Knights CEO faces uncertain future

[Pumba]

Knights CEO faces uncertain future
BY BRETT KEEBLE
01 Apr, 2011 04:00 AM

KNIGHTS chief executive Steve Burraston faces an uncertain future at the now-privatised NRL club but said he would turn up to work today ‘‘as normal’’.

There has been speculation, which has intensified in the past three weeks, that Mr Burraston would not survive if Nathan Tinkler took control of the Knights, but he said last night that he had not discussed his employment prospects with the billionaire mining and sporting tycoon, or the Tinkler Sports Group.

Mr Burraston was gagged by Knights chairman Rob Tew two weeks ago, reportedly at the direction of TSG executive chairman Ken Edwards, because his public comments were interpreted as being unsupportive of Mr Tinkler’s privatisation proposal.

‘‘We’ve had no discussions whatsoever, formal or informal, on my employment going forward, and as I’ve said all along, whatever happens happens,’’ Mr Burraston said after last night’s vote.

‘‘I’m here to do the best thing for the Newcastle Knights and look after the Newcastle Knights’ interests, and I think we’ve done a good job of that.’’

Mr Burraston said his intentions had been misinterpreted at times during the negotiations.

‘‘What I’d done all the way along was act within the Corporations Act, which really said that I had to play with a straight bat and that I couldn’t support either side or sell the bid for anyone,’’ he said.

‘‘That’s what I was trying to do, and I guess that was interpreted by a number of people that I was trying to lobby against it, but that’s their opinion I guess. From my point of view it was a decision that had to get to the members and let the members vote.

‘‘I’ll be turning up for work tomorrow as normal, and despite all the speculation, we haven’t taken our hands off the wheel and we’re getting ready for a huge crowd at our first home game of the season against St George Illawarra on Sunday.’’

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[chinorocks]

I live in Brisbane so its impossible for me to say if he should or shouldn't go because I don't know enough about the day to day running of the club...but apparently he left the meeting last night without talking to anyone and was gag ordered to stop him from bad mouthing the bid so I think its safe to say he's gone.

 

[knights girl]

I hope he stays.....

 

[Johns Magic]

Thanks for the memories Steve, bit I can't see this being a harmonious marriage.

Will be very surprised if he's kept on in more than a token role.

 

[Johns Magic]

I hope he stays.....

Who'd you end up voting for???

 

[Alex28]

That is one loaded question...

Is he capable of being CEO of football operations? Yes. Probably over qualified for the role to be honest. He has done a good job with very limited resources. It would be interesting to see what he could do with proper resources.

He isn't going to be CEO of the whole group - that is clearly Ken Edwards' role. They don't need a CEO for the Knights like Burro is right now. He won't have the financial responsibility that he has now. They need a manager to oversee the football operations - clearly marketing, game day operations, admin, financial management, et al will be centralised under TSG.

So...unfortunately...there won't be a role for him. He turned the club from a real basketcase to a viable operation and he should be recognised for that. Instead he'll be remembered by narrow-minded individuals as someone who supposedly tried to sabotage the takeover for his supposed own agenda. What he actually did was help get the club the deal that they ended up getting.

The club actually owes him a great deal.

 

[B-dos]

.but apparently he left the meeting last night without talking to anyone

can anyone who was there confirm this?

 

[Newie is God's Country]

If burro is right man for the Job Tinks will keep him on.

 

[perverse]

straight up no, for a few of reasons. i believe his position is now well and truly untenable, his relationship with sponsors, the herald, etc is not good... and he's been here long enough and done a thankless job that needed to be done.

thanks for doing your best, Steve... but you let yourself come undone a bit at the end there.

 

[Matt23]

straight up no, for a few of reasons. i believe his position is now well and truly untenable, his relationship with sponsors, the herald, etc is not good... and he's been here long enough and done a thankless job that needed to be done.

thanks for doing your best, Steve... but you let yourself come undone a bit at the end there.

x2

 

[Alex28]

He was completely in a no win situation. He was seen as being the architect of the Patron's Trust when there was no sign of any other option, which remained alive when Tinkler changed his mind and decided he did want to buy the club after all, and remained associated with the Trust if only by association when the benefactors of the Trust clearly became the face of the anti-Tinkler movement.

Throughout that he was gagged by the club at the request of Tinkler and had no right of reply - at the direction that the Trust was taking and of the bagging he was getting in the media. He was sold a pretty solid sh*t sandwich in the end.

 

[Rolla]

If there is a position available and he can have a healthy working relationship with TSG then i am hapy for him to stay on (Big if's though).
I think Burro has done well for this club and at the end of the day i feel we got the best deal out of this takeover we possibly can and, while i know he was gagged for said reasons, he would likely have played a part in this. I feel that without inside knowledge this is too tough a question to answer though.

 

[danielb]

bugger off burro! ur a dead set tool and have been hopeless for ages, why was he for the patrons trust anyway, it was a sh*thouse deal.

 

[danielb]

can anyone who was there confirm this?

gee I hope someone can, thats hilarious! spose Andrew Poole was having a sook too.

 

[The_Joey_Show]

Burro has done some fantastic things for the club, but he would know that his time is at an end now. His lack of enthusiasm for the TSG deal would make it very difficult for him to form a productive working relationship with them.

One thing I have always respected about Burro is that he has the stones to stand up for what he believes is right, even if it means taking on the big boys. That very quality has proven his downfall. In honesty, it was probably always going to.

 

[Frederick]

can anyone who was there confirm this?

I was there and didn't see him leave, but he was the last person up on stage when the meeting started, and Rob Tew actually had to call his name a couple of times before he eventually meandered on up. He tended to look completely disinterested during the meeting too.

 

[B-dos]

cheers fred

not surprising

 

[Haffa]

Wow. that's poor form if correct.

He clearly has no place here anymore.

 

[sneaky_is_here]

bugger off burro! ur a dead set tool and have been hopeless for ages, why was he for the patrons trust anyway, it was a sh*thouse deal.

Geez mate bit harsh. As alex said in better wording, Burro did the Job he was brought to this club to do, he made the decisions that were in the best interest of the club. And getting the best deal on this was the end result.

I applaud him for the Job he did.

 

[aqua_duck]

I think his involvemen with the phantoms trust is the last straw unfortunately. The trust was a good fall back option but when Poole and co turned it into a direct competitor, that's when Burro's grave was dug, rightly or wrongly. I think if Poole and the others whoever they may be had kept out of this Burro could still have had a case, but at the end of the day the trust was Burro's baby and the trust also happened to become a direct competitor to TSG