MarkInTheStands
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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...he-many-problems-at-parra-20130802-2r4wn.html
Smh.com.au said:Chairman Steve Sharp is on a mission to turn the Eels around, writes Andrew Webster.
IT might be best to get the politics on the table straight away, because when it comes to Parramatta that's where the problem seems to rest.
For all the breaking and exclusive stories about Chris Sandow's future and Jarryd Hayne's hamstring and chief executive Ken Edwards' shock departure, the crisis at the Eels continues to be seen in terms of a basic powerplay between Roy Spagnolo and Denis Fitzgerald.
Which, for recently elected chairman and premiership-winning back-rower Steve Sharp, is mind-numbingly frustrating. Because neither men are on the board, and therefore should have no say.
''It hurts me greatly,'' Sharp says of the political upheaval at Parramatta. ''I keep reading that I am a puppet for Denis Fitzgerald. Let me tell everyone, I am not Denis Fitzgerald's or anyone else's puppet. Denis had his time at the club. The members have spoken. He is part of the club's history, in arrears. Going forward, he has no influence over the current board or any decision it makes. I'll go on record to say that if Denis Fitzgerald comes on board in any capacity, I'll resign.''
So, thunderbirds are no!
And what about Spagnolo, who overthrew Fitzgerald and became chairman - and is one of the great puppet-string pullers in the club's recent history?
''Roy's had his leadership opportunity for five years at the helm,'' Sharp says. ''The football side in particular has suffered to the point where we are now. Give someone else a chance.''
Where they are now is last. Like anyone at the Eels needed reminding.
The Eels meet Manly at Parramatta Stadium on Saturday night, in a match promoted as ''Back to Cumberland Day''. It's a celebration of the great rivalry with the Sea Eagles from 30 years ago, when Parramatta beat them in consecutive grand finals in 1982 and 1983.
Fans are encouraged to wear their best, and worst, 1980s gear. If only transforming the club in its current state was as simple as a wardrobe change.
In the 1980s, under mastercoach Jack Gibson, the Eels were united as they strode to the club's first premiership in 1981, and then two more.
Gibson would be mortified at the scene now: a club so riven with factionalism it makes the Australian Labor Party look as cosy as the Von Trapps from The Sound of Music.
When Sharp and the ParraFirst ticket swept to power in May, shunting Spagnolo off the board, he did so wanting to hose away the political infighting that spooks sponsors and prospective players - and leaves fans appalled.
Finding a replacement for Edwards is a stark reminder of the landscape.
Andrew Hill, who worked under Fitzgerald and is in charge of game development at the NRL, has been strongly mooted, but some at the club fear such an appointment would spark further civil war.
''It would be unfair on Andrew Hill if you didn't give him an opportunity because of his past history at the club as an understudy to Denis Fitzgerald,'' Sharp says. ''The fact he has been at [AFL club] Greater Western Sydney, then spent the last few years at the NRL where he is well respected, but I'm conscious of perception. That shouldn't come into play, but it does.''
Politics reared its head again this week when director and Spagnolo lieutenant Sid Kelly resigned in anger over the sacking of Leagues club chairman Bob Bentley and chief financial officer Tony Cinque.
Kelly immediately went on the attack in the News Ltd press, fearing a ''total disregard for human dignity''.
''Sid Kelly's circumstances are sad and disappointing,'' Sharp insists. ''One of the biggest problems of the previous board over the years was security in the boardroom. The board leaked. You have a director resign from the board because he doesn't agree in principle with our direction, and then publicly slanders it in the paper. That's not in the best interests of the club. If he had the club at heart, he should've moved on and given someone else an opportunity. Every two years, the members get a chance to say who they want to run their club. We just want an opportunity to show what we can do.''
Fair point. But before we do that, Mr Chairman, there are a few minor issues such as your superstar fullback's hamstrings and the delicate matter of your halfback's alleged gambling problems.
Let's start with Sandow. During the early parts of this season, coach Ricky Stuart said he was pleased to see the star recruit from South Sydney ''enjoying his footy again''.
Today, the club's $550,000-a-season playmaker lines up for Wentworthville in the NSW Cup match against Auckland at Mt Smart Stadium's No.2 field.
''Chrissy's form [that resulted in him being dropped] was pretty ordinary. He was missing tackles and not causing too many problems for the defence. Halfback is a key position in any football team, and we need to know that ours are functioning correctly. Ricky just said that Chris wasn't contributing strong enough at the moment.''
Is he still wanted at Parramatta?
''He's still wanted at Parramatta. The club has gone to great lengths to help out with his welfare. That comes foremost and he's a quality young man with a family who depends on him.''
So the perception he's being squeezed out of the club is not right?
''I can tell you it's not. Chrissy Sandow is a great football player. He was brought in to add value to our football team. At the present time, he's not adding value to our football team, so we can't play him. It's hurting us greatly not having him at his best.''
As for Hayne, the NSW camp was awash with whispers throughout preparations for game three that their fullback had sought therapy on his injured hamstring without his club's knowledge - and that had damaged it further.
Parramatta sources have since denied this, but what cannot be disputed is Stuart's remarks just over a week ago when he said Hayne might not slip into a blue-and-gold jumper again this season, depending on his possible selection for Australia for the World Cup.
Parramatta members and fans were outraged. Stuart's message wasn't delivered as best it could.
The bottom line was there was no use cruelling Hayne for next season just for the sake of playing in a season well and truly lost.
''Nothing could be further from the truth,'' Sharp says when pressed about claims Hayne was being cotton-wooled for Australia at the expense of his club. ''I'm sure Jarryd wants to play for us so it enhances his chances of playing in the World Cup. As the chairman of the club, I can say we're not giving up on winning every game left. If our best players are available, we expect our best players to take the paddock. Jarryd has an injury if not managed correctly could cause long-term problems. We need Jarryd to play 20-odd games for us each year. If this injury isn't managed correctly, he runs the potential to miss 50 per cent of the games.''
Then there's Stuart, who made the tough call to cull a dozen players (including co-captain Reni Maitua) mid-season, but has done well to recruit the likes of Corey Norman, Nathan Peats, England internationals Gareth Hock and Lee Mossop and boom Wests Tigers back-rower Brendan Santi for next year and beyond.
There is no pressure on the coach, says Sharp. ''We're totally committed to the coach. We've bought in. He's the right person to take us there. The action we took this year, and supported Ricky on, in moving several people on for next year, helps us achieve where we need to go. It was an imperative move that had to be done.
''We knew we have to support the coach. The coach said, 'This is where we are. We're anchored to the bottom of the ladder for the next three years if we don't do something with our salary cap'.''
When Sharp and his ticket came to power, they did so on a promise of not trying to deliver five-year plans. That was something Spagnolo foreshadowed. Edwards had similar big-picture ideals.
''I'm into one-year plans,'' Sharp said. ''I've been in the first year of five-year plans for four years.''
But his board are looking down the track, with the planned development of a $30 million state-of-the-art high-performance community centre next to Parramatta Stadium, which is also about to be redeveloped.
Both sides of politics are being lobbied, with $20 million in government funding needed.
Some might argue such grand plans should've happened years ago. With its storied history and location in the Golden West, it should be Sydney's powerhouse club.
Sharp says they can get there. ''If we're sitting around this table again this time next year, judge me on where we are on the table and financially at that time, provided we're given a clean break by the interfering factions at the moment. We've been criticised and chastised, rightly or wrongly, for only two months of work.''
The Eels fans already sit in judgment.
