Wallace buy-out crazy for Ilhan
05 August 2007 Sunday Herald Sun
MOBILE phone mogul "Crazy" John Ilhan has scotched talk he wants to fund a buy-out of Terry Wallace's contract to allow Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy to return to Richmond.
Ilhan has expressed an interest in joining the board at Punt Rd and even becoming president when incumbent Gary March steps down.
With Richmond struggling and Sheedy seeking a new home, there had been suggestions Ilhan might be prepared to pay the $1 million it would take to buy out the last two years of Wallace's contract.
But Ilhan dismissed those rumours yesterday and said he believed Wallace needed the chance to coach out his contract.
"As a Richmond Football Club supporter, I am a Terry Wallace fan, and believe he should have at least five years to implement his coaching strategy," Ilhan said.
"Whether in business or sport, everyone should be offered the opportunity to implement their strategy over five years, similar to the situation of (Mark) 'Bomber' Thompson at Geelong.
"In the case of Kevin Sheedy, it is sad to see an icon bow out of any industry, especially one so influential and good for the AFL."
Despite murmurings of discontent at board level over what is likely to be the club's worst year on record, it would take something incredible for Wallace not to be coaching the club next year.
Richmond shows no signs of winning another game this year, and if it finishes on 1 1/2 wins it would be statistically worse than 1960, in which the club notched up two wins and two draws, and 1912, when the club had three wins.
Football powerbroker Ron Joseph has played down talk he might co-ordinate a campaign to raise money for a payout for Wallace.
While Joseph has spoken to some of the key players from recent years at Richmond, he said he would play no role in any bid to oust Wallace.
"I gave an opinion to a friend," he said on Friday.
"They could get their favourite son back and if I was them I'd be chasing him at a million miles an hour."
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22190132%255E19771,00.html