Teegy
09-11-05, 09:10 PM
November 9, 2005 - 7:24PM
Passionate South Sydney supporter Andrew Denton has urged officials to embrace the latest proposal from Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe, warning the NRL club won't survive without change.
And as the football club warned against personal battles diverting attention from the job at hand, Denton labelled Rabbitohs patriarch George Piggins as the "single biggest obstacle between South Sydney and it's viability".
A joint meeting of the boards this week resolved to form a sub-committee to work through any proposals put to them following Holmes a Court's offer to underwrite the ailing leagues club's debt as an incentive to unite the wealthy Souths Juniors with the leagues and football clubs.
Denton said the perilous financial state of the South Sydney Leagues Club, chaired by Piggins, meant there was no option but to implement the plan.
"I don't think the South Sydney football club will survive as things are currently set up," Denton said.
"We have had 30 years of failure, I think it's time to look at a new way of thinking before it's too late.
"I think any proposal that removes that millstone from around our neck and encourages the Juniors to take full participation in the football club can only be positive.
"The absolute bottom line is the financial management over the last three decades of the South Sydney Football Club and the South Sydney Leagues Club has been a disaster, the club is on the brink of extinction.
"I say bring in professionals with the passion, resources and a modern way of thinking because I don't think there is an alternative plan."
South Sydney Football Club chairman Nic Pappas tried to distance the board and the club from any personal battles involving former board members or high profile supporters.
"We are not interested in being involved in any clash of personalities," Pappas said.
"Supporters like Andrew Denton do not speak for the board of the football club. That is my role."
But Denton called on Piggins to extricate himself from anything to do with the Rabbitohs.
"I've always said there is a lot to admire about George Piggins," he said.
"But I think the single biggest obstacle between South Sydney and it's viability is George Piggins.
"We have a leagues club which owes (the football club) money, that's how tragic it is under his chairmanship.
"He's had over 20 years with his hands on the wheel and he's driven the club into the wall.
"At the time Nic Pappas become chairman, George Piggins challenged him about the big end of town - 'You bring in the big end of town and I'll step aside'.
"Well Kerry Stokes, Peter Holmes a Court, Russell Crowe, you show me where the big end of town is if that's not them.
"I've heard George often say, 'I'll step aside for the good of the club' - perhaps it's time he did."
Pappas said the club was only interested in moving forward and had to keep an open mind about any proposals.
"We need an organisation like South Sydney Juniors, and our corporate support, to come together to make our business plans work," he said.
"We are hopeful the Leagues Club will become a part of this partnership and we have re-stated our support for the re-development of Redfern Oval at Monday night's joint board meeting."
Denton said he would love to see the Rabbitohs continue to play in Redfern, but said commercial considerations meant this was no longer a viable option.
"Let's talk about the real world here. Everybody would love to see Souths play back at Redfern, but wishing isn't going to make it so," he said.
"Maybe, just maybe, the fans and people of South Sydney are going to have to compromise that dream to a football field that was used 20 years ago."
Passionate South Sydney supporter Andrew Denton has urged officials to embrace the latest proposal from Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe, warning the NRL club won't survive without change.
And as the football club warned against personal battles diverting attention from the job at hand, Denton labelled Rabbitohs patriarch George Piggins as the "single biggest obstacle between South Sydney and it's viability".
A joint meeting of the boards this week resolved to form a sub-committee to work through any proposals put to them following Holmes a Court's offer to underwrite the ailing leagues club's debt as an incentive to unite the wealthy Souths Juniors with the leagues and football clubs.
Denton said the perilous financial state of the South Sydney Leagues Club, chaired by Piggins, meant there was no option but to implement the plan.
"I don't think the South Sydney football club will survive as things are currently set up," Denton said.
"We have had 30 years of failure, I think it's time to look at a new way of thinking before it's too late.
"I think any proposal that removes that millstone from around our neck and encourages the Juniors to take full participation in the football club can only be positive.
"The absolute bottom line is the financial management over the last three decades of the South Sydney Football Club and the South Sydney Leagues Club has been a disaster, the club is on the brink of extinction.
"I say bring in professionals with the passion, resources and a modern way of thinking because I don't think there is an alternative plan."
South Sydney Football Club chairman Nic Pappas tried to distance the board and the club from any personal battles involving former board members or high profile supporters.
"We are not interested in being involved in any clash of personalities," Pappas said.
"Supporters like Andrew Denton do not speak for the board of the football club. That is my role."
But Denton called on Piggins to extricate himself from anything to do with the Rabbitohs.
"I've always said there is a lot to admire about George Piggins," he said.
"But I think the single biggest obstacle between South Sydney and it's viability is George Piggins.
"We have a leagues club which owes (the football club) money, that's how tragic it is under his chairmanship.
"He's had over 20 years with his hands on the wheel and he's driven the club into the wall.
"At the time Nic Pappas become chairman, George Piggins challenged him about the big end of town - 'You bring in the big end of town and I'll step aside'.
"Well Kerry Stokes, Peter Holmes a Court, Russell Crowe, you show me where the big end of town is if that's not them.
"I've heard George often say, 'I'll step aside for the good of the club' - perhaps it's time he did."
Pappas said the club was only interested in moving forward and had to keep an open mind about any proposals.
"We need an organisation like South Sydney Juniors, and our corporate support, to come together to make our business plans work," he said.
"We are hopeful the Leagues Club will become a part of this partnership and we have re-stated our support for the re-development of Redfern Oval at Monday night's joint board meeting."
Denton said he would love to see the Rabbitohs continue to play in Redfern, but said commercial considerations meant this was no longer a viable option.
"Let's talk about the real world here. Everybody would love to see Souths play back at Redfern, but wishing isn't going to make it so," he said.
"Maybe, just maybe, the fans and people of South Sydney are going to have to compromise that dream to a football field that was used 20 years ago."