Funny thread this one.
Add me to the BV side of the argument.
Worth remembering though that the only people who give a flying @#$%&! about what Smorgon might or might not have said are the freaks in here. The rest of the world have forgotten the articles were ever written. For those of us who do hang on every fart and burp that eminates from a navy orifice some of us swing one way and others another. The only way to keep everyone happy is to say nothing at all...hang on... that's not on either.
I didn't agree with every little detail of Smorgon's comments but that was never likely. It never is. Same with Collo, Pagan, Parkin, whoever. My views are formed in a very different crucible to theirs.
What pleased me was that he quite clearly said that the board had to take some responsibility for the lack of youth policy (although everyone's selective memory seems to forget the loss of SIX young players and a preseason pick due to draft penalties) and that he was clearly committing the club to youth from here on. That's now on the public record and he can be drawn and quartered if the board doesn't stick to that position.
When Smorgon was first elected he said something about the club just needing to win games and it sounded awfully like Dean Laidley a couple of years ago suggesting the Kangas couldn't go for youth. That clearly wasn't what he meant based on these later comments and if I take anything away from his recent statements it's that.
He's obviously not the ideal choice for President at the moment (though he may surprise over time) but considering the list of possible contenders at this time I'd say we might as well stop the wrist slashing, accept that he's there for now and stop the bitching and moaning (at least until he genuinely flowers something up).
Football communities (like any communities) are complex structures and any given statement by any individual is likely to be laced with half a dozen agendas both conscious and unconscious. Apparently I'm a "Pagan supporter" because I believe he needed time to do his job and time to do it without his hands tied by the legacy of the past administration. Pagan will be held to account based on what he does over the next 18 months not on what happened in his first 2-3 years at Carlton. Smorgon should be held accountable for what happens under his watch as President rather than any perceptions we might have of him at the time he enters the role. The choice now is whether to support the incumbents or keep bitching.
I'm going to give them until the end of next year. If I can see obvious improvement on-field (looks to be happening already but I want to see us take the next step by then) and off-field (new revenue streams, cash-flow positive, MC Labour Park issue sorted etc) then they'll get my vote for another go after that. If not then I'll look elsewhere.
As for Lorraine Diggins and the number 5...
Login
Register
FAQ
