The Rally 10:00 am tomorrow

[El Diablo]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,24725476-14823,00.html

Parramatta Eels fans launch call for change

By James Phelps and Josh Massoud | November 30, 2008 12:00am

LESS than 12 hours after the self-described "doyen of CEOs'' Denis Fitzgerald celebrated 30 years of power at Parramatta, a mob of Eels fans yesterday gathered at Parramatta Leagues Club calling for his sacking.

On Friday night, Fitzgerald delivered one of the most stinging speeches of his career, attacking everyone from News Limited to John Ribot and Super League.

But yesterday it was Eels fans taking aim at Fitzgerald, demanding "The Emperor'' step down as the Parramatta Football Club election campaign continued.

"We had to let Fitzgerald know that we don't want him here,'' said Matt Walker, who organised for about 50 supporters to turn up at Parramatta Leagues Club.

"We want change. We want some soul back in the club.''

Walker and his fellow protesters are backing a rebel ticket, headed by club greats Eric Grothe and Ray Price, who will contest for the Parramatta Football Club board on December 14.

The war took another twist last night with sources close to the conflict claiming the Fitzgerald-backed ticket was culling members suspected of being aligned with the rebel faction.

The Sunday Telegraph obtained leaked legal documents (see right) calling on the club to reinstate the voting rights of two former club members.

In the letters addressed to "the chief executive'' of the Parramatta Football Club, two club sponsors claim their voting rights and club memberships were taken away without notice.

"In 2007, when our client (Robert Mario Libertini) did not sponsor the club because he was in between businesses, he was assured that he would retain all of his benefits by Mr Steven Edge,'' the letter said.

"At no stage was our client advised that he was not a member of the club until recently.''

A source close to the rebels argued: "Why would you turn members away unless they were going to vote against you? And these are club sponsors. We need people putting money into the club given the current climate.''

There are 40 new applications for football club membership expected to be lodged on Monday as discontent with the current regime grows."It is disappointing as a fan not to see our club legends involved with the club,'' said West Pennant Hills resident Karl Esber.

"They are talking about how the club lost $4million and we need to get a winning culture back. We need our legends back to create a winning culture and get the fans and money back.''

Eels chairman Alan Overton was left to front fans yesterday.

"We asked him to take control of the club,'' Joseph Saad said.

"We don't want Fitzgerald in charge. End of story. We don't want an emperor, we need a leader.''
Overton last night dismissed claims former players were not welcome at the club.

"I spoke to the fans yesterday and told them those former players were welcome in my box anytime,'' Overton said.

"A lot of people don't understand how the club operates. They were quite happy when I gave explanations. An election is coming up and a lot of people are confused. The whole thing is just an anti-Denis Fitzgerald thing and I think that is sad.''

love how they squashed them in like sardines to make it look like there was a big crowd

Josh looks like he borrowed the Union calculator too if people are reporting there was 15-25 there

 

[bartman]

About 50 :lol: Well done Josh...

Interesting that employee Steve Edge has been named as the person having given assurances re continuity of now disputed memberships to the sponsor in question. Performance review anyone?

Ovo's quote at the bottom seems to sum this whole rally episode up quite nicely imo.

"A lot of people don't understand how the club operates. They were quite happy when I gave explanations. An election is coming up and a lot of people are confused. The whole thing is just an anti-Denis Fitzgerald thing and I think that is sad.''

Which is the reason that - regardless of people's passion for improvement at our club - I never rated this rally from the start. There's a lot more that needs to go into the success/improvement of the club/football operations than simply trying to get rid of the long-term CEO of the Leagues Club and Football Club and hoping for the best. I guess now they know...

 

[parra-matters]

shame there was no mention of no proxies in there.

 

[spiderdan]

ah it's over for a bit longer.

while i think there are a few things df could be doing better in running our club i don't really see too many alternatives as better replacements at this point in time. one of the problems in the runnin of nrl clubs is that there are too many old boys in high positions whose thinking hasn't evolved to the point of runnning a club like a business or franchise. i think if df were to be replaced by some of the names thrown out there we would actually regress as a club.

 

[murraymob]

how good is this Alan Overton.He at least turned up to hear what the fans have to say.Full credit to him.No matter if you are for flopgerald or against him i would want Overton on my team. Can anyone say if the people in the pictures are LU members. Where is stagger in there

 

[bartman]

I think that the proxy news broke (on here) a day later... I'd say it would be the subject of an article early next week for sure.

And I'm confident that we can eventually get that changed - but alas not for this year. Don't lose hope or throw in the towel... because we've seen they'll make you start your three year qualifying period again if you miss a year!

 

[bartman]

how good is this Alan Overton.He at least turned up to hear what the fans have to say.Full credit to him.No matter if you are for flopgerald or against him i would want Overton on my team. Can anyone say if the people in the pictures are LU members. Where is stagger in there

I can confirm that I can't see Stagger in the picture. I think only 3 LU members had posted something to the effect that they were going to go along, in various threads in the last week.

I agree that Ovo deserves respect, and he will be getting one of my votes - it doesn't have to be an either or choice just because two groups are running. I'm going to pick the best mixture and imo Ovo's experience demands he is part of the 7 man board moving forward, to work together and help the new faces do their best for the club.

 

[big boppa eel]

Mate to be honest at least this bloke had the balls to do something, right or wrong does not matter in my eyes ...

just like the sth meeting this year we have over what 5000 season ticket holders and only 50 turned up for the meeting ...

If anyone in here whinges about the administration of the club after all of this should just be quiet about it,

The truck driver didn't get much support from this, but you know what i respect the guy for having a crack at it.

There are a whole heap of people who talk the talk but have no idea how to walk the walk ...

I agree, at least this guy did have a go, I dont understand that almost everyone on this forum believe it time for change in regards to our "Emperor" yet bag the sh*t out of this guy because he hasnt gone about the right way and blah blah blah, HE HAD A f**kEN GO, shown alot more conviction than most people on this site, and to be honest who gives a flying f**k how he spells, what a bunch of toff's.

 

[Hellsy]

Stagger had no intention of ever attending...

 

[fish eel]

Did anyone go down and explain to them that if they (and I reiterate THEY) want to get rid of Fitzgerald, (which seems the reason for the protest) that their best course of action is join the football and Leagues clubs?

Suity

Why would they when they can go and hide in bushes, take photos and post them on the internet? :lol:

Yes, His name is Alan Overton and he is the President of our Club and he went and spoke to them about joining and supporting the leagues club and all manner of subjects for a while.

Perhaps while he is at (and while the media isnt watching!) it he can explain to members in regional areas why the club disenfranchises them by not allowing proxies?

In my opinion a rally isn't/wasn't the best way to have a whinge about the administration of the club. Especially when the publicity for it was so simplified with a general personality-based rather than reasoned message/goal.

I think people should be entitled to not keep quiet about things if they feel like it, regardless of whether they attended this rally or - as seems the case of the vast majority of equally passionate Parra fans - chose not to.

I find your views on this rally a bit confusing Bart.

In a nutshell, a rally wont do anything because change has to come through being a voting member at the AGM.

I attended numerous rallies against workchoices. Rallies advertised as 'end workchoices now'.

Yet, the only way to end workchoices was to wait until the election and cast a vote against the Government.

Was I, and the others at the rallies wasting their time?

It's the same principle......

 

[Suitman]

Why would they when they can go and hide in bushes, take photos and post them on the internet? :lol:

:lol::lol:

Suity

 

[bartman]

Why would they when they can go and hide in bushes, take photos and post them on the internet? :lol:



Perhaps while he is at (and while the media isnt watching!) it he can explain to members in regional areas why the club disenfranchises them by not allowing proxies?



I find your views on this rally a bit confusing Bart.

In a nutshell, a rally wont do anything because change has to come through being a voting member at the AGM.

I attended numerous rallies against workchoices. Rallies advertised as 'end workchoices now'.

Yet, the only way to end workchoices was to wait until the election and cast a vote against the Government.

Was I, and the others at the rallies wasting their time?

It's the same principle......

I can't disagree that it's the same principle Fish, albeit vastly different issues and a vastly different magnitude of spheres of influence in getting an effective result in return for the efforts involved. I'm happy for people that think the rally was a good idea or an effort to be congratulated to hold that view, but it's just a view I don't share.

I think you've mistated or simplified my views Fish, which may be part of why my views are causing confusion? I'll try and restate again, but all I can give is my opinion... that from the moment this rally was announced I thought it was - ill-informed, not based on an achievable issue (or perhaps based an issue without the proposal of an alternative plan or any depth of detail?), badly timed, and imo badly organised (in terms of any hope of achieving their stated aim).

I've participated in many rallies where I believed in the cause, and where I believed that such action would be effective in achieving something, or even achieving a step on the road to something. This rally was never in the same boat to me - I guess the 25 people involved achieved an audience with Alan Overton, and an education in how the club works that at least 22 of them didn't have.

 

[fish eel]

I can't disagree that it's the same principle Fish, albeit vastly different issues and a vastly different magnitude of spheres of influence in getting an effective result in return for the efforts involved. I'm happy for people that think the rally was a good idea or an effort to be congratulated to hold that view, but it's just a view I don't share.

I think you've mistated or simplified my views Fish, which may be part of why my views are causing confusion? I'll try and restate again, but all I can give is my opinion... that from the moment this rally was announced I thought it was - ill-informed, not based on an achievable issue (or perhaps based an issue without the proposal of an alternative plan or any depth of detail?), badly timed, and imo badly organised (in terms of any hope of achieving their stated aim).

I've participated in many rallies where I believed in the cause, and where I believed that such action would be effective in achieving something, or even achieving a step on the road to something. This rally was never in the same boat to me - I guess the 25 people involved achieved an audience with Alan Overton, and an education in how the club works that at least 22 of them didn't have.

The only difference I see Bart between, say, a workchoices rally and the one yesterday is the scale.

Fundamentaly, the aim of both is the same, to influence an electorate through the media, and publicly put pressure on an administration.

 

[Parra Guru]

Why would they when they can go and hide in bushes, take photos and post them on the internet? :lol:

Agreed....

Better report it to DOCS too
:lol:

 

[bartman]

Fair enough if that's your view Fishy.

I see the difference is that pretty much everyone attending a work choices rally was entitled to cast a vote and make a difference toward their stated cause at the relevant next election, and so the pressure is effective and relevant. Powerful stuff.

I note that 85%+ of the attendees of the car park rally were not entitled to cast a vote towards making any difference to their stated cause at the next relevant election. The main issue they were rallying around became irrelevant after this was explained to them by Ovo. Hence any pressure raised by the rally is impotent and ineffective.

 

[Parra Guru]

In all fairness, footy club membership is not well known to the average fan. Not like the club promotes it, and other than the guys at LU getting out there and spreading the word, how else would some of us know if we could join up or not??

Either way, no they aren't eligible to vote, BUT maybe they thought that if they turn up and show that they are passionate enough about it, it may turn some voting member's heads.

 

[fish eel]

Fair enough if that's your view Fishy.

I see the difference is that pretty much everyone attending a work choices rally was entitled to cast a vote and make a difference toward their stated cause at the relevant next election, and so the pressure is effective and relevant. Powerful stuff.

I note that 85%+ of the attendees of the car park rally were not entitled to cast a vote towards making any difference to their stated cause at the next relevant election. The main issue they were rallying around became irrelevant after this was explained to them by Ovo. Hence any pressure raised by the rally is impotent and ineffective.

But perhaps they are entitled to at the leagues club election?

And with the lack of proxies, perhaps work or other commitments could have xcluded them from voting even if they were eligible....

 

[Dave Q]

You couldnt oust the current administration quick enough for mine.

Not that Price et al come across as intellectual giants.

And the new coach will struggle.

Sweeping and far reaching changes are needed across the park.

Get enrolled, get involved.

 

[Suitman]

In all fairness, footy club membership is not well known to the average fan. Not like the club promotes it, and other than the guys at LU getting out there and spreading the word, how else would some of us know if we could join up or not??

Either way, no they aren't eligible to vote, BUT maybe they thought that if they turn up and show that they are passionate enough about it, it may turn some voting member's heads.

I agree totally.

Sorry Bart, but you have done nothing to convince me over the past week or two that your views are anything but elitist. It started off with spelling, and is continuing on with an ignorance theme.


Suity

 

[murraymob]

Fair enough if that's your view Fishy.

I see the difference is that pretty much everyone attending a work choices rally was entitled to cast a vote and make a difference toward their stated cause at the relevant next election, and so the pressure is effective and relevant. Powerful stuff.

I note that 85%+ of the attendees of the car park rally were not entitled to cast a vote towards making any difference to their stated cause at the next relevant election. The main issue they were rallying around became irrelevant after this was explained to them by Ovo. Hence any pressure raised by the rally is impotent and ineffective.

While i respect your views bart.Perhaps the fact they can not vote is even more reason to attend the rally as it gave them the opportunity to have a voice.The rules of waiting 3 years is a crazy one