Boardroom tickets finalised - Miller to run on Casey's ticket

[mightytiges]

Greg Miller's interview on SEN - 9/12/04 - Part 2

- A caller asked about the Kane Johnson trade and giving up pick 2 (Daniel Wells) for Kane. Miller said he was very happy with the decision. Johnson is a real leader and helps with the young blokes at the Club. We also got pick 12 - Jay Schulz in the deal who's going to be a excellent player. Said Johnson was already signed up before he got to Tigerland but he arranged the deal.

- Same caller said Miller should have got Solomon signature. GR would have. Miller responded by saying it doesn't work like that, there’s no signatures any more only trades. Solomon said yes to Miller one night but by the next morning after a phone call from Ramanaskus he had changed his mind.

- Same caller asked about Zantuck and that we lost him for nothing and it was our responsibility to get rid of him. Miller said we tried to orchestrate it to the Kangaroos [Ty said no]. Spoke to Essendon 3 or 4 times during the day and they said not interested. Essendon then came down to us with two minutes to go.

- In relation to Rex, the caller said a savvy administrator would have known about the need to be a member rule. Miller said he went and saw Rex. Mext day found out he wasn't a member. Would have been nice if he was. Would be great at some stage to have Rex down at the Club.

- Talked about Macek ultimatum. Miller was asked if had sat down with Charles at all and discussed it.
No he hadn't. Ultimatum was strange. It hit the media and the websites before it got to Miller. More a ploy.

- Miller wants everyone to vote to get a true guide not just from the "vitriolic" few.

- Asked if he takes a heavy fall at the election. "I'll be out of a job".

- Non Richmond supporter caller said to Greg that he was taking a risk aligning himself with Casey. Asked about Casey on a personal level. Miller replied that Casey is misunderstood in the way that he carries himself from time to time. Members like to see you down with them and Casey’s got other roles to play at the Club.  Said there's sort of a tall poppy-type syndrome that works against him with some members.  Miller finds Casey very generous.  Casey had made mistakes, he’d admitted those mistakes; the whole board’s made mistakes.
 
- Asked how many mistakes are you allowed to make though, Greg?  $2.2m is a pretty big mistake.
Miller agreed. Said we took the wrong CEO, the wrong route, had the wrong board members at the time. Board has changed alot. Some of those now challenging have gone. Team now far more united.

- Asked if he was asking, on behalf of Clinton, for forgiveness from Richmond supporters. Miler said yes, probably true. President is not an easy role. Need a strong CEO to educate you. Good clubs have a good combo - Eddie/Swan, McMahon/Jackson and Costa/Cook. We have that now.

- Miller then told the story about how he played his last game on Royce Hart at the 'G in 1976. Went to punch the ball but fell awkwardly over Royce and Miller did his knee. End of footy career.

- Asked by a caller (voting for Miller)  that  if he feels that passionately about the club, isn’t it better to at least still be there, rather than totally walk away from it.  Couldn't see how Miller could just walk away if the Casey ticket didn’t get up. Miller responded by saying he had thought long and hard about it. Although he feels he has put people in a position that he didn’t really want to put them into, he could no longer sit on the fence. We've come too far and you can't have your cake and eat it too. Need to put your hand up for what you believe. If the Alternative win he'll watch from the Outer.

- Asked if he was enemies with Macek and Brendan Schwab. Miller said certainly not with Macek. Didn't know him. [Ed. didn't mention Schwab until prompted] Not pleased with some of the campaign methodology which Miller thinks Schwab has had a lot to do with. It was old Richmond. Too much nastiness and pointing the finger. Very personal against Casey. We've got to change that culture.

 - Casey wasn't an Essendon supporter. Casey was an electrician originally. Played for Aberfeldie and won B&Fs. His dad had him down at Richmond from a young age. Brereton piped in and said the Casey brothers grew up barracking for Richmond, like their parents, going to the footy each week, and then the younger brother got taught by Alan Noonan in primary school and changed to Essendon. Bedroom was half Richmond; half Essendon. Both would alternate b/w Richmond and Essendon games.

- Was asked about having any business dealings with Clinton. That disappointed him in the start of the campaign and  One of the reasons it hurt him because it questioned his integrity. He's got no financial involvement with Clinton whatsoever [Ed. said it twice in his answer]. 

[froars]

Great summary MT yet again 

I heard that caller who asked him about Johnson, Solomon and Rex etc – he seemed like he was after Miller’s head – but I thought Greg answered him really well and put him in his place.

I’m not sure if calling the diehard supporters “vitriolic” is the right word, Greg, but I know what you mean lol

Glad to see his honesty in admitting mistakes have been made – let’s face it, who doesn’t make mistakes – we’ve seen plenty in the last 25 years.

I’m glad he’s a true believer in the cause and direction they’re taking – funny, I think most RFC people are – if they’re not, they’re the types who still think drafting old hacks is the way to go and living in the past of bygone glory days.

   Here’s to a positive future for our club 

[froars]

Heard the last bit of an interview on SEN this morning with Don Lord and he said that Billy Barrot rang him yesterday absolutely fuming that he was reported as supporting the Macek ticket.  He, in fact, will more than likely be voting for a split ticket voting for the people who he sees are the best for the club.

Our wonderful media! 

Did anyone hear the whole interview?

[bg25]

Barrot was in the Sun yesterday holding a number 4 jumper with Bourkey and Clay, certainly looked like he was endorsing the Big 4.

Maybe Billy's just confused

[Life goes on]

Maybe the old head is functioning as it should

[WilliamPowell]

Great summary MT yet again 

I heard that caller who asked him about Johnson, Solomon and Rex etc – he seemed like he was after Miller’s head – but I thought Greg answered him really well and put him in his place.

Agree Moi - terrific summary MT.

The caller you mention was Arthur from Hampton Park - who clearly showed he was unfortunately living in the past with his "savvy administrator, like GR" comments.

As for today's interview on SEN missed it - March and Lord were just coming on the air as we were getting out of the car 

[mightytiges]

Thanks guys lol 

Billy Barrot was on KB's show a few weeks back and although he began by saying he hadn't made up his mind and would talk to both camps, it was clear from his comments after that he supported the alternative ticket.

[froars]

Well good on him for saying he'd speak to both tickets - i wonder if the others did.

[mightytiges]

You're too late
11 December 2004   
Herald Sun
Jon Pierik

Rebel ticket rejects Casey offer to resign

ALTERNATIVE Richmond president Charles Macek says Clinton Casey's offer to resign next year if the club continues to stumble was five years too late.

Casey, the incumbent president, is locked in a bitter struggle with the Macek party as the clock ticks down on their nasty election campaign.

If he retains power, Casey has offered to step aside in 2005 if "we haven't turned around the finances, the footy department ends up being no good or the CEO is no good".

As the campaign heads into its final week -- ballots must be returned by 5pm next Friday -- Macek scoffed at Casey's offer.

"It's a pity he didn't accept responsibility for the last five years," Macek said yesterday.

"It's been a very expensive term. Basically what he is saying is that he made some mistakes, it took us a while to learn, we won't repeat those mistakes.

"Well, it's cost the club $5 million for his education. That's expensive."

While admitting he and his board had made mistakes -- the Tigers lost $2.19 million this year -- Casey has said there was much to look forward to now.

In what has degenerated into an ugly fight, Macek accused the Casey ticket of using telemarketing to try to secure crucial votes.

"I personally don't think that's something we want to do," Macek said.

"The community generally doesn't like telemarketing.

"I can only interpret that as the tide is not going as strongly for them as they expected."

Macek, who expects many members to make up their minds this weekend, said the campaign had been "difficult".

He feels the decision by football director Greg Miller to run for a seat on Casey's board had been a wedge that had divided many at the club.

But he hopes Miller's stunning move does not distract members from analysing the key issues.

"The involvement of Greg playing the role he's playing introduces what I would call wedge politics," Macek said.

"It's sort of similar to the way some people would describe the Tampa boat and children overboard episode in the previous (federal) election.

"It introduces an issue that creates a wedge in the electorate because everyone is going to have a strong view.

"They are not going to be neutral.

"It's that one issue people are going to vote on, rather than the real issues that come back to financial mismanagement, the appalling values and culture the club has adopted that have driven so many good people away."

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,11651539%255E20322,00.html

[mightytiges]

It wouldn't be Richmond if Mike didn't get his say 

Sheahan: The case for Casey

Future looking bright at last
11 December 2004   
Herald Sun
By MIKE SHEAHAN

THERE is unmistakable optimism emanating from a large section of the chronically downbeat Richmond supporter group.

The arrival of Terry Wallace, Troy Simmonds and a batch of highly rated youngsters has had a profound impact on morale.

Wallace and Simmonds both managed to secure rare and risky five-year contracts, but both were in demand. Quality comes at a price.

The club performed as it should have at the draft table, snaring at least two, and as many as four, of the country's best youngsters. That's why Greg Miller took the extraordinary step of joining Clinton Casey's election ticket.

The veteran football man says he is only midway through a major rebuilding program; that he isn't interested in returning to square one.

While it was an extraordinary decision -- the rest of the staff have been warned to stay out of the election battle -- his public commitment to Casey ultimately might swing the result.

Talkback callers and email writers, and Richmond leads the way in both, have indicated a strong belief in Miller and, by extension, the Casey group.

Miller is a man of vast football experience. He is a good footy man because he knows the game and its participants, and does what it takes to get what he wants.

Five-year contracts for Wallace and Simmonds seem excessive. They might even prove to be so. But Richmond secured the best available coach, and, in Simmonds, got an experienced, capable ruckman-forward to replace Brad Ottens.

Wallace is a sound investment. His preparation is impeccable; he will be worth four or five more wins. Good teams make good coaches, but good coaches improve bad teams; Denis Pagan and Denis Pagan alone was responsible for Carlton's spectacular improvement this year.

Miller told the Herald Sun recently he saw traces of North Melbourne of the late 1980s and early '90s in the current Richmond group.

There's more than a trace of romance in that assessment, given the North crew included names such as Carey, Longmire, Stevens, Schwass and Archer, but the Tigers do have 12-15 kids who look to be chances.

Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling join Jay Schulz, Daniel Jackson and Brent Hartigan, and perhaps Tom Roach and Andrew Raines.

Richmond also has Nathan Brown, Matthew Richardson, Mark Coughlan and Joel Bowden, all of whom will be better under Wallace.

At board level, Casey carries a long list of convictions against his name, yet he does make a valid point when he says he must be better for five years' experience.

Like so many gung-ho businessmen before him, he paid football insufficient respect on arrival and it came back to bite him.

Casey and Miller have made plenty of mistakes, but they also make a sound case for a further 12 months.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,11651547%255E19742,00.html

Sheahan: The case for Macek

Casey's used up his lives
11 December 2004   
Herald Sun
By MIKE SHEAHAN

WHY shouldn't there be change? How long does one bloke and his cronies get to make a footy club function properly?

Richmond has finished 14th, 13th and 16th in the past three years, and has lost enough money to end Victoria's public health crisis.

There is a debt of $5 million, according to the Macek group.

Surely time's up. Something has to be tried. Anything.

Every Richmond great except Jack Dyer seems to have endorsed the challengers. From Francis Bourke down.

That must help at the ballot box, although it's hard to know how former players become instant experts on how a business is running. A business viewed from afar.

The Macek group has a liberal dose of experience. The man himself, Brendan Schwab, Peter Welsh and Mike Humphris all have been there before. Schwab and Welsh departed less than 12 months ago, frustrated, they say, by Casey's style and their inability to effect change.

Welsh and Bryan Wood both are Richmond premiership players, which will appeal.

The challengers cleverly point to membership targets of 40,000, to average crowds of 40,000, to blockbuster crowds of 60,000, to a return to "big four" status.

They are sexy figures, but, unfortunately for them, it's not that simple.

They also have promised to refrain from a slash and burn approach. The coach is secure, the chief executive Steven Wright is secure.

What they are promising is change in the way the business is run.

It's simply a question of governance, Macek says.

Who can you trust? Casey has exhausted supporter faith, Macek says; time for a credible alternative to be given an opportunity.

Macek and Humphris both are professionals in the fields of finance and governance.

There's no doubt many disaffected Richmond people, some willing to inject big money, would return under a new administration.

Macek and company also showed their good faith by promising Miller he would have their support if he withdrew from the election.

What the challengers offer is hope. How could things become any worse, many supporters ask.

It's a fair question.

The other relevant question for members is whether they can be content with the level of change being effected from within.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,11651545%255E19742,00.html

[mightytiges]

"Well, it's cost the club $5 million for his education. That's expensive."

There is a debt of $5 million, according to the Macek group.

This is twisting the figures IMHO. We don't have a debt (total assets-total liabilities) of $5m. Our debt is $745k out of a total income of $22m. Our working capital (current assets-current liabilites) is $5m in deficit and that's mainly attributable to our $3.3m overdraft. Our annual repayments on this overdraft will be around $430k. Macek's argument is that if the bank came to us on Monday and said they want all the money you owe us now then we'd be bankrupt and that we would not sell our property assets and alike (non-current assets) anyway so why bother including them in the budget figures. But then that would be the case for the vast majority of everyday families and businesses with mortgages and overdrafts. If banks closed out their loans even though people could easily meet the repayments then the whole economy would keel over along with the banks themselves. It's scaremongering!

[mightytiges]

Tiger factions
By Caroline Wilson
The Age
December 12, 2004

This column has devoted copious amounts of space to Greg Miller over the years and it is fitting as the year draws to a close that we do so again as football's popular and charismatic wheeler-dealer puts the finishing touches on yet another deal.

While the industry remains baffled at Miller's unorthodox and - in our view - unworkable move onto Clinton Casey's election ticket, the Richmond football boss of two years has finally offloaded the problematic Ty Zantuck and looks to have picked up another ruckman, Trent Knobel, in the process.

As the votes flow in to decide who will be running the politically torn club after Christmas, Miller has convinced Casey that the Tigers can afford the 24-year-old former Saint at a base of around $160,000 and potentially $210,000 depending on the number of senior games he plays next year. This is despite Richmond's massive loss this year and the belief by some current board members that the club should consider putting out its hand for funds from the AFL's soon-to-be restructured competitive balance fund.

Subject to AFL approval, Knobel will join Richmond via its first pick in the pre-season draft thanks to some freed-up funds that have emerged via a sweetheart deal between the Tigers, Zantuck and the AFL - although the relationship between the first two parties has been anything but sweet. Knobel is a risk but a significantly better proposition than Steve McKee and his problematic groin. McKee was reportedly told on Friday he would not be returning to Tigerland.

Richmond is no longer committed to paying Zantuck for his off-field work behind the wheel of the club's membership van and so has been let off a significant amount of the footballer's 2005 contract. Whether Zantuck, with his increasingly troublesome reputation, is picked up remains to be seen, but the Tigers believe Port Adelaide and Essendon remain in the mix.

Whether it was Miller's fault that Zantuck was not traded in October for a far better return depends on who you talk to. Miller's reputation has always thrived on the fact that he carries his office in his head, but his fallibility, along with his expertise, has been exposed since he joined the struggling club after a lengthy stint as the Roos' CEO and accepted he was better at running a football department than an entire operation.

Or has he? The signs at Richmond are that Miller has been running the show for a variety of reasons and will continue to do so should Casey emerge victorious, despite the club's poor record under his leadership. CEO Steven Wright refused to comment on Miller last week and has continued to direct his staff to stay away from the politics.

Some have questioned why Miller has so steadfastly stuck behind Casey. Both men vehemently deny rumours of a financial partnership, although Miller did confirm last week that the company he owns with former Kangaroos marketing manager Francis Trainor has a deal with the club to supply caps as part of its membership package.

If Casey does win - and we should know the answer in a little over a week - then he will have Miller to thank for his victory. The latter appears to have convinced a remarkable number of Richmond supporters that he is the club's saviour, despite its poor record in 2003 and 2004, on the strength of his long-term recruiting.

Should Casey lose - and this columnist believes he does not deserve another term and questions his motivation in trying to stay - then Miller will go and Terry Wallace will be forced to find a new recruiting man.

Casey's failings have been reported here before, but little has been said about alternative president Charles Macek. Macek is a proven and impressive businessman, former sportsman and passionate Tiger. His only failings - as far as we can unearth - are that he served as a director in the past and is as straight as a die and a stickler for propriety in an operational sense. But perhaps they're not bad things when you've just lost more than $2 million in a year.

Macek's ticket boasts more skills and is more diverse than Casey's and again it is unfair to criticise the fact that Brendan Schwab and Peter Welsh served during the Casey-Frawley years when Casey ran his board largely as a one-man band and both directors quit because they had lost faith in him. The turnover of directors under Casey's five-year regime has been remarkable.

The challengers, too, appear united in their support of Wallace and his lieutenant, Paul Armstrong, along with Wright, who, under their guidance, would at least be clearly in charge.

Whatever the result, it appears a unanimous hope at Tigerland that the winning board is not divided and that one ticket or the other gets in, allowing Wallace to guide his new players out of the wilderness.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2004/12/11/1102625584492.html?oneclick=true

[mightytiges]

  Miller has convinced Casey that the Tigers can afford the 24-year-old former Saint at a base of around $160,000 and potentially $210,000 depending on the number of senior games he plays next year. This is despite Richmond's massive loss this year and the belief by some current board members that the club should consider putting out its hand for funds from the AFL's soon-to-be restructured competitive balance fund.

What does our 2004 finanical loss have to do with one new player getting $160-200k for 2005 when we are now well well below the salary cap ???. We would have been worse off financially if Ty remained. In fact I mentioned on here a rumour I heard about month of so ago that the reason why Richo was not listed as a veteran (when he could be) was so that our TPP stayed above the minimum AFL requirement of 92.5% of the salary cap. You can't pay less than 92.5% Caro  .

It's funny how a line like "belief by some [nameless] board members" gets a gig but there's no reference to the annual report (actually approved by the board) that states we won't be needing to put our hand out for the CBF based on the conservative budget figures for 2005. 

CEO Steven Wright refused to comment on Miller last week and has continued to direct his staff to stay away from the politics.

Let's not mention Miller has stated he has Wright's and Wallace's blessing.

Some have questioned why Miller has so steadfastly stuck behind Casey. Both men vehemently deny rumours of a financial partnership

So why keep bringing up this cheap-shot innuendo Caro?!

The latter (Miller) appears to have convinced a remarkable number of Richmond supporters that he is the club's saviour, despite its poor record in 2003 and 2004, on the strength of his long-term recruiting.

We aren't voting for Miller because we think he is the messiah. Not one  person is the messiah. We are voting for him because he has been part of a new team over the past 4 months or so that has begun to change the 20+ year old culture of going round in circles at Richmond that has laid the foundations for future long-term success.

Macek's ticket boasts more skills and is more diverse than Casey's and again it is unfair to criticise the fact that Brendan Schwab and Peter Welsh served during the Casey-Frawley years when Casey ran his board largely as a one-man band and both directors quit because they had lost faith in him. The turnover of directors under Casey's five-year regime has been remarkable.

Turn it up Caro!  You expect us to believe Schwab and Welsh spent over 5 years on the board twiddling their thumbs and so aren't responsible for anything. Yeah good one! 

[froars]

 RICHMOND best-and-fairest winner Nick Daffy yesterday pledged his support for the rebel Big 4 group and said 90 per cent of retired Tiger players wanted Clinton Casey removed from office.

Daffy said he felt obligated to come forward in support of alternate president Charles Macek after what he described as Casey's lack of leadership in the past few years and his failure to bring former Tigers back to the club.
"There are a lot of past players who I played with for 10 years and 90 per cent of them have no confidence in Clinton Casey at all," Daffy said.

He believes people such as Macek and Bryan Wood have what it takes to turn the club around.

Daffy said he wanted to stress he was not a bitter former player angry at being traded to the Swans. Rather, he is a successful Melbourne businessman who will sit down with new CEO Steven Wright tomorrow to discuss ideas for a young, dynamic coterie group.

"Now I have businesses in Melbourne and think it is time some of us stood up and said what we feel," he said.

"I want to go to the footy with Brendon Gale and Matthew Richardson and Wayne Campbell and all these guys in years to come and support them, but also be there in another capacity."

Daffy, who played 165 matches in 10 years at Punt Rd, said many recently retired players had no input and no opportunity to help the club.

"We know that the current board over the last couple of years hasn't been inviting some past players and involving Richmond's tradition. That is not how clubs should be," he said.

"A guy like Peter Welsh, he wasn't just on the board, he was a mentor for someone like myself. I think a lot of ex-players at Richmond haven't come back because probably they haven't been welcome."




http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,11664959%255E20322,00.html

[froars]

Dear Nicky,

You would have noticed when you were playing at the club there wasn't many former players around the club - it is the way of Richmond.  Don't blame Casey for that.  It's not a new phenomena that just suddenly came when came on board.

There is a player-mentor scheme happening at the moment Nick - get on board.  Nothing's stopping you from coming back to the club.  You're full of poo.

Another self-serving little character is Daffy.  Get what you can out of footy with minimal return.