so that progressive business people can move in.

Now I know that some will argue that if they want the job, they need to challenge, but in the world of big end business your reputation is very public and a challenge to a club legend will be seen as disrespectful and arrogant (ie I know more about running a football club than Sticks) and once your reputation is tarnished it takes allot of work to get the goodwill back - something that a younger candidate may not be willing to do.

Would I challenge Sticks for Presidency? probably not....

Is it fair to say many board members expected Pratty's will to do the work for them on the debt and their is no realistic plan B, without cutiing footy department costs drastically?
The Pokies 'goldmine' has not seemed to deliver?
Swanny might not be a bad news CEO, and will depart once the debt clouds roll back in.

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Green Shooter

Finishing middle of the ladder is not a success.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides