Author Topic: Ian Campbell Steps Down  (Read 4805 times)

Offline WilliamPowell

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Ian Campbell Steps Down
« on: May 26, 2004, 04:38:03 PM »
Tiger CEO steps down
4:05:53 PM Wed 26 May, 2004
richcmondfc.com.au

The Richmond Football Club wishes to advise that its CEO Ian Campbell today offered his resignation, which has been accepted by the Board of Directors.

Campbell, who took over the post in May last year after a 20-year stint in international business, will leave the club at the end of this week.

“I have enjoyed my time at Tigerland a great deal and I would just like to thank all those who have made me, and my family, feel so welcome here, Campbell said.

“Richmond is a great club and I hope in the not-too-distant future it can again achieve the sort of success its loyal supporters crave, and deserve.”

The Tigers’ president, Clinton Casey, said Campbell’s departure from Punt Road was an amicable arrangement.

“We would like to thank Ian for the way he has conducted himself through what has been a difficult time at the club,” Casey said.

“He genuinely embraced the club from the moment he walked in and, at all times, acted with Richmond’s best interests at heart.

“We wish him all the best for the future.”


http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=151326
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

Offline mightytiges

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2004, 04:48:00 PM »
:o

So given he gave no reasons for leaving and he resigned on the same day as the reported finanical crisis, is this the Club's way of telling us we are heading for a huge loss this year  ???.

It's time we as members are given some answers. 
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

Offline Tiger Spirit

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2004, 04:50:46 PM »
Why doesn't this surprise me?  His silence over the last few months was surprising, not to mention cause for concern.
Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.  --Martin Luther

The time you enjoy wasting isn’t wasted time.

Offline WilliamPowell

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2004, 04:50:59 PM »
It's all a mystery to me  :-\

As I said to friend today - the really need to start showing us some respect and trust and tell us what the hell is going on >:(

I am starting to get bloody frustrated - it aint that hard and shouldn't be.

Tell us the truth and we will accept it and more importantly we are more likely to get supporter - all this cloak and dagger stuff is embarrassing to put it mildly
« Last Edit: May 26, 2004, 04:54:54 PM by WilliamPowell »
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

froars

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2004, 04:52:35 PM »
When you've got an Essendon supporter in charge of the RFC, you really ought to be worried.

Offline Tiger Spirit

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2004, 05:02:08 PM »
This is a post I commenced in response to another thread, but maybe it has more relevance over here at the moment.

What has taken place in recent times has had me more than a little concerned.  All the staff cuts and then the gate receipts thing with Collingwood smack of a Club operating under duress and seem like unbelievable decisions, whatever the reason for them was.  So, maybe some people are being asked to do more than they can cope with or are suited to doing.

I’ll always support any decision that is in the best interests of RFC.  At the same time, when things are not as they should be then people have the right to ask why not and question the motives for certain decisions.  We can pick holes in every single decision made and maybe determine if someone lasts in their role but, ultimately, decision-makers pre-determine their own fate by the decisions they make.  So, from that perspective, it matters little whether we choose to support or criticise the Club.

It’s understandable that everyone wants to criticise at this point in time, because there’s lots to be critical of and those responsible only have themselves to blame for the situation our Club is in; whatever that is.

It’s just a pity that none of them can stand back from the whole situation and see what’s really happening and how much damage is being done to what’s left of our reputation.

Many lament the fact that we have so few football/Richmond people involved at the Club.  People who neither understand nor appreciate RFC or the AFL and the unique nature of their existence have probably had a rude awakening to the way AFL Clubs operate.  This competition and the Clubs in it have a culture that is perhaps different to anything elsewhere in the world.  For those who want to come in and think that it’s just like any other business, I guess they get to find out the hard way that it’s unlike anything they have experienced before.

The PR job required by RFC to regain the faith of not just its supporters, but also the footy community, is a massive one.  We desperately need people that we, the supporters, respect who can make sense of and put order to what is going on.

We’re all tired of the feeble attempts made by the Club to explain away our situation, whether it be on or off the field.  I can accept that it takes time for systems put into place to take effect.  And I can even accept that there are changes that can only occur when it is appropriate for them to happen.  But I can neither accept nor excuse some of the decisions that have been made in recent times, which give the impression that our Club is being allowed to fall further and further into the mire and makes it appear as though we are under pressure, as evidenced by some of the irrational decisions made in recent times that have long-term repercussions for the Club.

What is unclear is whether people are protecting their own positions, or are merely holding the fort until the time is right for change to occur.  Maybe a bit of both.  Let’s at least spare a thought for those who are fighting a seemingly lost battle to maintain the day to day operation of the Club until changes can take place.

Things can’t go on like this indefinitely.  But if the timing is not yet right for significant changes to occur, then it’s up to us supporters to hold things together in the interim and never lose faith in the ability of our footy Club to come out of this.  All is lost only if we lose hope that we can ever turn things around.
Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.  --Martin Luther

The time you enjoy wasting isn’t wasted time.

Offline WilliamPowell

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2004, 05:04:19 PM »
Sensational Post TS.

Couldn't agree with you more
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

froars

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2004, 05:19:18 PM »
Nice post TS and many years of pain that went into that post.

I'm not losing hope or faith in the club, but geez i have to stretch that faith to still be here supporting them.  They make mistake after mistake after mistake.  They chew people up emotionally and wear them out to the point where you have to step back a bit before you go nuts.  It happened with me when i worked for the club - to watch how inept some people were down there, either through not being qualified or just not having the passion for what they were doing.  At the time i helped out there, not many of the office staff were Richmond supporters.  Okay, that's not a great criteria, but if they're not good at their job, it certainly helps if they had the passion for the club.

But couldn't you just sum it up with the word "leadership".  We were on the right track with Daphne.  Even if some of the footy decisions under him were damn stupid, we were heading in the right direction financially and off the field.  All we needed was to win footy.  And i'm sure that would have come about in the long run with Leon. 

But now you've got the double whammy again of our finances and footy going down the gurgler.  It's all alleged at the moment all these financial worries; it woudl be nice if the club came out and stated exactly our position.

Offline mightytiges

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2004, 06:47:03 PM »
Top post TS  :)

Many lament the fact that we have so few football/Richmond people involved at the Club.  People who neither understand nor appreciate RFC or the AFL and the unique nature of their existence have probably had a rude awakening to the way AFL Clubs operate.  This competition and the Clubs in it have a culture that is perhaps different to anything elsewhere in the world.  For those who want to come in and think that it’s just like any other business, I guess they get to find out the hard way that it’s unlike anything they have experienced before.

The PR job required by RFC to regain the faith of not just its supporters, but also the footy community, is a massive one.  We desperately need people that we, the supporters, respect who can make sense of and put order to what is going on.

I don't necessarily see anything wrong with us employing an "outsider" provided they actually have a decent understanding of footy and the runnings of a footy club. We had plenty of Richmond people running the Club in the 80's but that didn't stop us going nearly under. Yes these days football is a business and big business at that but IMO we have had too many people who have forgotten that our business is football. We are a football club. Whatever ingenious off-field strategy you think up to boost the coffers will ultimately fail if the "product" we are "selling" -our footy team - is continually  failing and playing crap footy that your "customers" - the members and supporters - don't want to watch. Footy is not your usual business because there are significant restraints on what you can do in terms of the draft, salary cap, etc and in what time frame you can do them in. You can't in the AFL just go out and a la Chelsea in England buy a new team. If you want to take on the job you need to present a long term vision and plan and instead of being secretive about it or just whinge about those currently in charge explain your plans to your members. Then us members can make a judgement.

It's a sad fact of life that people want to associate themselves with winners. Collingwood's membership has risen by 40% in the last 5 years. St Kilda's merchandise production can't keep up with sales (a couple of weeks back all No. 26 guersneys (Dal Santo) ran out of stock at the stalls). Now it's justified to argue that their success has came about through setting strong foundations - good strong admin and unity within each club - but they would have been hard pressed to see any of their off-field plans come to fruition if they hadn't been backed up on-field with a winning team playing footy that's great to watch.

Sadly we will only get respect from the footy community once we get respect on the footy field.

But I can neither accept nor excuse some of the decisions that have been made in recent times, which give the impression that our Club is being allowed to fall further and further into the mire and makes it appear as though we are under pressure, as evidenced by some of the irrational decisions made in recent times that have long-term repercussions for the Club.

IMO all clubs not just Richmond that haven't had success for a long period end up under this pressure of needing to succeed as quickly as possible which ultimately leads to them remaining unsuccessful as they make irrational short-sighted decisions. They panic the moment something doesn't provide an immediate positive impact. When they do have a good year they ultimately put themselves under so much pressure from within not to stuff things up that they freeze in their decision making and so what happens they stuff things up and it's back to square one.
All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be - Pink Floyd

froars

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2004, 06:59:22 PM »
A guy on SEN saying he has rang the club on over 8 occasions to say he wanted to be a Premier sponsor.  No-one returned his call. 

Another guy rang up and said he experienced the same thing.

Good example of how pathetic we are and how much they don't care.


Offline WilliamPowell

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Re: Ian Campbell Steps Down
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2004, 11:06:46 PM »
it woudl be nice if the club came out and stated exactly our position.


Exactly Froars and it is the point I have tried to make in what I can only describe as my editorial this week in the "on the Prowl" page - wasn't my intent just sort of happened :-[

http://oneeyed-richmond.com/ontheprowl/article2.htm

In part I wrote:

"I would implore the RFC to be honest with us the members because after 20 years of frustration, disappointment and heartache I think we are all big enough and tough enough to handle the truth. One thing that has been shown by Richmond members is that we are loyal despite what is thrown at us. "

Repay the loyalty with a bit of honesty - we deserve it.


« Last Edit: May 26, 2004, 11:15:55 PM by WilliamPowell »
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)