We need someone like a Neil Balme making these statements aka Football Operation Manager and not the President.

The objectivity cannot be compartmentilized with Smorgon and Pagan.

[/quote]

_________________
Ich bein ein Carltonian

Synbad i tend to agree with what your saying about Smorgan. He looked like a fool on the TV and whilst I don't dispute where he was heading - it is his choice of words and delivery that fails him.

Capping our recruiting age at 24 is ridiculous. Each player must be assesed on their merits. Shit this does not give us much room to move with the new "mature age draft" for over 23 year olds. Is this another drafting process that we do not embrace?

I agree Rod,

Synbad is correct. Why did Smorgon place an age limit on his youth policy- it has great potential to lead to problems if a 25 year old that the club wants and needs becomes available.

What it Thornton leaves and we need to replace him desperately to ensure that our young guys have experience around them whilst they learn over the next 2 years.

If we pursue an out of contract player who is 25 years old via the PSD Smorgon looks like a bigger fool, the club is backed into a corner and we look totally directionless.

A policy is needed. It needs to be clearly annunciated to the members, however why not something like;

“The board and the football department are united in our efforts to re-build the Club. In this regard we are continuing/adopting a youth policy whereby the age of potential recruits will be a serious consideration before any player is pursued. We will not recruit any player who we feel can’t play for 5 years or 100 games for Carlton. We are committed to re-building this club and once again achieving the success that our members, supporters and sponsors are accustomed to.â€

_________________
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.

[quote="Ockham's Razor"]I agree Rod,

Synbad is correct. Why did Smorgon place an age limit on his youth policy- it has great potential to lead to problems if a 25 year old that the club wants and needs becomes available.

What it Thornton leaves and we need to replace him desperately to ensure that our young guys have experience around them whilst they learn over the next 2 years.

If we pursue an out of contract player who is 25 years old via the PSD Smorgon looks like a bigger fool, the club is backed into a corner and we look totally directionless.

A policy is needed. It needs to be clearly annunciated to the members, however why not something like;

“The board and the football department are united in our efforts to re-build the Club. In this regard we are continuing/adopting a youth policy whereby the age of potential recruits will be a serious consideration before any player is pursued. We will not recruit any player who we feel can’t play for 5 years or 100 games for Carlton. We are committed to re-building this club and once again achieving the success that our members, supporters and sponsors are accustomed to.â€

Ocham wrote

[quote]A policy is needed. It needs to be clearly annunciated to the members, however why not something like;

“The board and the football department are united in our efforts to re-build the Club. In this regard we are continuing/adopting a youth policy
whereby the age of potential recruits will be a serious consideration before any player is pursued. We will not recruit any player who we feel can’t play for 5 years or 100 games for Carlton. We are committed to re-building this club and once again achieving the success that our members, supporters and sponsors are accustomed to.â€

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

This is scarey .. but i actually agree with Synbad ... yes .. its true.

Stupid statement by Smorgon ... to be kind .. I don't think he is our best option .. a president has to think of the club broadly and should have the wisdom to know when to make a comment as well as when not to make a comment.

Can we get a new board but keep Pagan please?

Smorgon must go!!!

I can't trust a bloke with a comb-over... It indicates to me:

1. That he has a hard time letting go
2. He is willing to cover up the glaring deficiencies

_________________
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Cheers Bondi,

For the record, I don't want Gardiner either.

Perhaps Smorgon could have simply said that after careful consideration and discussions with the football department the club will not be pursuing Gardiner.

Would have nipped that in the bud without tieing the club up in finite age limits.

Given Smorgon knew he was going on radio, a little preparation and some consideration of the impact of his statements isn't too much to ask.

regards
Ockham

_________________
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.

How about Smorgon either:

1. deflected the question onto something positive about the CFC

2. Had a real plan that he could refer to by way of a vision rather than a tired old well worn footy cliche'. Youth policy, may as well have said we're taking it one week at a time!

3. Used the media interest to make a 'non statement' about the draft and then tackle the AFL's unfair revision of the draft rules just when we are in line for Priority Picks!!

Should never give anything away on how we are going to pick.

I reckon he was trying to respond to the angry members who e-mailed him by reassuring them we are looking to youth. What he has inadvertantly done is show his tactical naivety. The same people that didnt want Gardiner dont want the President ruling anybody in or out at this stage of procedings.

_________________
"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

have no problem with Smorgon's statement. He has firmly stated for all to hear that the Club is going for a youth policy, and aiming for quality players who we hope to play 100+ games.



This quote does not say the Club cannot recruit say Cox at age 25. It says our policy focuses on younger players. I'm sure it's what most of us want to hear.

As a Board, it is part of their role to set directions for the organisation, including the football department (similar to boards of directors in any organisation).

Unfortuinately, at the moment, it doesn't matter what they say, some people have them in their sights ready to fire both barrels. This is not particularly constructive, or even rational.

I think this is a fair call, gives some flexibility. Can be 24 or likely to play 100 games. So when Dean Cox knocks at our door we will be able to invite him in as he will play 100 games, and if Saddo's knees get better he might too. Seems an eminently reasonable policy and one that would have been a great benefit if implemented from 2003. Not sure what there is to criticise here.

Apparently Fraser Brown was on SEN again today.
Did anyone hear the interview?

_________________
Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Yes he mainly spoke about 1999 GF. He tried to avoid questions about the board spill and coach . Said he wasn't happy with the Carlton football club at the moment and we will have to wait and see what happens .

Also said there was no issue with the coach as the club had committed to them.

did not seem happy talking about it

_________________
If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

smorgon crapping on about make of it what you will was about as gutless and insipid as it could get. for crying out loud show some fortitude and say the carlton football club will not be pursuing gardiner if that is what he meant by it. don't tip toe around it. what was the purpose of speaking out? to say that the club intends adhering to a youth policy or to lay to rest rumours that the club is pursuing the likes of michael gardiner? i, like a lot of other supporters are sick of bullshit and rhetoric. in my view smorgon was doing nothing more than trying to kill gardiner rumours. it has nothing to do with having a youth policy. straight forward youth policy is bullshit anyway. how about "we have a policy of intelligent recruiting regardless of age, experience etc. what we are building for is a sustained tilt at finals football therefore if we believe a player will be advantageous to this pursuit, we will look at him with due dilligence with regards to all aspects of his character.... by the way this will not include gardiner!!!"

this club is yet to hit its lowest ebb. but we are fast approaching it.

The Cranium, I think you may be guilty of your own spin doctoring.

Supposing Lenny Hayes made himself available to other clubs.
Would a guy like Lenny Hayes have anything to offer the Carlton Football Club aged 26/27?
He is an example i dont want anyone talking about his knee injury.

We all know if theyre good enough and they have something to offer youd look at them and a guy of the calibre of Lenny Hayes or say Jude Bolton youd just scoop up.

So why the bullshit naive comment???

Maybe cos theyre naive and full of shit????

Smorgon is starting to enjoy listening to himself on the radio...

Dangerous situation.

_________________
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.

Synbad Smorgan statement yesterday was a polite way of saying we dont want Gardiner or Aker - nothing else

_________________
If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

No one is arguing against that Synbad. Different points entirely.

that was a bulldust way to say we dont want him!!!.. you just come out and say Gasrdiner offers the Carlton football club nothing... and we wont be looking at him.. NEXT!!!!

Its just a weak spineless jellyfish way to talk nonsense on the radio for 10 minutes.. by a guy who has no clue!!!...

You dont have to be diplomatic with Gardiner... you just say.. NEXT!!????!?!?!?!??!?!?

_________________
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 he gets there comes out and rules out Gardiner - then next week it will be Clark Keating then spider Everitt followed by Kent Kingsley the maybe soloman and Jason Johnson . He has reigned in Pagan and sured up all those supporters who were jamming up his server complaining about Gardiner

_________________
If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws