Parramatta Eels salary cap saga: Geoff Gerard reveals his plan to turn the club?s fortunes around
24 minutes ago
Exclusive Dean RitchieThe Daily Telegraph
A SENIOR Parramatta board member has finally spoken out about the club?s salary cap mess, calling for an end to the ?factionalism and self interest? and to finally put the Eels first.
Geoff Gerard, a former Eels grand final prop, spoke with The Daily Telegraph and hopes Nathan Peats? Gold Coast move will make them salary cap compliant before Friday?s night?s big match against South Sydney at what?s shaping as a sold-out Pirtek Stadium.
?I have sat on different (Parramatta) boards at times when I have seriously looked people in the face and said: ?Are you really here for this club???Gerard said.
He has assured fans that his focus is on three areas ? becoming salary cap compliant, offering players and staff counselling and helping Kieran Foran. While Gerard sympathised with Anthony Watmough, Ryan Morgan and Peats being forced to leave, he said the club was in a position in which tough decisions had to be made.
?It will certainly affect them and their families but the bigger picture here is the club,? Gerard said.
THE SALARY CAP
?Seriously, for our supporters and players, it?s got to be about becoming salary cap compliant,? Gerard said.
There is a bit of crisis management at this time but we are trying to deal with that the best we can.
?Obviously the club went to the Supreme Court and that will be dealt with over time.
?This is a community club. We have fans, we have members, we?ve got to do everything we can, in my opinion, to get a football team on the field playing for points on Friday night.
?I have been working with (Eels auditor) Ian Schubert, the coach (Brad Arthur) and (assistant coach) Peter Sharp.
?The members and people that I know who have spoken to me have given support to me, which has been encouraging.
?They are concerned with what?s going on, but they are saying to me what I am saying to you, the three things I am focusing on and they are saying: ?Yep, good idea?.?
THE BIG FIVE
The ?Gang of Five? ? Eels chairman Steve Sharp, chief executive John Boulous, head of football Daniel Anderson, deputy chairman Tom Issa and director Peter Serrao ? are all under pressure to stand down.
?The only thing I can say is that the mantra here has always been club first. This is a decision each of them has to make for themselves,? Gerard said. ?
?There is always a presumption of innocence. Can I tell you whether they are guilty before they have tried to clear their names? I can?t. I haven?t seen all the evidence yet.?
?Their suspensions have left fans questioning who is actually in charge at Parramatta.
?While the three board members aren?t allowed to have anything to do with the day-to-day running of the club, they are still active board members and we still have a chairman,? Gerard said.
?There is a bit of crisis management at this time but we are trying to deal with that the best we can.?
THE ANGER
What has really infuriated Gerard through this saga?
?Just putting the club and supporters through all of this,?? he said. ?It?s a crap scene we have but we can only deal with issues we can control. We have to draw a line in the sand here. The issue has always been, over the last six years, factionalism.
?Factionalism that still continues behind the team. I have had so many people that have said they are here for the club but it?s about self interest. It?s driving me crazy.?
It?s a crap scene we have but we can only deal with issues we can control. We have to draw a line in the sand here
THE FANS
?We have to be doing everything for our fans,? Gerard said.
?I have been through some dark days at Parra but we are a resilient lot and I believe we are very close to having a sellout on Friday night.
?Our people will turn out to support the players, give them encouragement and I think it?s going to be one hell of a game.?
More than 20,000 fans are expected to pack Pirtek Stadium tomorrow night and Gerard said they deserved an apology and a thank you.
?But it?s a bit hard to do that because we still have to go through the review of the five people with the NRL,? he said.
THE PLAYERS
At least three players needed to be offloaded for Parramatta to become cap compliant.
?Unfortunately now, despite the fact that we love our sport, it?s still also part business and in business sometimes people have to move on and find new opportunities,? he said.
?If people have to move on for the club to continue to play for points, they are hard decisions, but they have to be made.?
THE COACH
The Eels are lucky to have coach Brad Arthur, according to Gerard.
?We?ve got the best coach in the game at the moment,? he said. ?He?s been dealing with a lot of stuff and he has kept that playing group very tight.
?He is a credit to our club. He is a super person. Sometimes he?s not very patient, we all know that with Brad. But we know he is fully committed to the club and keeping the group together.
?I can?t commend him enough. We are lucky to have someone like him.?
THE STAR
It is understood Foran remains in a Queensland hospital, and won?t play against the Rabbitohs on Friday night.
?Another priority is getting the best care we can for Kieran. I have spoken to his manager to make sure he has got that,? Gerard said. ?As far as I know, the coach is the only one that talks to him.
?I have given the approval for his manager to get whatever he needs to help him through this.?
