Time to change St.Kilda Football Clubs future

[saint patrick]

Does anyone here seriously think that if the Butterss board somehow survives and continues that this club can move ahead as a positive ,stable united force...

There is way,way too much baggage mostly as a result of the continuing,bitter and public Thomas/Butterss private war which has been a destructive and negative influence this year and certainly did not help Ross Lyon in his first year as coach.

While this boards bottomline figures have been healthy in the last 3 years it has come at a cost by cutting the football department to the bone and neglecting areas such as recruiting ,injury management and training facilities where we are falling light years behind the Eagles,Adelaides,Collingwoods etc

I believe a clean start at board level to compliment our relatively new coaching staff would finially allow this club to break the shackles that have been holding it back during a period of opportunity given its list that MUST NOT be wasted..

With the signing of Roo,Dal and Kosi we need to get it right or be forever tormented as to what might have been...

Butterss has had his chance[8 years] and should now hand over to what appears to be a very capable group whic\h includes 2 members of his own board

Suggesstions that Burke and Thompson are being used by Westaway is an massive insult to the integrity and intelligence of both Nathan and Andrew.

I only hope that if the necessary change does occur that we can all come together as a club [and as a forum]and get 100% behind Ross Lyon and the team as a united force in 08 and beyond.

[Mr Magic]

I believe I posted a couple of days ago that I thought the worst possible result from all of this was if RB and the Incumbents won the election.

IMHO it would be a disaster that would see us reeling around in months of destabilisation until another challenge came along. It would derail our 2008.

If the posters on Saintsational are any indication, a re-election of the incumbents would be met with even more hostility by those who cannot countenance any further input from them.

But, if we do believe that the posters on here are a reflection of the wider Saints memebership then there is nothing truly to fear as it is already a 'done deal', the SFF have overwhelming support.

[chook23]

agree st.pat that to rid the GT/RB saga change is needed

Not so sure of all of your assumptions are in fact the case

I am not privvy to inside club info

a lot of your ponits are along the line SFF

might be true in some cases but they are selling

The use of Burke and Thompson is happening by the group but by saying that I am not attacking their integrity.

Nathan's name used in letter for impact no doubt....

But just good politics

thats all............no attack

[GrumpyOne]

Top post StP.

Rational, logical and IMO spot on the money.

[saint patrick]

Appreciate that Chook but if my statements re the current boards neglect re expenditure and reinvestment back into the football department are not true then Nathan Burke is either a fool or a liar...or both!!

Said as much on the footy show last night...and I for one would never doubt this guys nous or integrity...

In the end things will run there course and the members will decide[without AFL interference as proposed by Butterss ] but just feel unless there is change before next season 08 will end up like this year....a incredibly frustrating waste of unique talent and rare opportunity.

[chook23]

Appreciate that Chook but if my statements re the current boards neglect re expenditure and reinvestment back into the football department are not true then Nathan Burke is a fool or a liar...

Said as much on the footy show last night...and I for one would never doubt this guys nous or integrity...

In the end things will run there course but just feel unless there is change before next season 08 will end up like this year....a waste of talent and opportunity.

I suppose 2007 not mentioned that's all

in 2007 Footy dept expanded, Ross Smith and AIS etc
the debt cleared and now putting more money back in

Just too slow

[riccardo]

100% agree, not a shadow of a doubt.

There is no moving on from this, Butterss credibility is shot and he would have to step down even if he won (which he will not).

Its almost shocking how credibly and professionally the "rebel" group have, by and large, presented themselves (post outs, logos, web sites, etc as opposed to the current board, who have whined to the AFL amd threaten legal action rather than try to woo back disgruntled members.

[yipper]

I agree St.Pat. It is time for Rod to step aside BEFORE everyone forgets the good he did for this club in the early years. Up until 12-18 months ago, evrything was going well - our board was a good one, and we were travelling along nicely. Since then however, the wheels have fallen off and it appears ego's have gotten in the way of making sound decisions. We have lost sponsors along with highly talented staff. It is time for a change and to get our club out of neutral and into top gear again. We owe it to our coach and our players that they have EVERY possible chance to compete for a flag. Not be trying to win one against the backdrop of a skeleton staff earning a pittance in revenue and not spending money to achieve a flag. You did a good job Rocket - now let the others move in and finish the job.

[bungiton]

I agree St.Pat. It is time for Rod to step aside BEFORE everyone forgets the good he did for this club in the early years. Up until 12-18 months ago, evrything was going well - our board was a good one, and we were travelling along nicely. Since then however, the wheels have fallen off and it appears ego's have gotten in the way of making sound decisions. We have lost sponsors along with highly talented staff. It is time for a change and to get our club out of neutral and into top gear again. We owe it to our coach and our players that they have EVERY possible chance to compete for a flag. Not be trying to win one against the backdrop of a skeleton staff earning a pittance in revenue and not spending money to achieve a flag. You did a good job Rocket - now let the others move in and finish the job.

Not to mention the membership is way down on last year, seems to me some supporters have already given a firm vote, way before a challenge even hit the ground

[saint karen]

Thnk Westaway deserves a chance before being dismissed as a mud slinging gorilla.Think the alcohol/drug thing was misconstrued as being an attack on the board.The boards reaction smacks of oversentivity on this issue.Interesting!!

[Baldock Rules]

Have been a big supporter of Rod and this board but after discussions with a friend at the club this has been a long time coming.

Moral badly needs resussatating and this is an important time to get it right.

[Oh When the Saints]

I have read a few comments recently in support of the current board, and they are based on RB's achievements in comparison to our history.

Comments such as "In relation to our debt and terrible performances in the 1980's, the current administration has been fantastic, and have kept the club stable - something that we would have killed for in the '80's".


This sort of attitude is flawed IMO.

It holds you back from aiming high, and advocates a cautious approach that is unwilling to take the necessary risks for success.

To succeed you must be willing to evolve, to change and to adapt.

You must embrace a view of excellence and push aggressively to be at the forefront in everything you do.

To approach the next 10 years of the St Kilda football club from the point of view of our history is a mistake.

Sure, we have come from a basket case to where we are now.

But that must not - and cannot - alter or cloud judgements of our future.


No use making cautious decisions based on our financial position in the mid-1980's.

The decision that must be made in November this year is a critical one for our club's future.


If we adopt a cautious approach and demand nothing more than a conservative and "head above water" position, then the club will flounder. We will not be able to win a premiership.


To survive and then excel you need to identify the areas which are preventing you from success.

No use middling along and resting on our laurels ...


The Saints need us to demand excellence, and as members we must be in a position where our thinking is not characterised by past failure, but based upon a realistic vision of future success.


Disclaimer: I can only remember events from the early/mid-1990's; so in my lifetime, apart from a brief period around 1999-02, we have been a fairly stable and successful club on and off the field, and the past 12 months off-field have been as bad as I can remember.