Scape Goat A question

[ThePuppetMaster]

Why do we as a supporter base always blame our players for our poor performances and culture?

Read D'Land (which I only do once in a blue moon .. thank heck) and guys like Sylvia, Davey and Watts are considered 'cancers' on the club...

Malcolm Speed (former ICC CEO, CA Exec and current Richmond Board Member) spoke to my class at uni today, and emphasized the importance of "consistently above average" management and governance in turning a clubs fortune and culture around.

He said this was the specific area Richmond targeted - that Richmond have documents outlining the conduct of their board and CEO that specifically limit poor management practices and that place clear responsibility for poor practices (this means that IF you heck up, everyone knows you ****ed up, and you get fired).

He said that the industry consider Essendon, Melbourne and St. Kilda as having the worst management and governance practices in the competition - with Essendon doing well on field off the back of a very strong supporter/financial base and a strong football department.

He included player indiscretions under 'governance breaches', for the record.

It seems Richmond's identification of this has helped turn their club around.

I'd say it's very clear that players are products of their environment, I know it's frustrating watching the performances of our guys - but until the club provides a good environment for them is it any surprise we continue to be underwhelming and inconsistent?

Read our board review, and there were clearly poor management practices - some would call it 'meddling'.... we all know that Schwabby loved a meddle or twenty.

Essentially, Peter Jackson is the guy responsible for building this governance and management environment - good luck.

 

[wowlace]

I blame everyone. As with all business it's starts at the top. But that viewpoint falls apart when you consider our recent 100 point plus defeats. Even if a team is poorly governed it does not excuse performances like 186. A team full of talented players should to some degree coach and manage themselves.

 

[Tulip]

The backroom is a shambles, but those in the front room have never taken any responsibility. They fold like a deck of cards.

 

[d33my]

Good post.

I think the 'answer' to your question is that the players are the face of the club, are seen every week, and their actions on the field are generally instrumental to whether we win or not on the weekend.

Hence they are blamed; much easier to blame Sylvia for a dodgy kick or Davey for an abandoned chase than for whatever board member no.3 did at the meeting on Tues night (or whatever).

Of course, that doesn't mean the players should be solely responsible, far from it. And I agree with the majority of your post.

It's time to start implementing some 'real world' business practices. The sooner the MFC is run less like a footy club, the more we'll start to look like a footy club.

 

[Benwah83]

I blame everyone.

As do I.

I agree that poor management and governance has bred this culture. That has been identified and is well and truly out in the open now. That's what Peter Jackson and the new board/president have to fix, and quick.

We blame the players because they are the public front for the shizen that this club has become. We don't see everything that goes on behind closed doors that has turned this club into a basket case, but as supporters we see the filth served up every weekend by the playing group. Hence, they cop our wrath.

I also agree with SSF's comment though re. the players standing up and taking responsibility. You can work in a shizen organisation and accept the mediocrity that surrounds you, or you can at least make a concerted effort to do everything in your power to control your own destiny. It take strength of character to do this. We do not have many players on our playing list with this strength of character. Hence, it exacerbates the problem.

Edit - if you can't be bothered reading this, it's pretty much what d33my said. DAMN MY SLOW TYPING.

 

[Tulip]

Also, the players earn extortionate salaries for a reason.

 

[d33my]

Never really understood the argument that lots of money = effort. I mean, it should, but it doesn't.

 

[AFL is Number One]

The backroom is a shambles, but those in the front room have never taken any responsibility. They fold like a deck of cards.

Agree 100 per chent

 

[Demon 16]

It doesn't help when we go in to games with 3 rucks and 8 talls.. then include guys like Tapscott, Davey and Kent who don't have the capacity to run through the midfield.

A handful of first and second year kids and all of a sudden we have no midfielders to go with the opposition.

We need quality, senior midfielders more than anything!

 

[fushy]

I blame demonland... for everything (including world hunger)

 

[Deefolt]

This time I think its because the coaches have been changed over and over, the uppers have seriously a lot to answer for... should never have got this bad... whatever this is...

2007 after the Geelong match, we made the wrong choice

 

[RandB]

I blame demonland... for everything (including world hunger)

Sounds reasonable.