GA and the Russians

[garlo]

Who said anyone here is not supporting the team? I have spent over $1000 for next seasons tickets as I am sure others here have. I was at the first game Mariner's game ever and will be there supporting them to the end if it happens (which I doubt). I personally know many of those who have posted on this thread and know over the years they have done more than most in their support of the club and bleed yellow.

But I will not bury my head in the sand and admit everything is fine, and I will do whatever I can to find out what is really going on. After the last seven seasons this team and the fans deserve to be treated better.

You are quite welcome to ignore what is happening around you and live in ignorance, and maybe you will be happier that way, but I happen to care about my team so do not tell me to get off my arse and support my team you foul mouthed ignoramus.

+1 ancient well said mate

 

[midfielder]

If (and its an if) Arnie goes after the last ACL game, I reckon Mad Miron would suit our club to a T. A real character and not afraid to develop young players.

We also dont know what release clauses may exist in players contracts. Therefore if a bid comes in from O/S, it may not be possible to refuse the move.

Australia will always be a selling nation, developing footballers for other, richer markets. Like it or not, thats just life where we are in the global football pyramid.

Good to see you back...

 

[true believer]

yeah +1 . i've renewed my membership too . but see nothing in this thread.
what i have seen is parramatta melta gone because wog soccer was so bad . western suburbs gone . parramatta didn't even get going. and now the mariners

what the f**k is anybody doing besides talking about how f**ked we are.
we need a really or some . not just shit talk here .so we can die the death of a thousand cuts FFS

 

[adz]

alright, what do you propose we do about it?

 

[midfielder]

yeah +1 . i've renewed my membership too . but see nothing in this thread.
what i have seen is parramatta melta gone because wog soccer was so bad . western suburbs gone . parramatta didn't even get going. and now the mariners

what the f**k is anybody doing besides talking about how f**ked we are.
we need a really or some . not just shit talk here .so we can die the death of a thousand cuts FFS

TB

The NSL was so poorly run sides fell out .... the A-League despite what CP might say is light years ahead... the comments on this thread and the Mariners in Fincial Crisis are about our club staying afloat in a national domestic competition that regardless of what Fozzzie and his ile say is going to be around for a long time and growing in national focus as each year goes by.

So its how we keep our part of this great story alive... how we help... and what we see as the problems that may mean we are not part of the future story...

 

[pjennings]

Added to which I've become addicted to f**k'n navel glancing. I tried to go back to navel gazing but it just doesn't do it for me any more

 

[true believer]

alright, what do you propose we do about it?

i don't know. but what i do know is. souths fought even "when dead" tooth and
nail.
get a banner, get something to start a focal point then run with it. momentum brings followers

whinning gets sight regard.

 

[true believer]

Added to which I've become addicted to f**k'n navel glancing. I tried to go back to navel gazing but it just doesn't do it for me any more

you just need colourful lint

 

[finally retired]

Added to which I've become addicted to f**k'n navel glancing. I tried to go back to navel gazing but it just doesn't do it for me any more

I can't even see my navel anymore

 

[adz]

i don't know. but what i do know is. souths fought even "when dead" tooth and
nail.
get a banner, get something to start a focal point then run with it. momentum brings followers

whinning gets sight regard.

Cool.

1. Get a banner
2. Financial problems disappear

What are you doing in the meantime? "f**k'n navel glancing"? Ordering everyone else to do something?

Achieves about as much as "whinning".

 

[ExiledMariner]

i don't know. but what i do know is. souths fought even "when dead" tooth and
nail.
get a banner, get something to start a focal point then run with it. momentum brings followers

whinning gets sight regard.

In that instance they were dead or knew they were going to be dead the people in charge didn't hide that. So far all that's been asked is for PT to give us an honest assesment of the state of the club so we know where to start.

 

[Ancient Mariner]

In that instance they were dead or knew they were going to be dead the people in charge didn't hide that. So far all that's been asked is for PT to give us an honest assesment of the state of the club so we know where to start.

Exactly.

I get sick of the spin, like asking us to renew 6 months early and telling us with the offer of ACL tickets it is a reward for our loyalty. And then telling us we will not be able to keep our usual seats if we do not renew by 2nd April.

Probably a good move but when you balance the ACL tickets (carrot) against being out of pocket for 6 months and losing your seats if you delay (stick) is hardly a reward.

Why not tell the truth and say they need the money. And also tell us that if they do not get the money we will be taken over by nasty Russians, nasty Miners etc.Renewals might be more likely.

What are they going to do at the start of next season when there will be no influx of membership money? Gambling on the new tv deal to solve the woes?

Do not get me wrong I believe the club will survive but will do so in the near future by trying to uncover talent and selling it on. This will always happen to Australian clubs not being able to compete with those overseas.

What does get up my nose is when we start losing players to other A league clubs. Not to mention our main man at uncovering talent. The new talent may dry up.

What can we do?

Very little.

It is not like in the old days when sporting clubs were run by officials elected by the members.

We now have owners, and unlike what many think, owners loyalty is not to the team or the fans, noble thought though that may be. Owners loyalty is to their own egos and pockets.

Some with money to burn will pour money in to have a successful team others with less may purchase the team and then try to survive with their purse tightly closed.

Who does what will never be public knowledge.

Withholding support is not an option. It is a quick path to extinction.

All that we can do is support the club by renewing memberships and encouraging others to come to the games and hope it all works out. But at times like the present when we have a great coach and great team to see it all possibly slipping away is extremely painful.

In the meantime it is not unreasonable to try and understand the truth behind all the rumors and not be treated like a mushroom.

 

[MrCelery]

I can't even see my navel anymore

I think I've got a navel prolapse from eating too much last night.

I'm over navels after having the job of cleaning my daughters after birth until the rotting bit dropped off. Yew!

 

[MrCelery]

Exactly.

I get sick of the spin, like asking us to renew 6 months early and telling us with the offer of ACL tickets it is a reward for our loyalty. And then telling us we will not be able to keep our usual seats if we do not renew by 2nd April.

Probably a good move but when you balance the ACL tickets (carrot) against being out of pocket for 6 months and losing your seats if you delay (stick) is hardly a reward.

Why not tell the truth and say they need the money. And also tell us that if they do not get the money we will be taken over by nasty Russians, nasty Miners etc.Renewals might be more likely.

What are they going to do at the start of next season when there will be no influx of membership money? Gambling on the new tv deal to solve the woes?

Do not get me wrong I believe the club will survive but will do so in the near future by trying to uncover talent and selling it on. This will always happen to Australian clubs not being able to compete with those overseas.

What does get up my nose is when we start losing players to other A league clubs. Not to mention our main man at uncovering talent. The new talent may dry up.

What can we do?

Very little.

It is not like in the old days when sporting clubs were run by officials elected by the members.

We now have owners, and unlike what many think, owners loyalty is not to the team or the fans, noble thought though that may be. Owners loyalty is to their own egos and pockets.

Some with money to burn will pour money in to have a successful team others with less may purchase the team and then try to survive with their purse tightly closed.

Who does what will never be public knowledge.

Withholding support is not an option. It is a quick path to extinction.

All that we can do is support the club by renewing memberships and encouraging others to come to the games and hope it all works out. But at times like the present when we have a great coach and great team to see it all possibly slipping away is extremely painful.

In the meantime it is not unreasonable to try and understand the truth behind all the rumors and not be treated like a mushroom.

Very sensibly and calmly put.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Well said that man, while the club clings to its policy (and its a policy) of not communicating, unrest and worry will increase.

Having had a full on argument with an ex staffer about the "cash grab" and got nowhere in terms of receiving honesty, I realised that nothing we say or do will shift PT from his vow of silence.

I wonder what will?

 

[bloggo]

If we are serious for long term survival we need to adopt the following business model:

 

[dibo]

I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter

 

[bloggo]

This should make it much clearer:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/151040/the-underpants-business

 

[yellowcake]

Yeah, very well said Ancient Mariner (not wanting to re-quote the whole thing)

This bit...

...telling us we will not be able to keep our usual seats if we do not renew by 2nd April.

As they will be opening new memberships to the general public after this date, it's fair and reasonable to have the whole pool of remaining seats to offer.

FFA will not let the Mariners fold because it would seriously damage the A-League, especially after recent events.

Mick, I have trusted and at times feared your reliable inside information. This is the first time I've felt anything reassuring from it. (But are you really convinced given FL's previous comments about not continuing to rescue clubs and after the Fury?)

Are they players in on the vow of silence or in the dark? I had the call last week from Daniel McBreen, representing the office, encouraging me to renew (which I have done). During our chat I commented about the value (cheap at < $12 per game gold reserved seat when you include the 3 ACL matches) and I'd readily pay more if it increased the chanced of me still having a club to support. His reply, "don't believe everything you read in the papers".

 

[scoober]

alright, what do you propose we do about it?

This is a very, very good question but it has to be looked at on two different levels.

1. What extent or involvement would members or supporters be willing to commit to on a yearly basis?

2. What level of involvment would the mariners staff, board or Peter Turnbell allow from supporting members?

I propose these two questions because the clearest way forward i can see to "assist" the long term viability and sustainability of the mariners is a.....

SUPPORTERS/ MEMBERS TRUST

We have heard this all before, but done right and with the right methodology it would greatly assist the club both operationally and fiscal.

This is why it would be very important to gage the measure of the questions above.

As members of the trust how do people assist? Time, Money or both? These have the potential to vary on a massive scale. A one off $ sum per year or someone who is a committee member on a trust with ongoing responsibilities.

Why would people commit to this while at the moment there is a lack of openness and accountability from the club? If a successful trust erects then it would need to have representation on the Mariners board, a voice from us.

If you had 5000 trust members commit more or less of $50 a year, thats $250,000 that the trust and its members can determine where to use.

Example- Pay Arnold all money owed so he doesn't leave.
Top up Rogic contract next year to make it worth him staying
Put money towards the mariners youth development program to help unearth more Rogic's, Amini's and Ibini's
Money towards a better clubhouse for players
The choice would be the trusts for the benefit of the Mariners and not the owner.

Also the Trust Members with time could help drive Season Memberships for extended periods to help increase revenue or help in the Mariners office to help ease the burden on our already overworked and skeletal staff.

These are just a brief of its potential and it would be another step in the Mariners being truly a community club, where the members have a say. There are soooooo many people out there that are VERY committed to the Mariners and would do anything to help them survive and flourish for the long term.

I am only one, but I am willing to put my hand up to HELP both with time and money. I have been a member since day one and I want that to continue till I die!!

If there are others who are ready to fight for our club lets do something and not just talk.