Footy Dept. Adrian Dodoro - Leaving EFC. #putoutyourjackets

[Lore]

Cliff notes:

• Stepping back from his current senior role following the 2023 AFL Draft
• Transition plan, raised the possibility with Vozzo in April
• Replacement is Matt Rosa, whose thread is here: Welcome to Essendon Matthew Rosa
  Matthew Rosa

  Age

  37

  Ht

  191cm

  Wt

  84kg

  Pos.

  Mid

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  21.1

  5star

  K

  11.0

  4star

  HB

  10.1

  5star

  M

  5.0

  5star

  T

  2.7

  4star

  CL

  1.7

  4star

  No current season stats available

  D

  14.6

  4star

  K

  9.4

  4star

  HB

  5.2

  4star

  M

  4.4

  4star

  T

  1.4

  4star

  – AFL Talent & Operations Manager!

To coincide with this announcement, the Club’s General Manager of List and Recruiting, Adrian Dodoro, has made the decision to take a step back from his current senior role following this year’s NAB AFL National Draft. He will lead the Club through the upcoming 2023 Trade and Draft period in his current position prior to transitioning to and assisting Matt Rosa moving forward.​

​

Dodoro, an Essendon Life Member, has played a significant role at the Bombers over nearly three decades and said the time was right to take a step back.​

​

“I approached Craig back in April to discuss the concept of transition and I feel that now is the right time to make this decision,” Dodoro said.​

​

"I sat on the panel to assist in the selection of Matt, and I believe he will be an outstanding acquisition to the Club for years to come. I look forward to working with Matt moving forward.​

​

“These roles are very taxing on individuals and their families and it just feels like that. After nearly three decades and with stability in key roles at the Club, now is the right time for me to take a step back in to a role which will provide me and my family with a better work life balance.​

​

“More immediately, we have an important few months coming up and I’m looking forward to playing my part to deliver a strong Trade and Draft period for the Club to ensure that the playing list is in a strong position for the future.”​

​

Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo acknowledged the significant impact Dodoro has made at the Club since joining in a full-time role in 1998.​

​

“Adrian is a highly respected Life Member of the Essendon Football Club and has made an enormous contribution to the Club and the wider AFL industry during his time in football, including assisting to navigate the Club through unprecedented and challenging periods,” Vozzo said.​

​

“Throughout his time at the Bombers, Adrian’s commitment and passion to take the Club forward in its list management and recruiting, has been unquestionable. Some of the Champions of Essendon have been identified and selected by Adrian, and we will always be grateful for the important and enduring role he has played.​

​

“On behalf of the entire Club, we would like to acknowledge Adrian’s selfless decision and we look forward to his ongoing contribution to the Club.​

​

“Adrian will work with Matt to ensure a smooth hand-over and a successful transition of responsibilities.”​

 

[andleanback]

Mate if you’re MO is mounting a case against Stephen Wells - 4th flag less than 12 months ago. Count them Think a little harder before you post.

You obviously don’t have a brain and can’t read
Move along

 

[Kong]

Ok. You're done then.

I mean, I was looking forward to posts from a Melbourne supporter on the Essendon BigFooty board really turning things around within the actual club.

 

[ant555]

Ok. You're done then.

Does he win tool of the week

 

[faible]

That's not how a successful operation runs though.

If someone like a CEO has lost faith in the list management / recruiting decisions, their job is not to come in over the top and overrule the decisions, as has been claimed. Rather, it is to sack the GM in that position and get someone better through the door.

I find it concerning that Vozzo is apparently taking control of these calls now - as has been stated on here and by Caro. That's not how things would be run at better clubs and can't end well in my view. It also means we're effectively having 1 person take on several roles, when a better club would have a fully functioning list manager and CEO.

I get the sense people are misunderstanding what's been done.

We know Vozzo has fulfilled pretty much every role on the football operations side of things including list management. His skillset and experience is vastly different to Campbell, and comes from a club that has rarely been uncompetitive for long in West Coast.

It's never been said Vozzo is the be-all-end-all person for list management and drafting decisions, but it does appear that he intends to be significantly more involved - as his skillset suggests he could be - in the list management process. That (and this is where it's all largely speculation) likely means to me that he's got Dodoro on a much shorter leash in terms of having to clearly explain what he's doing and why, and removing all the Dodoro fingers from all the other pies (e.g. attending selection committee meetings) that he's managed to put them in over the years.

IMO it would be poor management to come in and remove people without first understanding what they're doing, and doing some form of performance management and clarification of their roles in the current or revised structure.

People, of course, hear what they want to hear, and a lot of people are very down on the club right now.

 

[yodellinhank]

I mean, I was looking forward to posts from a Melbourne supporter on the Essendon BigFooty board really turning things around within the actual club.

He had a great idea though, just go get the best in the business no matter how unobtainable nor how much interest they have in the role.

If we could extend that thinking across every position in the club.... Coach, Strength and Conditioning etc

 

[faible]

And offers of help

I didn't see any before you were departed from this thread.

 

[yodellinhank]

I get the sense people are misunderstanding what's been done.

We know Vozzo has fulfilled pretty much every role on the football operations side of things including list management. His skillset and experience is vastly different to Campbell, and comes from a club that has rarely been uncompetitive for long in West Coast.

It's never been said Vozzo is the be-all-end-all person for list management and drafting decisions, but it does appear that he intends to be significantly more involved - as his skillset suggests he could be - in the list management process. That (and this is where it's all largely speculation) likely means to me that he's got Dodoro on a much shorter leash in terms of having to clearly explain what he's doing and why, and removing all the Dodoro fingers from all the other pies (e.g. attending selection committee meetings) that he's managed to put them in over the years.

IMO it would be poor management to come in and remove people without first understanding what they're doing, and doing some form of performance management and clarification of their roles in the current or revised structure.

People, of course, hear what they want to hear, and a lot of people are very down on the club right now.

He shouldn't be getting "involved". He should be overseeing that the recruiting and list management is being performed competently to well and in a way that aligns with the shared vision of the entire football department.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Honestly just trying to help. But for some it’s like encouraging an addict to go to rehab.

Even if others don't get what your point is, I do and agree with it.

Regardless of whether it's Wells or someone else, pick a clear gun recruiter/list manager and go and make them an offer they can't refuse.

 

[faible]

He shouldn't be getting "involved". He should be overseeing that the recruiting and list management is being performed competently to well and in a way that aligns with the shared vision of the entire football department.

He can oversee it in a number of ways though, for someone with a background in being the list manager that might be a more direct involvement.

The idea that the CEO should be completely removed from list management doesn't really ring true to me when the CEO has actually been a list manager himself.

 

[BrunoV]

I think we just need to support Dodoro with some good assistants.

 

[yodellinhank]

He can oversee it in a number of ways though, for someone with a background in being the list manager that might be a more direct involvement.

The idea that the CEO should be completely removed from list management doesn't really ring true to me when the CEO has actually been a list manager himself.

If he wants to be the list manager then let him be the list manager. We could throw so much money at him it's an offer he can't refuse. But get another CEO.

 

[faible]

If he wants to be the list manager then let him be the list manager. We could throw so much money at him it's an offer he can't refuse. But get another CEO.

He’s never said he wants to be list manager, or that he’s being the list manager though…

Just that he’s involved, certainly moreso than XC who wasn’t at all involved from what we know.

So people complained we didn’t have a football focused CEO, we now have a football focused CEO who’s focusing on football, and people are complaining…

 

[windyhill]

What did he do that you didn't like?

Played “club powerbroker “ Terribly. One of the main architects of the whole saga shitshow.

 

[Here_we_come]

He’s never said he wants to be list manager, or that he’s being the list manager though…

Just that he’s involved, certainly moreso than XC who wasn’t at all involved from what we know.

So people complained we didn’t have a football focused CEO, we now have a football focused CEO who’s focusing on football, and people are complaining…

It’s been reported in the media that’s he’s now making the the important list management decisions.

XC was clearly a business man and neglected the football side of things. If people are complaining, it’s not because we want our new CEO doing what XC did, it’s because the new CEO should be doing that role and not the role of a GM.

 

[MISFITS]

I get the sense people are misunderstanding what's been done.

We know Vozzo has fulfilled pretty much every role on the football operations side of things including list management. His skillset and experience is vastly different to Campbell, and comes from a club that has rarely been uncompetitive for long in West Coast.

It's never been said Vozzo is the be-all-end-all person for list management and drafting decisions, but it does appear that he intends to be significantly more involved - as his skillset suggests he could be - in the list management process. That (and this is where it's all largely speculation) likely means to me that he's got Dodoro on a much shorter leash in terms of having to clearly explain what he's doing and why, and removing all the Dodoro fingers from all the other pies (e.g. attending selection committee meetings) that he's managed to put them in over the years.

IMO it would be poor management to come in and remove people without first understanding what they're doing, and doing some form of performance management and clarification of their roles in the current or revised structure.

People, of course, hear what they want to hear, and a lot of people are very down on the club right now.

Agreed.
It’s a hard call without knowing the criteria.
From a distance we are throwing rocks.
600k per year.
26 years in a key department with mediocre mid table success.

 

[Saint]

At least if we cleared out Dodoro, it would be one less thing for some of the players to hide behind.

I think we've addressed it with the coach. We need to do it in every aspect/area.

Let's be honest, we've not been in the position of a team like GWS or Saints who had good lists but were under-performing.

I've never looked at our list (since the mid 2000's) and thought it was good enough for top 6, but that we weren't well coached.

Even when we were poorly coached, we were never going to be a top 6 side even if we got the coaching together.

It's been long enough to say that while it could be worse, it's time to take the risk that it'll probably be better, because it doesn't seem like it will ever be good enough.

 

[Lore]

He wasn’t in semi retirement. He was working in the media …

I'd say that classifies as semi-retirement compared to some of the 24/7 roles he could've been doing at an AFL club

 

[faible]

It’s been reported in the media that’s he’s now making the the important list management decisions.

Where has it been reported that Vozzo is making them, unilaterally, without any involvement from anyone else, since that's what appears to be the argument a few people are trying to make?

The CEO oversees the running of the football club, with XC he had zero experience at any football operations role, whereas Vozzo has significantly experience in that facet.

How else does he assess the performance of the list management team (Dodoro included) without being involved in list management when he has relevant expertise to be involved in list management that would allow to him both provide input and assess the staff members in action?

People used to complain that XC was too hands off. Now they're complaining Vozzo is too hands on. We wanted someone to come in and 'fix' the football department, which is exactly what Vozzo appears to be doing along with Scott.

I get the sense people are just looking to find flaws with everything right now.

 

[jmoo wan]

i want to remove Dodoro just to stop the opposition supporters from
chiming in

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

i want to remove Dodoro just to stop the opposition supporters from
chiming in

You’ve changed man, I remember the inclusive happy jmoo.

Have you been Essendoned too?

 

[jmoo wan]

You’ve changed man, I remember the inclusive happy jmoo.

Have you been Essendoned too?

oh, i’d be happier if essendon supporters didn’t chime in either!

 

[brutus76]

 

[the PILL]

I personally like that Vozzo has genuine list manager experience and apparently it's falling to him and Scott (according to Barham) to put a magnifying glass on the department.

I'm not bothered that he's the CEO appoint because to me this is probably the most important part of what's letting us down (that and development, along with leadership tied in)

Isn't this what we actually want? Someone who's competent from a proven system with a big stick actually structuring our clearly flailing list inadequacies?

It feels like for the first time in a long time we are finally going about it the right way...

In saying that I'm still convinced Dodoro is a fraud (basicly a gambler with flawed rigidity in his approach) but I'm all for Vozzo initially taking a good hard look at this area, even if it takes away slightly from his CEO duties in the short term to get it right finally...

 

[Here_we_come]

I personally like that Vozzo has genuine list manager experience and apparently it's falling to him and Scott (according to Barham) to put a magnifying glass on the department.

I'm not bothered that he's the CEO appoint because to me this is probably the most important part of what's letting us down (that and development, along with leadership tied in)

Isn't this what we actually want? Someone who's competent from a proven system with a big stick actually structuring our clearly flailing list inadequacies?

It feels like for the first time in a long time we are finally going about it the right way...

In saying that I'm still convinced Dodoro is a fraud (basicly a gambler with flawed rigidity in his approach) but I'm all for Vozzo initially taking a good hard look at this area, even if it takes away slightly from his CEO duties in the short term to get it right finally...

It’s probably better than what has been the status quo. But I’d rather have a list manager fulfilling that role, and a CEO fulfilling that role. Both are very important and different.

The best clubs would have top people performing well in both roles, not some weird blend where 1 is doing half of the other.

 

[citizen-erased]

I personally like that Vozzo has genuine list manager experience and apparently it's falling to him and Scott (according to Barham) to put a magnifying glass on the department.

I'm not bothered that he's the CEO appoint because to me this is probably the most important part of what's letting us down (that and development, along with leadership tied in)

Isn't this what we actually want? Someone who's competent from a proven system with a big stick actually structuring our clearly flailing list inadequacies?

It feels like for the first time in a long time we are finally going about it the right way...

In saying that I'm still convinced Dodoro is a fraud (basicly a gambler with flawed rigidity in his approach) but I'm all for Vozzo initially taking a good hard look at this area, even if it takes away slightly from his CEO duties in the short term to get it right finally...

Dodoro reports to Vozzo too. so why wouldn't he be reviewing one of his senior direct reports.

this is all good news to my ears.