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The Rumours Thread

Carrera28

Juniors
Messages
88

He has experience within the NRL, experience outside of sport with the Northern Territory Major Events Company and his role with V8 Supercars would give him significant experience in managing internal politics and external politics with Motorsports Australia.

That is a solid base of applicable experience in dealing with management, politics, state government bodies, sponsors and prima donna sportsmen.

Seems like a decent candidate who is not joining the Dragons out of desperation or because he cannot get a job anywhere else. He is potentially giving up the chance to be the next CEO of the V8 Supercars to join the Dragons so that would appear at face value to be someone committed to what the Club offers to his career.
 

saints4ever

First Grade
Messages
9,319

He has experience within the NRL, experience outside of sport with the Northern Territory Major Events Company and his role with V8 Supercars would give him significant experience in managing internal politics and external politics with Motorsports Australia.

That is a solid base of applicable experience in dealing with management, politics, state government bodies, sponsors and prima donna sportsmen.

Seems like a decent candidate who is not joining the Dragons out of desperation or because he cannot get a job anywhere else. He is potentially giving up the chance to be the next CEO of the V8 Supercars to join the Dragons so that would appear at face value to be someone committed to what the Club offers to his career.
True

and great summary. Cheers
 

The Word

Juniors
Messages
463
He does seem like a strong candidate from a brand-building and commercial perspective, which is absolutely what our club needs to drive is forward and compete with the likes of the Roosters commercially.

However we also need to appoint a top line football operations chief, someone with serious footballing knowledge to oversee our pathways, training facilities, player recruitment and retention policies. We need to allow Flanagan to concentrate on winning nrl games and improving his squad but I get the impression he needs to have a hand in everything football-related at the moment because the quality of the support is not there.

So this is a good first step but we need to do more.
 

Slippery Morris

First Grade
Messages
8,072
He previously worked at the NRL. That can only be a good thing and it appears he quickly established himself to be COO of V8 Supercars. Very impressive resume. Saints took a while to make it happen and make the announcement, but this may have been because Tim was still heavily involved in his current organisation and had to seek a release of some sort as he was in a pretty high position.
 

Carrera28

Juniors
Messages
88
He does seem like a strong candidate from a brand-building and commercial perspective, which is absolutely what our club needs to drive is forward and compete with the likes of the Roosters commercially.

However we also need to appoint a top line football operations chief, someone with serious footballing knowledge to oversee our pathways, training facilities, player recruitment and retention policies. We need to allow Flanagan to concentrate on winning nrl games and improving his squad but I get the impression he needs to have a hand in everything football-related at the moment because the quality of the support is not there.

So this is a good first step but we need to do more.
I think in short term we are better to let Flano continue without a football operations manager above him.

Flano is a workaholic and we need him to be happy and motivated. Given how bad our culture was In the short term it is most effective to have the coach establishing the culture in the football team and the football department one figurehead setting leadership will establish a clear culture and clear expectations.

The Dragons should re-engage Matthew Elliot on a contract to provide support to Flano in doing the leg work and someone like Brian Smith on a part time consultancy to be a sounding board/excutive coach.

Flano needs a sounding board outside of the clubs management hierarchy independent of organisational politics who also understands the clubs unique politics. Smith is perfect for that and unlike Gus Gould he is not a media tart so he won't blab to channel 9 about it.

With those two Flano would have two people who understand the club and neither of whom are in a position to take his job so he doesn't have to worry about being undermined. Elliot would get him time back by doing the grunt work and Smith would help as a strategic sounding board.

By the end of 2025 the club will know whether it is keeping Flano or not beyond his current contract.

At that point they should decide what they are going to regarding a football operations manager

If Flano is not being kept a new Football Operations Manager should be recruited first and then that individual should run the recruitment process for a new coach.

If we want to keep Flano we should offer him the Football Operations Manager Job if he wants it, stressing that if he declines the job and remains as head coach he will have a new boss. By end of 2025 we will have a clear view of what our culture is and either Flano takes the job and recruits a new head coach for 2027 or the club recruits a football operations manager that fits the culture that Flano has established.

The Culture of the club is far too important to risk disagreement between two figureheads or making Flano feel he is restricted. Ultimately we need Flano to help us establish a culture that supports us for next ten years at least and Flano seems to be the person best equipped within the current hierarchy to lead this.

There is the saying when you want a task done quickly, give it to a busy person.

Personally Flano is the only person I would trust to do the required foundational work. It is not sustainable forever but for the remainder of 2025 I think it is our best option.
 

Jubilee

Juniors
Messages
1,234
I think in short term we are better to let Flano continue without a football operations manager above him.

Flano is a workaholic and we need him to be happy and motivated. Given how bad our culture was In the short term it is most effective to have the coach establishing the culture in the football team and the football department one figurehead setting leadership will establish a clear culture and clear expectations.

The Dragons should re-engage Matthew Elliot on a contract to provide support to Flano in doing the leg work and someone like Brian Smith on a part time consultancy to be a sounding board/excutive coach.

Flano needs a sounding board outside of the clubs management hierarchy independent of organisational politics who also understands the clubs unique politics. Smith is perfect for that and unlike Gus Gould he is not a media tart so he won't blab to channel 9 about it.

With those two Flano would have two people who understand the club and neither of whom are in a position to take his job so he doesn't have to worry about being undermined. Elliot would get him time back by doing the grunt work and Smith would help as a strategic sounding board.

By the end of 2025 the club will know whether it is keeping Flano or not beyond his current contract.

At that point they should decide what they are going to regarding a football operations manager

If Flano is not being kept a new Football Operations Manager should be recruited first and then that individual should run the recruitment process for a new coach.

If we want to keep Flano we should offer him the Football Operations Manager Job if he wants it, stressing that if he declines the job and remains as head coach he will have a new boss. By end of 2025 we will have a clear view of what our culture is and either Flano takes the job and recruits a new head coach for 2027 or the club recruits a football operations manager that fits the culture that Flano has established.

The Culture of the club is far too important to risk disagreement between two figureheads or making Flano feel he is restricted. Ultimately we need Flano to help us establish a culture that supports us for next ten years at least and Flano seems to be the person best equipped within the current hierarchy to lead this.

There is the saying when you want a task done quickly, give it to a busy person.

Personally Flano is the only person I would trust to do the required foundational work. It is not sustainable forever but for the remainder of 2025 I think it is our best option.
Let Flanno choose someone for that role. But your suggestions are good.
 

Dragons4me

Juniors
Messages
1,464
This is a good interview with Tim about the job

Sounds very positive.
Dare I dream for the Dragons brand??
Major sponsor second richest Australian.
Substantial government investment onto new COE.
Promisingly early signs of team cohesion under a very good coach.
Oh how I dream of the Dragons being a powerhouse club second to none whose fan base covers the entire NSW south eastern seaboard and beyond.
 
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