It's a goldmine, the internet...direct marketing heaven. A pipeline directly to supporters, which if used smartly, could benefit the Club hugely.

As for a guide to what supporters are thinking, a fan site is only that, a guide, which should be considered amongst the many variables involved in the running of the Club, being as complex as that is.

I know of several Carlton supporters who are just not interested in online discussions. They'd prefer to talk as oppposed to type (or read).

maybe they are not capable of typing or reading?

and the problem with talking is.. your Mrs doesnt wanna hear you go on and on about Pagan/Smorgon/Deluca/AFL all day long...

But you people do!!!

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

It said "Talkback callers and unofficial Blues websites have been scathing in their appraisal of coach Denis Pagan and several of his high-profile players this week after the Blues' ugly loss to Richmond last Friday."

I understand what you're saying Synners but I feel that its a barometer of the negative fans rather than the whole fan base, that's all I was trying to get across. After a loss those who really need to vent will do so, those that are taking solace in other things will not.

Maybe it's just me but I'm really only watching 12-13 players out there in the Navy Blue (sometimes it looks like they are the onlyones we've got!).

Still less than half of members (if they're all members- sure many aren't). There are a lot of supporters who aren't members. How many actually post more than once a month let alone regulalry? I doubt we're representative of the average member, who probably aren't that interested in the club to be on here as often as some of us.

Supporters who ring talk back radio are usually pretty extreme and not representative of all supporters.

could not agree more. and it grows day by day - two more Carlton people i know of were introduced to TC today!

_________________
"Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost

If you have to come out in the media and tell the membership/supporters everyhting is ok so stick fat with the club that makes me nervous......

" We have full confidence in the team and coach".....yeah right....isnt that the usual preamble to the coach getting the flick..
I found the article alarming and if it was driven by talkback callers and tragics on forums then I expect Smorgan to become a regular contributor to the Herald Sun sporting section....
I'm not confident in his ability to do the job at all and so far he appears a novice and out of his depth....dont think you would find Eddie McGuire giving a running summary of events after a series of losses...

_________________
"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Big diff between 'everything is ok' and 'we're working on it'

26,000 members should have the President out & about?

Anyway - my comment was about internet forums, not the article.

The number of Carlton supporters who don't know about the unofficial team sites, let alone TC, is huge.

I happened to find it from asking around about this unofficial site called TC. I would have embraced it year's ago if I had've known, or those I asked had known the correct address.

I notice a few TC posters do get involved in the other sites too, but if I did that, I wouldn't get anywork done. Most people are just time poor. So I guess that the combined reach of all the unofficial Carlton sites would be a powerful tool for the club with Sponsors if they worked with them.

I've passed on the address to many blues supporters, and whilst they have a look in spasmodically, there's no doubt they would not have known of its existence otherwise. Considering how many people don't know about TC, TC has an incredible reach if it's 10,000, and therefore shouldn't be scoffed at by the club; I doubt that they don't have any knowledge of the content discussed on TC.

Given their reach, it's in the club's interest to play a part of these sites you would think. A perfect alternative channel to reach supporters.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I took "we are working on it" = not ok

"The losses have been within our grasp"......

" There is nothing much the board can at the moment".....

I'm feeling more confident after reading that....anyone got a gun....

_________________
"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Smorgon has not got off to a good start.

I am a little tired of accepting failure

BUT, UNFORTUNATELY

The loyal blues fans are becoming broken. We are starting to look like a powerful version of Fitzroy.

I do not like defeatest attitudes

From one angle it doesn't look great.

But I think with 'there is not much the board can do at the moment', isn't he just saying, as other boards have in the past, 'we let the football dept run the football'.

A lot of people were disappointed when he mentioned a few weeks ago the board had given Pagan directives on policy.

Re 'We have full confidence in the team and coach' - that's always going to be one of those comments that can be taken more than one way, but I'm prepared to accept it on face value.

_________________
#DonTheStash

supporters airing their views on the internet is a good barometer. If there is anger in the air - get a feel for it......so well done on the HUN or CFC for using forums like this as a guide.

but i would like to understand the numbers that log onto TC and those that contribute?

lets not kid ourselves (at least with respect to TC), it's fine to suggest that people are angry by flicking through varying threads....

......perhaps though there are a couple of dozen of posters who are very vocal, very prolific and very passionate about their distaste for what is happening......

....and on the contrary maybe, just maybe there are many more dozens who log on and are happy to be patient and watch history unfold i.e and leave it to the experts
(p.s that was patient and not apathetic)

It's easy to take cheap shots from behind a computer screen. I wonder if Smorgan would be up for a beer?

This thread has been a real positive. With everyone complaining about how negative Smorgan is, which is in itself being negative, the end result should be a positve vibe for the Carlton Football Club. I'm not 100% positive that's how it works though.

I'm positive its two wrongs don't make a right

_________________
This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

You would have to give him A for effort.
D for execution.

Right about now id be looking at putting out a blueprint with a time

Id start with updating the members with where they are in regards to the upcoming training venue and wjat theyre hoping for it. (I know its coming but how about some kind of news on it)

Then i would be singing the praises of the kids who each week go out there and bust a gut to give us hope.
I would be emphasising that they are our future and that we are doing everything possible (including the training redevelopment to make sure they will come along in leaps and bounds as will all new kids coming into the club)
Id be telling people to join and watch the kids evolve into our next bunch of champions who will lead us back to our former majesty.

There is nothing like kids to inject hope into a club thats been down for this long...

It should all be about the future.

Reading what he says .. it sounds like "Sorry.. our hands are tied - cant do anything... were trying"

Its just too insipid to install any enthusiasm.

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

So what your trying to say is that your average?

On a serious note actually agree with most of what you've said Synbad.

Have a look at reference to Department of Youth in training report and I agree entirely
Happy for you to use epithet Smorgo - but not sure he would be a huge Alice fan

How dare people bag the HUN

true... lucky we don't have another rookie named Josh for the HUN to report tomorrow's debut of.

_________________
Love Cricket? Love me