Richmond chief Brendon Gale full of confidence (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Richmond chief Brendon Gale full of confidence

    by: Rebecca Williams
    From: Herald Sun
    November 07, 2011

RICHMOND chief executive Brendon Gale is confident the Tigers' bold five-year strategic plan is on track as it aims to build on record membership figures next season.

Gale unveiled an ambitious blueprint to the club's members early last year, detailing the Tigers' aim to attract 75,000 members, be debt free and play finals three times within five years.

As part of that plan, the Tigers will launch their 2012 membership campaign today, setting the goal of 50,000 members for next season.

"We hit our all-time membership record this year of just under 48,000," Gale said yesterday.

"We believe there is a significant latent support base at Richmond, which we are really trying to activate as our side improves.

"I think on some of those measurements around our membership, consumer support and finances, we are making good progress. But again so much of our plan depends on building a competitive and a successful football team on a sustained basis.

"Clearly we have got some improvement in our football team. We are really confident on our future and believe we will improve."

Gale said the club had wiped $1.5 million from its debt in the past 18 months and the Fighting Tiger Fund would continue to raise funds for this purpose and to increase investment in football.

With the Tigers finishing 12th this year, Gale said he just wanted to see continued improvement for next season.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-chief-brendon-gale-full-of-confidence/story-e6frf9jf-1226187128565

[The Big Richo]

With the Tigers finishing 12th this year, Gale said he just wanted to see continued improvement for next season.

Soft.

[DCrane]

Agree, that attitude will get you nowhere.

We should be striving to be the best. I'm sick of mediocre expectations at Tigerland.

[Penelope]

Yet if he said we will make finals people would be screaming the house down that he should STFU and let actions speak etc etc.

[Eat_em_Alive]

Yet if he said we will make finals people would be screaming the house down that he should STFU and let actions speak etc etc.

Agreed, let the likes of vossy and first year coaches talk fluff....
.. Let the tiges talk on the field 

[TigerLand]

Can't really win here.

Gale and March and the players will get asked all year what their aspirations are and everything will be look everyone wants to play finals we just have to focus on improving and we'll get there.

If we say we're aiming for finals you put pressure on the group and as it's shown in the past we're not into that.

If we say we just want improvement it looks soft.

Can't win either way. From what the club has been saying to us members from 2012 onwards its about results not transformation.

[tony_montana]

Yet if he said we will make finals people would be screaming the house down that he should STFU and let actions speak etc etc.

exactly

Gale handled that beautifully - tigers have talked and beat their chests enough over the years - time for the footy to do the talking

[The Big Richo]

I agree, but the horse has already bolted with the 5 year plan.

The club has a stated success target of making the next 3 finals series.

The 50,000 member target is pathetic as well. That means we would need to add 25k in the next two seasons to make the 75k target.

The goal period isn't halfway through yet and they are already watering it down significantly.

My conclusion: B Gale is a spinner in the T Wallace league.

[gerkin greg]

why didn't that go off?

[mightytiges]

We can easily reach 75k members IMO given our large latent supporter base but we won't get anywhere near it without successive finals campaigns to get the backwagoners on board.

As for Benny Gale I don't have a problem with his comment. It's more realistic than 3 finals appearances in the next 3 years.

If we've knocked $1.5m off our debt in the past 18 months then we must be down to around $2.5m-3.0m. Still a way to go.