Pleb's Presidential Plan to 2020

[ss1986]

Alright - here is my first pass at the Pleb’s Presidential Plan.

Ready to be torched by all an sundry on SS, but at least I don't lack balls like this current batch of leaders at St.Kilda FC.

I would never get the job, but am a die-hard Sainter through and through, and like many, intensely frustrated at the state of affairs. We are being run into the ground by AFL-placed robots, and I want us to reclaim our club.

I am a youngster in the Corporate world – 10 years experience in a Chartered Accounting Firm, and one day I’d hope to be able to have a proper crack at the Presidency. Putting all my cards on the table in a forum like this would probably end that chance – but here goes anyway. I’d welcome your feedback ; good, bad or otherwise.

Bearing in mind salary caps, and our financial incapacitation at this point in time, my plan spans the next 2 years, with an aim to rebuild from scratch using the Moneyball approach. *Groan* I hear you say, but hear me out.

1. Relieve Alan Richardson of his present role.

We would pay him out for the duration of his existing contract (that should NEVER have been signed).

2. Install Adam Kingsley as full time coach until the end of Alan’s existing contract.

Net spend in this instance would therefore be zero, but-for the employment of an Assistant Coach at year’s end.

3. At year end, seek the services of Lenny Hayes as Adam’s assistant.

Based on years of experience, reputation in the industry and experience with the current playing group, Adam gets the nod for me in the ‘proving period’ to the end of 2020. Lenny would bring his experience at GWS, and reinvigorate the supporter base. If Adam doesn’t work out by the end of 2020 (a tough gig), Lenny could be considered for the role.

4. Relieve Tony Elshaug of his role with immediate effect.

Recruitment/trade leader to be sought, under the instruction that the best players be sought and the best prices. All players are tradeable during the period, not a single player is off limits. We must become competitive in the immediate term through aggressive Moneyball-style trading; with a view to Free Agency kicking us on post-2020. This is an immediate priority – getting back to winning; whether we are in contention or not in the medium term. We MUST capture the supporter base back.

5. Employ the services of a full time sports psychologist to iron out these mental kinks in the current playing group.

6. Commission a top-to-tail review of the football department by a professional services firm.

This all encompassing review would be with a view to rejigging the current structure after 2020. No significant change could be done prior to then based on our financials. I would also employ the services of Leigh Matthews, Paul Roos or someone else well credentialed to oversee this process and report back to the Board.

7. Seek alignment with the City Group (or likewise).

This one is a bit ‘out-there’, but we must at least examine the possibility of external and significant investment. St.Kilda FC remains the biggest sporting challenge (my understanding is, the least successful sporting franchise based on titles won out of years in existence in the top flight). What a sporting story to be told. The marketing alone would be potentially enormous; and leveraging the likes of Eric Bana, Shane Warne and Molly Meldrum could be used in this capacity somehow to give the City Group a profile in the Entertainment, Sport and Music industry. I haven’t thought through this point enough to work out how we would demonstrate value sufficient for their investment, but at least a minimal $ injection would open up doors to premium facilities, tactical alignment and quality business practices.

8. Improve the match day experience.

On the soccer theme for a moment; increase member engagement through a cheer squad leader and series of chant-leading individuals across the wings at Etihad. IMAGINE ‘Oh when the Saints’ being sung in a long drawn out manner on GF day. Brings goosebumps thinking about it. A Liverpool-style YNWA, prior to the match would be intimidating and awe inspiring. We need to become more vocal, and remove the current childish atmosphere. Yes it is kid friendly, but it does nothing for the main target market who are clearly disenchanted with the sanitised football atmosphere. This kind of active section could be branded the 'Devils' or 'Sinners'.

9. Ticket-price scaling and increased membership option variety.

These clubs like Hawthorn and Richmond have so many members because dogs and 3 match memberships are included in the reporting. Start to portray St.Kilda as a BIG powerhouse through the discretionary membership reporting mechanisms. Inspire a big profile by talking like a big club.

10. To that end, develop Moorabbin with a view to being a boutique home so we can beat up on interstaters, Melbourne and North Melbourne at Moorabbin. If this could become a fortress; then we should be close to Top Four every year.

11. Increase fan participation in the running of the club through active feedback forums.

Run a session once a month or two at Moorabbin, to allow supporters to voice their opinions. At the moment, the supporter base has no voice and isn’t being heard.

12. Be a very VISUAL president.

Do more media engagements including radio and TV; stand up for our club to the AFL as necessary, including opinions on umpiring/MRP, and ensure we aren’t walked all over like we always are. Our current invisibility and silence is deafening.

13. Finally – remove any affiliation with political, environmental or social issues.

This is a big one and some may disagree. But I would remove the Pride Game affiliation, and any other non-AFL driven recognition games. Sorry, but we are a football club, and our supporter base covers a broad church whether we like it or not. AFLW is already somewhat standalone with the ‘Southern Saints’ name, but the marketing on the St.Kilda Football Club website/facebook etc. would be limited to the Mens football team. A distinction would be drawn.

If you follow St.Kilda FC in the Red, White and Black, it is the male men’s football team. We would also not set the Board based on quotas or otherwise. KPIs would be set as part of the wide ranging review, and the structure of our football club would be based on a meritocracy. Companies such as Deloitte have already blown through the Diversity phase, and realised that that approach has failures systemic to it, and meritocracy, whether you are male, female, LGBTIQ or otherwise is the sole basis for promotions. If one day the best AFL coach proves to be a woman, then she will be the football coach of the St.Kilda FC. Until then, if it is 100% male; then so it is.

A long post – but I welcome any type of feedback. My dream is to lead our club out of the wilderness with passion, in a way that is sustainable, but will relieve the heartbreak so many of us have felt for so long.

I’m not rich enough or old enough to get sufficient votes to do it; but would love to see SOMEONE give it a go.

[bigred]

TLDR.











Joke:P

Why Kingsley? And wouldn't he want to pick his own assistants?

City group. Definitely thinking outside the square, but what possible interest could they have?

I don't really agree with your diversity stance or whatnot...

And when you get in, can you be a freakin arse hole to all and sundry.

Just act like a freakin cnut... especially around things such as player tribunal appearances or similar.

Sick of these cold fish presidents that are just no where near vocal enough.

[skeptic]

I think I kind of agree with BR about why Kingsley and the political one...

Kind of like the city group though.

[ss1986]

Kingsley purely a cost saving measure to start with.

I don't know his contractual arrangements, but to bring in a head coach and a new asst. would cost more money than I would guess that we could afford. Would be happy to investigate any options though.

The political stance I wouldn't budge on. No room for politics in football; people want to go to get away from life for a while. Let it be a sanctuary where sport is the only focus.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Some good points but there's no point improving the "match day experience"
until the players improve the "match winning experience".

Embarrassing ra-ra efforts are almost always painful.

[The Linton Street Flash]

I’d vote for you on the condition you changed the title of “President” to “Big Whacky Wally”.

Also, i’d like to see the introduction of Benny Hill style theme music and whacky sound effects on match day, to enhance the “match-Day experience”....

I’d also like to see it become compulsory for the person in the role of “Big Whacky Wally”, to wear over-sized yellow shoes, and a red nose, on game day - also to improve the “Match-Day experience”.

Agree to these simple requests and you have my vote...

What say you future Big Whacky Wally...???

PS: I would also like to see it made compulsory that every person at the game, including the players, including the person in the role of Big Whacky Wally, partake in the chant of “Let’s go Sainters, let’s go”, from 15 minutes prior to the first bounce, until the conclusion of the game, also to improve the “Match-Day Experience”.

[axcellence]

10 years doing tax returns? Sucker for punishment...
Oh well, understandable that you support the saints.

Go for it mate...

The only thing would be more fan engagement.

All the coaches, Recruiment team, presidents etc. have to come down to SS twice a year to answer questions. It’s all good to do a sanitiised controlled version of a board meeting in Moorabbin. But give other supporters a chance too by engaging online at SS.

Also stuff it with the bayside focus. Concentrate on all saints wherever they live, tullamarine, uk, Pakistan or wherever..

[bigred]

Yeah so a bi-annual supporter forum or "town hall".

I would suggest representation from the following:

President
CEO
Chief Football officer
Head of marketing/online presence or whatever.
Coach
Two of the senior assistant coaches
Captain

What a mess this could become. Especially if they were holding one the week of the bye THIS year. Can you imagine?

Entry should be an in house thing. Ticketing through the club website where it is a members only and limited to say 500 members. Have to register.
First in to request the mic well in advance. No filtering of questions however. Winners by ballot. One question and it takes as much time as it takes.
Two hours is probably all you could ask for unless you really wanted to put the acid on em. Maybe 5 hours with a break?
Extremely difficult to manage. Would pretty much require security to remove people.

Should be recorded and either live streamed or available online asap.

No club does this. At all. No one. Too hard to manage and control.

It would almost have to be something put in contracts where their attendance is mandatory.

[supersaints]

What about the Saints disco??...

[Toy Saint]

Great post SS, whilst I may not necessarily agree with all our suggestions I do believe it's time our passionate supporters took control of the club.

[David-Lee]

Adam Kingsley has zero ability to lead this team. He has spent years under the incompetence of AR. How does that help the team? Lenny, as awesome as he is, is miles off the big job.

There are options to bring the club income up - it means spending but the returns will out weigh.

Get a director of coaching - Neil craig/ Neil Balme/ Mick Malthouse/ etc

Get as tried coach like - Mark Williams/Brett Ratten/ Brenton Sanderson

Winning games will increase revenue, memberships, sponsorships etc

[ss1986]

Adam Kingsley has zero ability to lead this team. He has spent years under the incompetence of AR. How does that help the team? Lenny, as awesome as he is, is miles off the big job.

There are options to bring the club income up - it means spending but the returns will out weigh.

Get a director of coaching - Neil craig/ Neil Balme/ Mick Malthouse/ etc

Get as tried coach like - Mark Williams/Brett Ratten/ Brenton Sanderson

Winning games will increase revenue, memberships, sponsorships etc

Can I reiterate - if there is an option to spend on the coaching department, it'd take a fool NOT to do it. I have made the assumption that we simply cannot, given the disgraceful decision to renew AR's contract.

We are talking to 2020 only.

[Winmar7]

1. Agree the contract extension was unnecessary but keep Richo for now. He’s not the one butchering the ball, missing set shots etc. Recruit some better assistants (maybe just anyone who is at Hawthorn!) and put Kingsley back to whatever he was doing last year.
And for the rest of this year get experimental with selection – find out about some of our kids and trades.
2. AK – hold on to him at all costs!
3. LH – love the romance, but only get him if he is the right man for the job, favourite sons can end in disaster…
4. I’m not so pessimistic about our recent picks, more concerned about the development and some of the trades, but review for sure.
5. Yep
6. Yep
7. Worth exploring this idea
8. Oh YES!!! It is so bloody tacky and cheesy!
9. Yes
10. That would be amazing, but not sure where we would get the $ from, AFL won’t give us any more – but would absolutely love it! Start with the women playing there and some pre-season games and go from there.
11. Yes
12. Yes
13. No, we need to make our club as attractive and welcoming as possible to future/potential members. We missed the boat on Tassy, NZ didn’t work, we have no annual games on public hols, so we need to keep finding ways to be visible and attract people to become members. I would love to see the men’s and women’s together as one strong and united football club, and women’s curtain raisers before AFL games (match day experience!)

[ss1986]

1. Agree the contract extension was unnecessary but keep Richo for now. He’s not the one butchering the ball, missing set shots etc. Recruit some better assistants (maybe just anyone who is at Hawthorn!) and put Kingsley back to whatever he was doing last year.
And for the rest of this year get experimental with selection – find out about some of our kids and trades.
2. AK – hold on to him at all costs!
3. LH – love the romance, but only get him if he is the right man for the job, favourite sons can end in disaster…
4. I’m not so pessimistic about our recent picks, more concerned about the development and some of the trades, but review for sure.
5. Yep
6. Yep
7. Worth exploring this idea
8. Oh YES!!! It is so bloody tacky and cheesy!
9. Yes
10. That would be amazing, but not sure where we would get the $ from, AFL won’t give us any more – but would absolutely love it! Start with the women playing there and some pre-season games and go from there.
11. Yes
12. Yes
13. No, we need to make our club as attractive and welcoming as possible to future/potential members. We missed the boat on Tassy, NZ didn’t work, we have no annual games on public hols, so we need to keep finding ways to be visible and attract people to become members. I would love to see the men’s and women’s together as one strong and united football club, and women’s curtain raisers before AFL games (match day experience!)

Like it; I do think AR needs to go though. Seems like a really lovely guy, but doesn't have the killer instinct in him to really rev up and inspire the masses. Far too many players have gone backwards or stagnated under his tenure not to be able to at least attribute a significant portion of blame on him now.

I perhaps underestimated how happy people are with the AFLW alignment.

[deadman walking]

we need a clean out

[saynta]

we need a clean out

Not the players though.