ON Sunday he was on top of the world, but yesterday, Eric Grothe was on back on top of a partly-built house.
Just a day after
becoming a director of the Eels football club, Grothe returned to his job as a labourer, but is intent on rebuilding the mighty blue and gold empire.
Grothe and fellow director Brett Kenny yesterday outlined their five point plan to break
Parramatta's 22-year premiership drought.
The pair, along with fellow legend Ray Price and property developer John Chidiac, took control of the Eels football club board in Sunday's elections. The first meeting of the new board is scheduled for January 19.
The proposals include placing the
NRL team under the control of the football club, lowering ticket prices, increasing membership and bringing former players back to game days.
"We want to ask some questions about what's been happening," Kenny said last night.
"We think the football team should be run by the football club so we will be asking about that.
"I think we also need to give (marketing manager) Steve Edge some help.
"'Edgey' has done a great job and I know a lot of sponsors are there virtually because of Steve Edge. One sponsor told me if he left, the sponsor would go too.
"We want former players back at the club too. There are a lot of corporate boxes at Parramatta Stadium and it would be great if we could get guys like Mick Cronin back and visiting those boxes."
Kenny also said the retention of Parramatta juniors was a major part of the board's plans, having been frustrated at the recent departure of David Williams and Tony Williams among others.
"That is an area we have to look at," Kenny said.
"Maybe we have to get more spotters and better quality ones, guys that know what they are looking for.
"I know we can't keep them all but we have to keep the ones we want to keep.
The relationship between Kenny, Price and Parramatta CEO Denis Fitzgerald has been a talking point since Sunday's elections. Kenny vowed he would work harmoniously with the chief executive.
"People have asked me if we are going to get rid of him," Kenny said.
"But I don't think there will be a problem. We are all adults. I don't think personalities should come into it. We may not always agree but we have to work for what will benefit the club. We're not there to argue although I don't think all meetings will be smooth."
For his part, Fitzgerald said he could not guarantee the first board meeting would be harmonious.
"So many lies have been told in this campaign and people with little bits of information and rumours that were totally wrong," he said.
