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News article - Vicious Emails

Docking

Juniors
Messages
204
The Daily Telegraph - 21/04/06

Vicious emails
By DEAN RITCHIE
April 21, 2006
ANGRY Cronulla coach Stuart Raper last night described fans behind an ugly email campaign circulating the Sutherland shire claiming he has three matches to perform or be sacked as "idiots".


The Daily Telegraph has received numerous emails from supporters in recent days claiming Raper was facing the sack and also calling for the Cronulla board to resign


The Sharks have won just one from five this season.


One read: "If he doesn't get results in the next 3-5 weeks he is gone."


Another email says: "The majority of hardcore Cronulla fans are beginning to ask serious questions of our board. The sacking of Raper is not going to achieve much, if we still have the same clowns controlling the club."

Raper last night said he would not lose focus over the rumours, which one emailer claimed had "spread like wildfire."


"If I start listening to the opinions of these people, then I lose focus and stop doing my job," Raper told The Daily Telegraph.


"And I won't allow that to happen. I'll keep doing my job the best I can.


"I can't allow this to distract me and I won't listen to these idiots.


"Whenever you are doing it tough, fans jump on the bandwagon.


"Just like when you are doing well, they want to pat you on the back
.
"I don't take heed of anyone who makes statements and can't come up with any answers.


"These things don't concern me. I know Greg (Pierce, Sharks CEO) has received a few."


One emailer writes: "Rumours are plentiful, that coach Raper is about to be shown the door.


"He will be the second coach sacked since John Lang 'didn't have his contract renewed'."


Raper says fans can be "fickle".


"I'm sure other clubs at the moment are also going through this," he said.



"It's part of the business unfortunately.


"But I don't care about these people's opinions."


Pierce said the fans should start supporting Raper.
"All they are saying is sack the coach, sack the board," Pierce said.
"They are probably the same people who two years ago said we should sack Chris Anderson and employ Stuart Raper."


Sharks president Barry Pierce said Raper had "the full support of the board".
"What is going around, take it for what it is . . . someone trying to stir things up," he said.


"I know the coaching staff are all very supportive of Stuart."


The Sharks face another tough game tomorrow night when they host the unbeaten competition leaders North Queensland at Shark Park."


http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18874087-5001023,00.html








Seems some fans have started a media frenzy - and angered up the administration.

Barry Pierce stating that Raper "the full support of the board" is a bit of a concern considering what's happened to the coaches following these kinds of statements from their board.
 

Surely

Post Whore
Messages
100,181
It's not the fickle ones they have to worry about, it's the ones like me who are generally very supportive, even i have had enough of them now.
 

fizman

Bench
Messages
3,499
CONGRATULATIONS people this is excellent stuff!!!!! It is about time people were accountable, I think its great. Its the best news I have read for a long time.

With that said, I do hope that there are no personal attacks on any individuals. Play the ball not the man.
 

ali

Bench
Messages
4,962
Docking said:
The Daily Telegraph - 21/04/06


Another email says: "The majority of hardcore Cronulla fans are beginning to ask serious questions of our board. The sacking of Raper is not going to achieve much, if we still have the same clowns controlling the club."

Well said. :cool:


A bit of an ordinary spin on it, but anyone who reads the article thoroughly will see the fans don't necessarily want Raper sacked, we really are having a dig at the board. We just assume Raper will be sacked.

To clarify this send your letters to letters@dailytelegraph.com.au and include your fullname, address and contact details. They have a sports letters section in tomorrows paper.

Sack the board, not only the coach!
 

samshark

Juniors
Messages
2,375
We are all idiots and have no answers to the problems according to Stu.

What a joke! What a goose he is! One glance at this forum and you would find a few answers to the teams problems.

I ll put my footy brain and a few others here up against him any day.
See who the idiot is.
 

pogo

Juniors
Messages
2,263
stuey may be .... but there is absolutely no doubt about the board.

sacking raper will be like moving the deck chairs on the titanic.

let the J curve continue:cool:
 

ali

Bench
Messages
4,962
samshark said:
We are all idiots and have no answers to the problems according to Stu.

What a joke! What a goose he is! One glance at this forum and you would find a few answers to the teams problems.

I ll put my footy brain and a few others here up against him any day.
See who the idiot is.

Well that is my one problem with the article. Stuey is not smart enough to see past the Telegraphs spin. We are not having a dig at him, but deeper issues. Unfortunately if he is not bright enough to see this, maybe he shouldn't be coaching us anyway.
 

gunnamatta bay

Referee
Messages
21,084
"All they are saying is sack the coach, sack the board," Pierce said.
"They are probably the same people who two years ago said we should sack Chris Anderson and employ Stuart Raper."

Just demonstrates how out of touch bazza is. Baz you have no creditbility. You sacked Anderson. You eventually paid out an 'undisclosed sum' to settle with him over his unfair dismissial claim. Did you seek legal advice prior to the sacking? You have presided over one disastrous year after another. This year looks like going the same way. And lets not forget the appointment of your son as ceo. You proudly told us you stepped out of the boardroom while the vote was taken thinking we would believe he got the gig on his merits. Why wasn't the job advertised? You treat us like dopes baz and expect our undying loyalty. You have to go.
 

!fullback!

Juniors
Messages
99
id be happy to give stu raper some advice if he is lost for ideas.

1. reshuffle your f***king backline for starters.
2. prepare your team to perform for 80 minutes for once. whatever your telling them at half time seriously needs to stop
3. stick to your threats to dropping players to premier league
4. tell your winger and fullback to actually play football
5. purchase a book called "coaching for dummys - an idiots guide to coaching"

and finally 6. before you call us idiots, think of who actually pays for tickets at the gates, buys sharks merchandise and pays membership fees to your leagues club so that idiots like stu raper can have a job
 

MightySharks

Bench
Messages
2,769
I have no problems with sending emals to the club, but my advice is to those who wish to send them is to keep out the bad language, keep your letters as factual as possibe and write them in a professsional manner.
Otherwise you are wasting you time.
 

dolph_sharkphin

Juniors
Messages
825
It is true that the clubs management's biggest concerns should not be the "fickle" fans, but people like me who have been solid supporters for 27 plus seasons. You are so right guys when you state we are the ones who year in year out buy the merchandise for ourselves and our kids, going to the games (Brisbane games for me) and supporting our team. BUT theres comes a time and it is fast aproaching when some of us expect something in return for our $$$ and our support. Don't question my loyalty, reward it!
 

samshark

Juniors
Messages
2,375
I wrote the club yesterday with what I consider a very professional and factual letter on issues ranging from the coach, recruitment, selections and the dam away strip. Greg Pierce breifly replied stating he wished to talk with me over the phone in regard. He then called a couple of times however I was unable to take the call. I then had a call from Barry Pierce last night.

I have just replied again voicing my annoyance about Raper calling us, the paying fans, idiots.
Am awaiting a reply.
 

Fuddy

Juniors
Messages
281
Stuart Raper is struggling - he has made some bizarre decisions regarding selections and on the use of bench players - however he is not the only coach who has this issue. I think some of our recruitment decisions have been very ordinary.

Many fans have been critical of the appointment of Greg Pierce and labelled it nepotism. I believe that Greg Pierce has a very smart football brain and has proven himself a loyal and hardworking administrator. I don't have any real issues with his appointment - we need to give him time.

We do have a problem with money - the Chris Anderson situation seem to be managed badly (i'm watching my words) and we can't afford to pay out Stuart Raper or any other officials or players. We continue to pay-out players and buy others of less or equal ability for more money.

I think we all know that our Board love the club - but it is time for some new blood to come along and move us into the 21st century.

PS - A couple of wins would help.
 
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