This is the best bit.

My recollection is that Fitzpatrick was concerned that he did not have the time to devote to being full time on the Board. This way at least we have his input. AND it's for the life of the loan.

Whilst I agree with Agro's caution (anything from the AFL must be treated like the proverbial Trojan horse), at least Fitzpatrick will force the Board to address the serious deficiencies in our planning and operations. Cripes he might even succeed in waking them up!

I have little doubt that the task was given to him because of his connection with the blues - Maybe I am just being romantic, but it seems to me he can, in this instance, serve two masters - ensure the AFL get their money back AND oversee a Carlton revival. Who knows how much insight he can bring thanks to his knowledge of, for example, the success of the West Coast model, or the basis of the voting on the AFL Commission - who would support what. Whilst my experience with Fiztpatrick would lead me to agree (again!) with Agro that Fitzpatrick will play an absolutely straight bat - his reputation is such that it suggests that he gets things done. And that, I think, must be good for Carlton.

Who knows he might convince Dick to tip in the cash!

Yesterday, I was despairing this AFL interference, today, I am cautious and more optomistic than I have been in ages about our off field position.

Now - let's beat these bummers!

and Agro - the Swans are now bigger and better and Premiers!

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"Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost

It's difficult not to be cautious with any AFL assistance under that F#*karse Demetriou but with Fitzy as their go-between we stand a chance. Hopefully Mike gets all romantic back at Princes Park and decides he wants to be in for the long, and successful, haul.

As an aside - can't be anything but cynical about media influence from AFL house. Any time Carlton's position has been reported in relation to debt in the past media have given us a bath, concentrating only on how many millions we owe whist harking back to the old 'systematic rorting' pearl and wooden spoon fanfare.

When reported this morning, (I think it was ch/7), the release was very positive about how the Carlton board had been terrific in cutting the debt from $12 million to $6 million, replete with sunny shots of Princes Park etc. And one big shot of smiling Jabba Andy shaking hands with Smorgon infront of the CFC insignia.

Wow, the Blues are wonderful again.

Proceed with caution...

Every new day means we're one step closer to turfing out the embarrassing incompetents on our board and one step closer to showing the door to the AFLs version of big brother.

In the words of our grand leader, I find this whole situation very 'uncomfortable'.

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There's so much I could say...

I'm personally sick of all these people complaining we are receiving a flower handout.

Handout: Money given to the needy, ala Melbourne, Kangaroos, Bulldogs

Loan: An act of lending; a grant for temporary use. Carlton

Now opposition supporters can stick it where it fits as IMO our board has got a great deal out this with an interest free loan, club legend to sit on the board and compensation from the AFL for using our ground still after forcing us to leave.

Still have concerns on our current board, but liked their work on this deal.

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

Seems to me Smorgon has negotiated a reasonable outcome.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Whether we like it or not we must thank the AFL for this.

And i dont think anyone is complaining about AFL assistance.. were complaining how things got to the point that our only chance was the AFL to come out and save us...

Also.. we want the club to make positive steps to find its own new lines of revenue streams.

So this is not an issue next year too.

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Too true.

This is just about the best case scenario for our club, after the mess we got ourselves into.

The 1.5 million is a loan, not a handout. So we don't get stuck in the cycle of dependency that the Roos and Doggies of this world are in.

The 500k is for ground upkeep, which is fair enough as it's a resource the entire competition benefits from - and will benefit from even more in the near future.

We have Mike Fitzpatrick sitting in our boardroom, making sure we don't spend half our board meetings talking about who's going to wear the No.4 guernsey next year.

We have the offer of AFL back-end resources to help bridge the gap between who we can currently afford to hire, and who we need to hire to stop us falling further behind.

We have a new revenue-share agreement about to be tabled, which should help our position no end.

In short, we have BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY to get our own house in order. And now is the time for every director of the club to look into their hearts and decide whether or not they're up to the task.

This is a chance we cannot afford to squander. From today, the club must be thinking not in terms of survival and debt reduction and damage control, but of seizing our opportunity.

Reduction of debt must occur, but it cannot be the guiding philosophy of the club. I think the AFL has recognised this, and quite frankly does not want to see a scenario where an important club such as ours is spending a decade reducing costs at the expense of just about everything else. A visibly struggling Carlton is bad for the competition, and everyone (save for a few myopic St Kilda people who can't get over the fact that pre-equalisation policies, they were our whipping boys for just on a hundred years) understands this.

We, and I mean all of us, should be energised and reinvigorated by this. And, please God... let our board see this as an opportunity for proactively launching the club into a great new era, not as a lifeline to continue existing.

Hear Hear - JohnM.



Although I reserve the right to maintain my rage at certain members of the AFL and Commission.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

There still must be a plan in place.
The reason we are in this position is lack of initiative and foresight.
The board thought we'd win games, the crowds would return and all would be well again.
That's not a plan.

This money will be used to pay bills and keep the club in operation this year.
Whats the plan for 07?
If our board want to sit back and rely on the players and MC to solve our problems again, we may be in this position in 12 months.

This money is'nt to be viewed as breathing space for our board.
It's an opportunity to show some initiative, much more than they've shown to date.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Spot on. The money is only as good as what it's used for.

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Congratulations CK95

Correct.

The best way, IMO, to look at is if Carlton is an 11 year old who has been given pocket money by their parent or in our case the AFL.

As the old saying goes "don't spend it all at once"

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

that money has already been spent... it was a budgeting short fall that will be used to fill in the hole by Novemeber..

As BV asks...

Whats the plan???

The plan for new revenue sources so we dont have to do this next year?

that money just ties us over for this year.

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The plan next year is to pay 92.5% of the salary cap and hopefully win more games.
Everyone on board?

I think thats not a plan at all.....woof.. no disrespect.

We have a very immature list.


It will take some time to turn results around.. whether we like it or not.

I want a plan.

See noone is putting up their hard earnt cash because they think were a basketcase.

If we had Frank Lowey taking over the club would he generate money????

Look at whats been done to Soccer.. with some real planning.. a professional approach and some good old fashioned positive promotion.!!!

Its simple.. youre shit because you have incompetent people around you.

Youre good because you have the right people in place.

I want this board to show us what theyre capable of instead of giving us excuses tat were not good enough. on the field

We know were not good enough on the field but thats not excuse as to why they themselves are not good enough.

Maybe the players can get together and put out a statement and say were not doing well because the board is crapola!!!.. and when the board starts kicking goals off the field we can improve...???


Escuses are only just that...!!!.. Excuses!!!

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I think a good starting block would be to find out who on the board is willing to put their hand up and be counted.

Diggins should resign, as should a number of other board members.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

I know it is not a plan. I am as unimpressed about this board as you are but they are just a very cost driven bunch which means their focus willl be spend less rather than generate $$$$.

That's why I like the Fitzy appointment. He's seen as Carlton friendly, so he is an acceptable candidate, he doesn't get associated with this board, and if they are crap Fitzy will make sure the AFL know about it.

Fitzy is our safety mechanism to make sure that this doesn't continue ad infinitum.

I agree with your assesment of them... and that would be their plan..

"We save on Koutas wages and we must win games!!"

No planning on revenue sourcing and promoting the club in a manner that befits the club and this millenium.

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

I think it is confirmed the $500k is an annual grant given that the TAC and umpires etc also us the ground.

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T E A M