Titans 'Godfather' eyes retirement

[DIEHARD]

Titans 'Godfather' eyes retirement



THE Titans have just two seasons to repay the faith of their "Godfather" with inspirational chairman Paul Broughton set to retire at the end of next season.

But that may be harder than it sounds with Broughton, one of the club's founding fathers, believing the Titans are at least two seasons away from a premiership.

Gold Coast went through a major overhaul of their roster this year after slumping to a maiden wooden spoon in their fifth season.

Broughton, after whom the club's player of the year medal is named, described the lull as a "five-year itch" and the soon-to-be 81-year-old said he would give up his post next year.

"I think next year (will be the end)," he said yesterday. "I'll still be a part of it (the club).

"At times, when you get to my age you're patronised a little. I'm probably old enough to run for mayor.

"I feel I'm held in a pretty high respect and I like to think I've earned that respect."

Broughton helped found the Titans with managing director Michael Searle following the collapse of the Gold Coast Chargers in 1998.

Their dreams came to reality in 2007 when the Titans entered the NRL under coach John Cartwright and a premiership looked close when the club made the preliminary finals in 2010.

But that's where the success stalled. They collapsed to the wooden spoon last year.

A multimillion-dollar recruiting spree has netted the likes of Jamal Idris and Nate Myles but Broughton said there was more to success than winning premierships.

"We're probably two years away from the premiership," he said.

"But you need longevity past a premiership. It's like a business being sustainable. It needs to prosper long term.

"John and Michael scratched the five-year itch (last year). You buy 25 players when you start up and the marquee players we bought were around 26 years old.

"When it got to 2011 they were around 31-32. Now the balance is back there."

As the Titans' form slumped last year, so did their crowds. The introduction of the Suns proved fruitful for the AFL while the NBL's Blaze have a strong supporter base.

The defunct Gold Coast United meant there were four professional teams on the Coast last year and Broughton said the Titans needed more government support to prosper.

"We're not playing on a level playing field for two reasons. One, we don't have a carpark. Two, the entity (Skilled Park) is controlled by Stadiums Queensland and they don't do us any favours," he said.

The Titans' first home match of 2012 is against the Raiders at Skilled Park tomorrow.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/...st-titans.html

[DIEHARD]

Paul is one of the best things about the Titans. He is our heart.

But true Rugby League men never retire.

[Titanic]

Their knees just give out.

[Chaos]

Titans 'Godfather' eyes retirement



A multimillion-dollar recruiting spree has netted the likes of Jamal Idris and Nate Myles but Broughton said there was more to success than winning premierships.

"We're probably two years away from the premiership," he said.

"But you need longevity past a premiership. It's like a business being sustainable. It needs to prosper long term.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/...st-titans.html

There is more success then 1 premiership but if a premiership isn't the goal then what is the point of playing the game?

"longevity past a premiership"?....we haven't won won yet!