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http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/wa...art-at-the-seams/story-fndujljl-1226690436917
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Warring factions off the field causing NRL basket case Parramatta Eels to fall apart at the seams
Josh Massoud
The Daily Telegraph
August 03, 2013 12:00AM
ON June 7, Eels medico James Jeong got to his feet and tipped a cup of beer over the head of former NRL club chairman Roy Spagnolo in full view of stunned fans at Parramatta Stadium.
It was not only a remarkable outpouring of anger.
It was also the moment that most aptly captured the level of in-fighting and disharmony that has torn a proud club to pieces.
Within the playing ranks and the boardroom, Parramatta has lost the plot amid an internal war.
HOW IT WENT SO WRONG
Prior to Spagnolo taking control in 2009, Parramatta's board was united behind veteran CEO Denis Fitzgerald.
But after 30 years at the helm, Fitzgerald's reign was ripe to crumble with the leagues club more than $9 million in the red at the start of 2009.
That financial disaster gave Spagnolo's ticket control in May that year, and Fitzgerald lost his post a few months later.
But he refused to disappear completely, agitating in the background, at AGMs, or through his good mate Ray Hadley on talkback radio.
Fitzgerald's back-room campaign made Spagnolo constantly uneasy about keeping power.
A series of poor appointments didn't help. Fitzgerald's replacement, Paul Osborne, was a disaster.
He oversaw the purchase of ageing players Carl Webb, Paul Whatuira, Chris Hicks and Chris Walker at the end of 2010, when Stephen Kearney was hired to replace sacked coach Daniel Anderson.
The team never recovered. In the time since they've parted ways with three CEOs, coach Kearney and suffered a boardroom split that won't heal unless someone concedes defeat. The directors began butting heads when Glenn Duncan, boss of major sponsor Pirtek, quit the board in protest of Osborne's conduct.
Duncan and Spagnolo subsequently fell-out, creating the unique situation of the chairman and club sponsor being on opposite sides of the divide.
The damage might have been minimal, but when director Joe Saad turned on Spagnolo to side with Duncan the cracks began to appear.
KEN EDWARDS
The fractured board appointed former ANZ Stadium boss Ken Edwards as CEO in September last year.
But there was a fresh outbreak of tension within weeks as Spagnolo confronted Edwards about the decision to sack trainer Craig Catterick.
"Well Roy, it's either him or me," Edwards snapped back.
From that instant their relationship was doomed. Then there were fall-outs with sponsors.
Edwards turned Duncan off when he rejected Pirtek's offer to extend their major sponsorship for a further three years, at $1 million-a-season.
Next was University of New England, who offered to upgrade their sponsorship until being told they "weren't big enough for Parramatta".
By early this year Spagnolo was ready to axe Edwards, but hesitated because he was concerned that the adverse publicity of another sacked CEO would compromise his chances of re-election in May.
The attitude was indicative of the fear that ruled Spagnolo at times, with the chairman more concerned about pleasing the members as making tough calls that he truly believed in.
In the end, he never got the chance.
Despite turning a handsome profit every year under Spagnolo's reign, control of the leagues club was handed over to premiership-winning forward Steve Sharp in May.
Sharp dismissed Edwards, with the CEO becoming widely unpopular after chastising the wives of Nathan Cayless and Nathan Hindmarsh for speaking to leagues club boss Bob Bentley. Former interim CEO Andrew Hill in the strong favourite to take over, although there is some late support for Cowboys general manager Peter Parr.
Now working in the NRL's strategy department, Hill learnt his trade under Fitzgerald at Parramatta and Sharp understands what the perception will be should Hill get the job.
"People keep saying Denis controls us and will make a comeback," Sharp said. "That's complete rubbish."
NEW BOARD'S CHALLENGE
Sharp's celebrations were in their infancy when the reality of the factionalised mess underneath him began to bite.
He only holds a slim 4-3 balance of power, which will guarantee another difficult term. Because like Fitzgerald before him, Spagnolo has refused to go away quietly.
He's still agitating to reclaim a seat on the board, which has been reduced to just five directors after the resignations of Eric Grothe Sr and Sid Kelly.In his resignation letter, Kelly blasted Sharp for displaying a "total disregard for human dignity" over Bentley's sacking last Saturday.
Sharp said Bentley was dismissed after an independent investigation uncovered "anomalies" that are set to be reported to the NSW government.Findings within the 900-page report are also frustrating Spagnolo's bid to return and Sharp accepts another boardroom showdown with his predecessor is imminent.
They already faced off last month, when Spagnolo was called to explain the incident that made Dr Jeong snap during the round 13 clash against the Sydney Roosters.
Dr Jeong claimed that he was racially vilified, an allegation that Spagnolo vehemently denied.
Witness testimonies supported the former chairman and his membership was preserved.
"There was an allegation of racial vilification and we had no choice but to investigate," Sharp said. "The evidence cleared Roy, but there are some other issues that have arisen in the report that we're looking at.
"In the meantime the members have spoken, they voted for a change and all we ask is for the chance to do our best over the next two years.
"If the members decide that we've failed them, then we'll be accountable at the next election.
"But for now, all we need is a chance to get on with the job."
THE WAY FORWARD
Sharp's vision for Parramatta is realistic, rather than wildly ambitious.
Unlike Edwards, he hasn't set a target for Parramatta to become the biggest football club in Australia.
"That was the previous goal, but we had a structure like that before the results were on the board," he said.
Sharp was also at odds with Edwards' desire to move Eels home games to Olympic Park.
Contractually, the Eels can shift four games away from their spiritual home each season.
But Sharp is contemplating a return to playing all 12 at Parramatta Stadium, which will have an increased capacity of 24,000, in 2014.
He's also in negotiations to securing the Eels a permanent training facility in the Parramatta CBD, while a new sleeve and major sponsor could be announced within the next week.
ON THE FIELD
While few others would agree, Sharp sincerely believes Parramatta will be a premiership threat in 2015.
He concedes next year will bring more pain, with salary cap space compromised by a host of players released mid-contract.
"We'll probably be playing with 21, instead of 25, in our NRL squad because of that, so right away we'll need luck with injury," Sharp said.
The future of $550,000-a-season halfback Chris Sandow will also have a massive bearing on the salary cap.
The club believes a gambling problem is compromising their halfback's preparation, and the No.7 may not return to NRL level this year. Parramatta have also received advice to allow Sandow to spend the rest of the season with family in Queensland.
Whatever team takes the field, this once mighty club will remain strangers to success if their front office and boardroom woes don't abate.
The saddest part of this debacle is that the warring parties share a passion for the same thing: the Parramatta Eels.
But for the club to start winning there needs to be a sacrifice.
Not just on the field, but off it.
