John O'Neill resigns

[Hugh Jarse]

Comment from Fox Sports:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/a...n-rugby-overhaul/story-e6frf4pu-1226494130162

Hawker says; I want to take the oppotyunity to thank John for his wonderful service over 14 years. He's presided over the transition from an amateur game to a professional one. He's overseen the Wallabies move from No.5 in the world to No.2.

He's been a wonderful servant to the game and will continue to serve the game as part of the ARU board and 2015 Rugby World Cup board.

O'Neill: 24 years in banking, 18 years in sport. Talking in Pretoria with Michael Hawker it made sense to bring forward my departure date. I enjoy work with Rugby World Cup board enormously and I've been given a role with the 2019 World Cup in Japan. I'm not lost to rugby but being a full-time chief executive is no longer for me. I'd like to thank Matt Carroll, Peter Jenkins, David Nucifora, Joe Muscat, Robbie Deans amongst others and a very large number of players. It's been a real privilege to be associated with the Wallabies and guys like Rod MacQueen.
There comes a time when you need to slow down a bit. It's a real privilege to do what I do. They're a labour of love - it's not just a job. They do require 24/7 attention but 99.9 per cent of the time it's been fun. It's been a privilege. We're in better shape now than when I came back but are we where we want to be - No. The Super Rugby competition has been expanded, Argentina are into The Rugby Championship. Our TV rating last year - seven out of the 10 top rating shows on pay TV were rugby.... It's one of the toughest sporting markets in the world.

 

[ag0044]

Question is what do they do about this dropkick Robbie Deans? ... This requires an external and not internal appointment.

For better or worse, unless the board has already decided that Deans should go very soon, it is likely that he will be there for a while yet. By the team the ARU finds the new CEO, he starts work, talks to all the people he needs to talk to, and makes a recommendation, it'll be quite a while. I'd say we're stuck with Deans for a while yet.

Unless he resigns.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Last time JON left as MD/CEO of the ARU, he was replaced by someone worse.

Let's hope it doesn't happen again.

what ill informed crap

 

[Braveheart81]

what ill informed crap

What exactly went well when Flowers was CEO?

 

[Rob42]

From Iain Payten's twitter: Robbie is hot, Quade is not.



Iain Payten ‏@iainpayten
Hawker on Deans: "Robbie came in when we were 5th, we are now second." followed by strong defence of Deans.

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Iain Payten ‏@iainpayten
"toxic claims are an issue for Quade, not John O'Neill" - Hawker

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[BDA]

Nah Nah Nah Nah, Nah Nah Nah Nah, Hey Hey Hey Goooodbyyye

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Guess that Gagger is working to line up a Matt Carroll podcast to continue the CEO series.

Good Scoop.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

What exactly went well when Flowers was CEO?

Thats not what you said - you said he was not as good as JON.
JON left the joint booby-trapped for his successor.
Part of his problem is he didn't think he'd be coming back and he has paid the price for some of those booby traps.
i have zero doubt that if Flowers had had a clear run at the job, absent petty interstate fights, Oz rugby would be in better shape than it now is.
Oh - there was one thing he did: the television renewal - that was unbelievable result at the time

 

[Hugh Jarse]

.../snip/... i have zero doubt that if Flowers had had a clear run at the job, absent petty interstate fights, Oz rugby would be in better shape than it now is.
.../snip/...

These will continue to hold back Oz Rugby for a while until there are two more States with the player numbers and supporter bases to rival NSW and QLD. This will be some time off.

There are equal ratbags on both sides of the Tweed, although the ratbags will only ever admit that the problem is on the other side of the Tweed.

 

[Aussie D]

Don't forget Flowers got the ARC up - only for it to be dumped due to 'financial' reasons almost as soon as JO'N got back in.

 

[Bowside]

The ARC had problems, not having the ARC has also led to problems. I don't think either O'Neil or Fowler were successful in this respect.

The CEO that can get some meaningful 3rd teir up and running will be the ones that is really remembered.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I left the ARC out Aussie D and Bowside because there are arguments both ways: we'll never know if it could have been afforded.
Disbanding it was JON's first act - there is room for the view that he did so because it might be seen as Flowers' legacy.
I wish to apologise to Braveheart81 for that outburst but I have worked for Flowers and i know what he can accomplish.

 

[Viking]

Or the CEO who can put on some decent free-to-air TV Rugby Coverage will be remembered.

 

[boyo]

Where's WJ?

 

[Braveheart81]

I wish to apologise to Braveheart81 for that outburst but I have worked for Flowers and i know what he can accomplish.

No need. My comments were also a little out of line. I was really just trying to balance the ledger that the relentless negativity towards JON is perhaps not completely founded.

I just feel like there is a regular theme that our current coach, CEO, and just about everything else are criticised endlessly yet there is little objective comparison to predecessors.

It would seem to me that the past is not as rosy as people remember it and the present is not as dire as people would like to suggest.

I also think that even a position as important as the CEO can only have so much influence on rugby in Australia. The ARU and the various state unions make up a fairly large number of people who have an impact on the state of rugby in Australia. The success or failure of rugby in Australia comes down to the inputs of many, rather than just the actions of the CEO or the coach.

 

[waratahjesus]

Thats not what you said - you said he was not as good as JON.
JON left the joint booby-trapped for his successor.
Part of his problem is he didn't think he'd be coming back and he has paid the price for some of those booby traps.
i have zero doubt that if Flowers had had a clear run at the job, absent petty interstate fights, Oz rugby would be in better shape than it now is.
Oh - there was one thing he did: the television renewal - that was unbelievable result at the time

30 million war chest in the bank, a new franchise to chose the location of and launch. The same interstate fighting JON has led for many years. Yep, pretty big booby traps. Flowers f'd up. Franchise wrong, rushed the ARC so it wasn't financially viable, eroded the war chest. Left the game almost broke. Would say the ARU JON inherited the second time was far worse than anything Flowers got.

Let's just wait and see who's next before we think everything is solved.

 

[Scotty]

I think 'We are Red' has already been copyrighted the QRU.

I was more referring to JON's habit for wearing a red tie on a day he was going to fire someone.

 

[Aussie D]

Message to JO"N:
John,
Thank you for your many years of service to the great game of rugby in Australia. The game has been enriched with your contribution through sound fiscal discipline and for that we are in a reasonable condition going forward. Whilst I don't agree with everything you have done whilst overseeing rugby in this country (grassroots development) thank you for gaining the rights, and, helping to organise a wonderful world cup in 2003. Your contribution in many areas has been appreciated and I,for one, wish you all the best in your future endeavours (as long as they are not with a competitor of rugby such as soccer).
Regards,
David.

 

[ChargerWA]

For better or worse, unless the board has already decided that Deans should go very soon, it is likely that he will be there for a while yet. By the team the ARU finds the new CEO, he starts work, talks to all the people he needs to talk to, and makes a recommendation, it'll be quite a while. I'd say we're stuck with Deans for a while yet.

Unless he resigns.

Who selects the new coach? Surely it is not the sole responsibility of the CEO. In fact, I would expect the CEO to only be part of a selection panel made up of board member and executives, all with equal say. My first choics for the selection panel is David Nucifora. Because if he is on the panel, he can't be a candidate .

This next CEO can't be allowed to run it as his personal fiefdom.

I don't watch many pressers. But I was expecting some nice soft questions for JON to hit out of the park on his way out. Didn't happen. The reporters went staight into drill mode and basically said the game is in a shit position (which JON skilfully and probably correctly rebuked).




Oh, and commiserations to Bruce Ross.

 

[I like to watch]

I also think that even a position as important as the CEO can only have so much influence on rugby in Australia. The ARU and the various state unions make up a fairly large number of people who have an impact on the state of rugby in Australia. The success or failure of rugby in Australia comes down to the inputs of many, rather than just the actions of the CEO or the coach.

A successful CEO is imperative in any company.
The game can improve in increments of inches under a good administrator,but can deteriorate in increments of miles under a poor administrator.