New ARLC CEO Discussion

[taipan]

I hope you are right. The fact that our new CEO told us many times that he loves Rugby Union rings alarm bells for me. Time will tell.

Regardless, the CEO has to be a people person more than a money person. Running a wing of Lloyds ticks the money person box, but plenty of arseholes with no people skills have been in charge of huge numbers of people before.

You have to have some understanding of the organisation you are running. And I dont buy this crap that most swallow that if you are associated in any way with RL you are a boofhead. Plenty of smart, successful businessmen and leaders played FG RL.

He was in the British Army for a stint.If you are not a people person,you don't last long.It's called teamwork.

Funny you should say about the need for understanding the organisation.We had a CEO Neil Whitaker(a former 1st grader) a good guy,but hardly set the world on fire during his time at the top.

With the time taken to get the right guy,they would have gone though various people who were involved with rl,or had some affiliation,plus those who had none.
The people who deemed him the best,were the board consisting of high profile business people.He carries no club baggage with him.
Gallop was a lawyer,a desk jockey all his working life.

 

[herbert henry1908]

He was in the British Army for a stint.If you are not a people person,you don't last long.It's called teamwork.

Funny you should say about the need for understanding the organisation.We had a CEO Neil Whitaker(a former 1st grader) a good guy,but hardly set the world on fire during his time at the top.

With the time taken to get the right guy,they would have gone though various people who were involved with rl,or had some affiliation,plus those who had none.
The people who deemed him the best,were the board consisting of high profile business people.He carries no club baggage with him.
Gallop was a lawyer,a desk jockey all his working life.

I have no problem with the CEO appointment.

But Neil whitaker isn't a fair comparison point. That period of the game was hard for everyone. It doesn't mean a former player couldn't suceed. Look at John Quayle.

 

[Spanner in the works]

I have no problem with the CEO appointment.

But Neil whitaker isn't a fair comparison point. That period of the game was hard for everyone. It doesn't mean a former player couldn't suceed. Look at John Quayle.

It's always the same names thrown up as a successful former player. Rarely do we see any fresh names with a record of success thrown up. Why is this so?

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

All he needs is a one day crash course in the rules,history and culture of the game.
The role of NRL CEO is in part being a good politician. Time will tell if he has the ticker. Vlad certainly has.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Because he shares your love of Union, right? Or because he has NFI?

He might be a good money manager - but running the NRL is FAR more than that.

Lets see how he goes after a couple of years before judging him yeah?

 

[Quidgybo]

It's always the same names thrown up as a successful former player. Rarely do we see any fresh names with a record of success thrown up. Why is this so?

Two or three years ago, how many League fans knew what John Grant was doing? I'm sure there are plenty of former players who are forging successful business careers, but few people will know or even care until they come back into the game's own spotlight.

Not coming from a League background doesn't make David Smith the right or wrong choice. The ARLC have laid their cards on the table with the strategic plan so we know exactly what the Commission want him to do and how he'll be judged. Such as...

• Grow NRL attendance to 20,000 average by 2017.
• Increase club membership by 14% pa.
• Increase volunteers by 3% pa.
• Increase participation by 3% pa.
• Double non broadcast revenue by 2017.

Given he doesn't start until February, he won't have a great deal of input into the programs in place for his first season. To be fair we probably need to wait a couple of years to see how well the targets are being met. But at least let's hold judgement until this time next year and see how he's handled the day to day and what programs he's put in place for 2014.

Leigh.

 

[taipan]

I have no problem with the CEO appointment.

But Neil whitaker isn't a fair comparison point. That period of the game was hard for everyone. It doesn't mean a former player couldn't suceed. Look at John Quayle.

Agreed Quayle was a good admin,but throwing in the must have rl experience,in order to be a CEO,is not the panacea.Whitaker did a reasonable job under the circumstances ,but was it enough?

That period was tough,who knows if an outsider would have done a better job then? That is all I am arguing about.

 

[Western_Eel]

Lets see how he goes after a couple of years before judging him yeah?

If he lasts a couple of years, he has no contract so he can leave whenever he wants

 

[LJC]

Lets hope he's not a short sighted economic rationalist!

The game relies on its history and presence in the community.
If he understands and values that then he should be OK.

Hopefully 4 new clubs in addition to the existing clubs will be worked on for the NRLs future.