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Bulldog's Bite: Wests Tigers CEO Grant Mayer puts end to speculation about Mick Potter's future
by: Dean Ritchie
From: The Daily Telegraph
August 13, 2013 12:00AM
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A JITTERY Wests Tigers board is becoming anxious about sacking Mick Potter - the under-siege coach now set to remain at Concord for another season.
Faced with a fan backlash, the ten-man board is poised to end speculation and grant Potter another season in charge.
Wests Tigers chief executive Grant Mayer on Monday conducted this tell-all interview inside his Concord Oval office where he discussed Potter, Benji Marshall, Tim Sheens, Robbie Farah and the club’s dysfunctional board.
Bulldog: Let’s not muck around Grant. Will Mick Potter be here next year?
Mayer: Absolutely. He has a contract for 2014 and I have no doubt he will be here.
Bulldog: You are saying that as CEO but, with all due respect, it’s not your decision - it’s a board decision.
Mayer: There are two areas the joint venture board agree on - the CEO and coach. In this instance, the CEO is appointed, that’s me, and the coach is here until the end of next season. I have no reason to think that will change.
Bulldog: But if it’s a board decision, how can you guarantee he will be here next year?
Mayer: How do I know?
Bulldog: Yes.
Mayer: Because the board has given every indication he will be here in 2014.
Bulldog: You say that but quite obviously there are rumblings about Potter at board level. You cannot deny that.
Mayer: The fact we are losing football games isn’t helpful. The fact we are coming 15th in a 16 team competition always raises questions. However Mick has set a path and, remember, he has taken over from a coach who had been here a long time. Mick has brought different attitudes and training standards to this club. No doubt there have been rumblings but I have every confidence he will set it through.
Bulldog: Can you confirm those rumblings are from board members and not the media.
Mayer: Not at all. From what I read in the newspapers, there are no quotes in these stories and no people behind it. Until I am given some rock-solid information, for me it is simply addressing the facts, not speculation.
Bulldog: Does Mick have to look at himself in regards to the poor season?
Mayer: Absolutely. And I think Mick is his harshest critic when it comes to certain aspects about how he has addressed things. Remember, he inherited a club with one week’s notice. He has come in very hard and tried to change things very quickly. There is no doubt, as part of his evolution, he needs to address how he handles certain situations and his communication style is one area where he admits he needs to be look at.
Bulldog: Surely the club couldn’t afford to pay three coaches?
Mayer: Mick is here next year. Affordability is one thing, the other is Mick has a contract for next year.
Bulldog: Do you have dysfunctional board?
Mayer: Not at all. From my experience with the board over the past six weeks, it has been very good. They have a clear desire to improve Wests Tigers. A lot of the work they have done over the past six months is starting to show. There is no doubt they agree that looking at a modern governance structure is imperative. And we have been very clear in seeking some advice on that from the NRL. That has been on-going for the past few months.
Bulldog: The Benji Marshall video. You have had time to digest it. What are your thoughts?
Mayer: Disappointing. I don’t think I have shifted my opinion. It’s not something any fan of Wests Tigers would like to see. The fact he is still wearing our colours and chose to don another club’s jersey before the end of the season is disappointing.
Bulldog: Surely your jumper sponsors would be filthy?
Mayer: I haven’t fielded any questions or phone calls on that but I think they would be quietly disappointed as well.
Bulldog: What is your relationship with Marshall?
Mayer: I am the CEO and he is a player. Unfortunately for both of us I have only come on very recently. He has been here a long time and no doubt he had great relationship with coaches, CEO’s and chairmen in the past. We just haven’t had time to develop that same relationship.
Bulldog: Do you feel the mood of your fans has shifted and they are now happy for him to go?
Mayer: That’s probably a question for the fans, to be fair. I think there are a lot of people who respect what he has done for the club. He has had 11 years here and, in many ways, he has helped build this club so he goes with our best wishes. I tend to think the way it has been played out over the past few months has been difficult for all.
Bulldog: Like him or not, it is a sad exit for Marshall.
Mayer: No doubt, it is sad. I guess the only thing that gives us hope going forward is that we have some great kids coming through the system. Somewhere amongst that there will be another Benji Marshall. That’s the way rugby league works.
Bulldog: Should Benji be dropped due to poor form?
Mayer: That’s not my call, that’s a coaching call.
by: Dean Ritchie
From: The Daily Telegraph
August 13, 2013 12:00AM
\
\
A JITTERY Wests Tigers board is becoming anxious about sacking Mick Potter - the under-siege coach now set to remain at Concord for another season.
Faced with a fan backlash, the ten-man board is poised to end speculation and grant Potter another season in charge.
Wests Tigers chief executive Grant Mayer on Monday conducted this tell-all interview inside his Concord Oval office where he discussed Potter, Benji Marshall, Tim Sheens, Robbie Farah and the club’s dysfunctional board.
Bulldog: Let’s not muck around Grant. Will Mick Potter be here next year?
Mayer: Absolutely. He has a contract for 2014 and I have no doubt he will be here.
Bulldog: You are saying that as CEO but, with all due respect, it’s not your decision - it’s a board decision.
Mayer: There are two areas the joint venture board agree on - the CEO and coach. In this instance, the CEO is appointed, that’s me, and the coach is here until the end of next season. I have no reason to think that will change.
Bulldog: But if it’s a board decision, how can you guarantee he will be here next year?
Mayer: How do I know?
Bulldog: Yes.
Mayer: Because the board has given every indication he will be here in 2014.
Bulldog: You say that but quite obviously there are rumblings about Potter at board level. You cannot deny that.
Mayer: The fact we are losing football games isn’t helpful. The fact we are coming 15th in a 16 team competition always raises questions. However Mick has set a path and, remember, he has taken over from a coach who had been here a long time. Mick has brought different attitudes and training standards to this club. No doubt there have been rumblings but I have every confidence he will set it through.
Bulldog: Can you confirm those rumblings are from board members and not the media.
Mayer: Not at all. From what I read in the newspapers, there are no quotes in these stories and no people behind it. Until I am given some rock-solid information, for me it is simply addressing the facts, not speculation.
Bulldog: Does Mick have to look at himself in regards to the poor season?
Mayer: Absolutely. And I think Mick is his harshest critic when it comes to certain aspects about how he has addressed things. Remember, he inherited a club with one week’s notice. He has come in very hard and tried to change things very quickly. There is no doubt, as part of his evolution, he needs to address how he handles certain situations and his communication style is one area where he admits he needs to be look at.
Bulldog: Surely the club couldn’t afford to pay three coaches?
Mayer: Mick is here next year. Affordability is one thing, the other is Mick has a contract for next year.
Bulldog: Do you have dysfunctional board?
Mayer: Not at all. From my experience with the board over the past six weeks, it has been very good. They have a clear desire to improve Wests Tigers. A lot of the work they have done over the past six months is starting to show. There is no doubt they agree that looking at a modern governance structure is imperative. And we have been very clear in seeking some advice on that from the NRL. That has been on-going for the past few months.
Bulldog: The Benji Marshall video. You have had time to digest it. What are your thoughts?
Mayer: Disappointing. I don’t think I have shifted my opinion. It’s not something any fan of Wests Tigers would like to see. The fact he is still wearing our colours and chose to don another club’s jersey before the end of the season is disappointing.
Bulldog: Surely your jumper sponsors would be filthy?
Mayer: I haven’t fielded any questions or phone calls on that but I think they would be quietly disappointed as well.
Bulldog: What is your relationship with Marshall?
Mayer: I am the CEO and he is a player. Unfortunately for both of us I have only come on very recently. He has been here a long time and no doubt he had great relationship with coaches, CEO’s and chairmen in the past. We just haven’t had time to develop that same relationship.
Bulldog: Do you feel the mood of your fans has shifted and they are now happy for him to go?
Mayer: That’s probably a question for the fans, to be fair. I think there are a lot of people who respect what he has done for the club. He has had 11 years here and, in many ways, he has helped build this club so he goes with our best wishes. I tend to think the way it has been played out over the past few months has been difficult for all.
Bulldog: Like him or not, it is a sad exit for Marshall.
Mayer: No doubt, it is sad. I guess the only thing that gives us hope going forward is that we have some great kids coming through the system. Somewhere amongst that there will be another Benji Marshall. That’s the way rugby league works.
Bulldog: Should Benji be dropped due to poor form?
Mayer: That’s not my call, that’s a coaching call.
