Eels boss blasts Fitzy, Anderson
Adrian Proszenko
October 10, 2010
PARRAMATTA chairman Roy Spagnolo has unloaded on his critics, defending the decision to sack coach Daniel Anderson with a year remaining on his contract.
Spagnolo has penned an explosive letter - obtained by The Sun-Herald - that will be distributed to Parramatta members this week. In it, he hits back at ''misinformation'' and criticism of his chairmanship and the direction of the board. The key points include:
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❏ Reasons for sacking Anderson;
❏ Denials of board meddling in recruitment and retention strategy;
❏ Denials of vengeful sackings of staff hired by deposed chief executive Denis Fitzgerald;
❏ An outline of the club's finances.
Spagnolo has come under fire for terminating Anderson's contract just months after guaranteeing he would see out the remaining year of his $300,000 a year deal.
However, the letter, which has been posted at
www.parraleagues.com.au, states that a season review of football operations - conducted by chief executive Paul Osborne and directors Geoff Gerard and Glenn Duncan - found that ''
Daniel and his manager felt that the coaching role was untenable unless Daniel was provided with a further extension of his contract.
''
All agreed there were two choices: either his contract be extended beyond one year; or his contract be paid out.
''At the completion of the review the decision was taken to negotiate a buy-out of the balance of Daniel's contract and that is what is occurring,'' Spagnolo writes.
The board has come under fire for its recruitment policy after local juniors Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu and Kris Keating were released, particularly given that a suitable playmaking replacement had not been bought.
There has also been criticism for the decision to sign enigmatic forwards Carl Webb and Reni Maitua. Maitua is still serving a suspension for testing positive to clenbuterol, a banned substance.
However, the letter says: ''Contrary to some media reports, it should be noted and made very clear that the purchase of the following two players was negotiated by Daniel Anderson and Paul Osborne, and at no time was there any board involvement …
''Further to the above, it was Daniel Anderson's decision not to renew the contracts of [Mateo, Inu and Keating]. At no time was there any board interference regarding the above.''
Anderson steered the Eels to the 2009 grand final, won by salary cap rorters Melbourne.
He will be replaced by New Zealand Test mentor and former Storm assistant Stephen Kearney, who has signed a three-year deal.
Anderson did not return The Sun-Herald's calls.
Spagnolo has kept a low profile since winning power on the 3P ticket in last year's football and leagues club elections, ending Fitzgerald's 30-year reign as chief executive.
The letter, his first major public communication to fans, signals the first shot in what will be another bitter battle for control of the club.
The fate of the board is clouded after revelations of a planned coup at the football club elections in December and the leagues club elections next April.
The football club elections are significant because three of those directors will join the leagues club board, which controls the Eels.
Spagnolo's critics claim all personnel linked to or hired by Fitzgerald have been released. However, Spagnolo's letter claims this is untrue and outlines the reasons for the departures of 10 employees, including Fitzgerald.
The letter also claims 3P has delivered its promise to ''arrest and reverse the club's financial decline''. Leagues club funding to the football club has decreased by $1.5 million ''as a result of new initiatives in brand marketing, costs savings and season tickets sales'', Spagnalo writes.
He also claims that the ''management restructure'' has saved $700,000 in salary payments and cites these figures for leagues club net profit:
❏ 2008 $8.7 million loss;
❏ 2009 $1.5 million profit;
❏ 2010 $910,000 profit July to date (with an expectation of $2.1 million profit for the year).
''We are focused on returning our club to the glory years of the '80s, which means that we are not afraid to make tough decisions if it means our club will make sound progress,'' Spagnolo writes.
