Also add the fact the club has preached about a stand alone VFL side and then signed a 3 year deal with Coburg.
I hate to say it but I find myself with less trust of the club as I ever had. Club is lucky we have Gale otherwise I don't know what I'd say on here about it.
With all due respect Pope you seem to be (like everyone else I might add) have only paid attention to part of the Club's speil regarding a stand alone VFL side. Yes they want one but they have been very clear in what was needed re the FTF for this to happen
Firstly the FTF target is $6mil (they currently have $2.6 mil). They clearly gave a list of what the $$$ would go to as it was raised. First principle was without hesitation that half the funds raised would go to retire debt. First non debt item was the reconfiguration of Punt Road Oval to Etihad stadium dimensions. The next non debt area was money for recruitment .. end of story that hasn't changed form day one
Secondly and most importantly the Club made it very clear at the FTF dinner and it was posted on this site by those who attended that for the Club to field its own stand alone VFL team it would need to raise at least $4 to 4.5mil of the $6mil. Unless that happened the club would not be a position to do it...
As it stands right now whether we like it or not they don't have the money to field a own stand alone VFL side - so what do you suggest they do? Go further into debt or not pay off the debt just appease fans who want a VFL side - not very smart I wouldn't have thought and I can just see the outcry on here if they did....
And finally are you seriously that naive to think that any AFL Club who is in aligmment with a VFL club doesn't have an out clause in case circumstances change...
And BTW I find your comment abount Benny gale quite funny - you whack the Club for selling home games which was a Benny decision but then in the next sentence say thank god for Benny
which is it exactly a whack or a good decision by the great man Benny
I think Benny is doing a very good job but please give the man whack for the selling of ga :thumbsupmes
WP, to shed some light, the club wants money for a VFL side, for Free Agency, higher allowance for football department spending. All been highlighted at major areas that need to be invested in for the club to succeed.
An estimated 6m figure of the FTF was meant to fund all of this?
Failure to reach that 6mil figure throws it out the window?
If its so important to go out to the clubs members and rattle tins for this investment, surely its still important that maybe some restructuring of the clubs finances can make it possible.
There is no over night solution, but I find it disappointing that the club preached the importance of these things to be invested in, yet when the FTF doesn't reach the expected heights, the importance is suddenly irrelevant. Surely if its so important than a plan B is set in place, instead of a 'oh well at least we tried'? - At least thats what it looks like to me, I could be missing something.
The decision to sell the home games is a double edged sword. Benny/The Club deserves a whack for it but also praise. It could have been done better.