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Bernie Gurr

Messages
12,177
after fitzy who would say anything just to see his name in a headline i don't think it's a bad thing to have a ceo who only talks to the media if he has something to say
 

ash411

Bench
Messages
3,411
after fitzy who would say anything just to see his name in a headline i don't think it's a bad thing to have a ceo who only talks to the media if he has something to say
Here here. He has more important things to do than hold press conferences. That's what a media department is for.
 

Obscene Assassin

First Grade
Messages
6,378
after fitzy who would say anything just to see his name in a headline i don't think it's a bad thing to have a ceo who only talks to the media if he has something to say

I don't think he officially starts his role until the 1st of November. Just like we aren't officially allowed to look for a sponsor to replace Dyldam until the 1st of November.
 

El Diablo

Post Whore
Messages
94,107
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...b/news-story/2010c71952e05a22b1269df7bd29263f

Parramatta boss Bernie Gurr on how Eels will become Sydney’s premier club
2010c71952e05a22b1269df7bd29263f

DEAN RITCHIE, The Daily Telegraph
an hour ago

2010c71952e05a22b1269df7bd29263f

NEW Parramatta chief executive Bernie Gurr has set out a road map for the embattled Eels to once again become “clearly’’ Sydney’s premier club.

Gurr, who officially starts as Parramatta’s boss next Monday, has revealed his plans in a wideranging interview.

THINK BIG

Asked how big Parramatta should be, Gurr said: “If there was one club that really appealed to me, it was Parramatta. I think they have the potential to be clearly the biggest club in Sydney from a membership point of view, a home-ground attendance point of view ... they just tick every box.

“Financially secure, they have a huge supporter base right in the geographic heart of Sydney. They’ve got a huge junior league and, in three years’ time, the club will have the best rectangular football stadium in Australia.

“On a broader strategic level, the NRL needs Parramatta successful because there is a real battle on in Sydney’s west with the Western Sydney Wanderers and the GWS AFL side.

“Clubs like Parramatta, Penrith, Canterbury, Wests Tigers, collectively, we have an obligation to be part of a strategic plan to protect rugby league’s interests in western Sydney, which is growing like crazy.”

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Michael Jennings and Eels teammates celebrate a try last season.
BOARD DRAMAS

Ex-Eastern Suburbs forward Gurr knows he’ll govern a club badly damaged by board dramas.

“I was well abreast of all the dramas they have had having spoken extensively to (administrator) Max Donnelly and Jim Sarantinos (from Ferrier Hodgson).

“Max, talking to him in detail, has done a terrific job in starting that process to improve the club’s governance. I’m not that concerned.

“As you know, Max has basically dissolved the two boards — the football club and Leagues Club. He will get some independents around those two boards, some qualified independents.

“I am comfortable about where Max is at. He hasn’t put directors in but I know what he is looking for and the composition of the boards he wants, the type of people he wants. Quite frankly, it doesn’t bother me the club has had its problems because Max has done some really good preliminary work to set us on a good course in terms of governance and protocol.”

TITLE DROUGHT

Parramatta haven’t won a title for 30 years.

“I’m not going to be making any outlandish predictions about our football performance,” Gurr said.

“From what I have observed from afar, (coach) Brad Arthur seems to have a strong football program and a very good work ethic.

“The competitiveness of the team, particularly after they got the bad news of being docked 12 points, there was a terrific amount of resilience in the football program.

“We have a solid football program. But get one, two or three injuries to key players and you go from being a top-five team to a bottom-five team.

“It can happen quickly. It can change in a heartbeat. It’s volatile.

“We’ll look closely at the structures and processes around the football team so we can support them at the maximum level.”

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Eels coach Brad Arthur has implemented a strong football program. Picture: Mark Evans
PLAYER BEHAVIOUR

Eels star Corey Norman was embroiled in several off-field scandals this year.

“We will set standards in place, not unreasonable standards for everyone at the club, including players,” Gurr said.

“I have no intention of talking to him individually — that’s been dealt with by the club and the NRL. Anytime there is a management change, it is good to re-enforce fundamental standards.”

Asked about Semi Radradra, who has been charged with assault and causing actual bodily harm, Gurr said: “It is about professional management and setting the standards, not just around players but the entire operational protocol. We will be communicating that to the head coach, Brad, and the players. ”

ANZ STADIUM

The club is certain to shift to Sydney Olympic Park for at least the next two years while Parramatta Stadium is demolished and rebuilt.

“ANZ Stadium is still being finalised at the moment,” Gurr said.

“We will be there, I’m pretty sure we will. We will have an open day around November 20. We want to make the move from Pirtek to ANZ as seamless as possible. That’s the objective.

“We’ll have 11 home games at ANZ, we take the other game to Northern Territory. In addition, we’ll have reciprocal games with other clubs that play at ANZ, like the Bulldogs and Souths.”

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The Eels will play at ANZ Stadium while their ground is being rebuilt.
MEMBERSHIP

Due to the club’s horror off-field season, the Eels won’t increase membership packages for this coming season.

“We want to reward our members,” Gurr said.

“They have had tough times with the governance and salary cap issues. Then, for at least the next two years, we will be moving away from Parramatta Stadium.

“For those 2016 members, we won’t raise the ticket prices for 2017. We will leave them static as a reward for their loyalty.”

Any new member who signs on before Christmas will only be charged 2016 prices.

THE CREDENTIALS

“I have been chief financial officer for (Los Angeles-based) the Americas, covering North America and Latin America, for Crown Pacific, a worldwide group,” he said.

“We’re an international moving and logistics company. It is a global company.”
 

El Diablo

Post Whore
Messages
94,107
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...a-for-longsuffering-fans-20161016-gs3i0x.html

Incoming Eels CEO Bernie Gurr vows to launch new era for long-suffering fans


Incoming Parramatta CEO Bernie Gurr has described the club's 70th season in the top flight as a "new era" and vowed to reunify the Eels to ensure they reached their full potential.

Gurr has been handed the task of rebuilding a club that has lurched from one crisis to the next. The Eels haven't made the playoffs since their 2009 grand final appearance, crippled by factionalism and self-interest at management level.

However, Gurr will officially begin next week and Parramatta has already taken significant steps to address its corporate governance issues, while strengthening a roster that would have made the finals had it not been for the salary cap points deduction.

"It's a terrific opportunity for a club that should be a key pillar of the NRL, particularly in western Sydney," Gurr said. "I'm confident we can get the job done with Parramatta in the next couple of years.

"You need to get into the job and understand the people and the structure over the next three or four months, and that's something we'll definitely look at, putting together some sort of strategic plan for the club.

"When you look at it from a macro level, we need to rebuild the trust of our fans and stakeholders, principally the fans and members and sponsors and the general public.

"There is some rebuilding to do, we can't get away from that. We need to unify the Parramatta family because there have been various factions around Parramatta over the years."

Gurr aimed to make Parramatta a "fan-centric" club that rewarded long-suffering supporters through a tumultuous period. To that end, 2016 members will be able to renew next season at last year's prices, while new fans will be able to avail themselves of the same pricing offer if they join prior to Christmas. It's one of several initiatives to mark a milestone year.

"There are some plans in place to recognise the 70th year," Gurr said. "I'm a big believer in celebrating our traditions. Individual clubs certainly need to celebrate their past while having an eye on the future."

While much of the groundwork has already been done, Gurr will have several pressing items at the top of his agenda.

A new sponsor will need to be appointed to replace long-term backer Dyldam, a general manager of football will be sought and a strategy to shift fans to ANZ Stadium must be finalised while the club waits for its home ground to be rebuilt.

All of this will need to be done despite a significant reduction in the contribution from the leagues club to the football program.


"I'd like to think we've cleaned up a lot of that stuff in the 2016 financial year, where there were a number of extraordinary items," Gurr said.

"With all of those extraordinary items it has gotten out of hand over the last few years. That's not business-like or sustainable for the leagues club either."

Gurr refused to make any predictions about on-field performance, but was buoyed by the resilience of the squad in 2016.

"I saw a prepared football team, a committed team," he said. "They have made some acquisitions that will only strengthen the squad.

"The roster is pretty much in place before I've even come in. From what I've observed, we'll have a competitive team. We will be making no predictions on where we finish. You're only two injuries from being a top-five to a bottom-five side.

"We know Parramatta is financially strong, we've got this huge supporter base in the geographic centre of Sydney and we need to engage with them.

"It's a new era, there is a lot of opportunity."
 

phantom eel

First Grade
Messages
6,327
Lol. He is here... and talking to the media about his role - even if the paychecks don't start rolling in yet.
 

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