North Melbourne CEO Eugene Arocca has resigned from his position today; amid a storm of rumors, innuendo and questions about his sudden departure.
Club President James Brayshaw faced the media with a prepared statement in which he said the resignation is effective immediately. No direct reason was given aside from Arocca had to go for “reasons beyond his control”. Brayshaw met with Arocca this morning at his residence after reading reports of the CEO’s disenchantment in ‘The Australian’ this morning.
“I read the paper and I was alarmed by a bit of what was in there, and so as you do in footy clubs, you go straight around to someone’s house and you go right, where are we at?,” Brayshaw told a room full of journalists at Aegis Park today just after 1pm today.
Club officials and employees were told of what was about to occur at an internal meeting at 12:3opm.
In a surprising piece in today’s Australian; it out lined the disenchantment and displeasure that Arocca was having towards the board and football department. Many issues in the article are yet to be confirmed by the club; but point to issues with the Head of the NMFC Football Department; Donald McDonald and issues with Brayshaw himself headed the list of speculation of why he walked.
Arocca oversaw many achievements in his time as CEO; raising North Melbourne’s membership over a four-year period from 23,000, to this years 33,000; which is a record membership for the club. He oversaw the re-development of Arden Street’s facilities and the creation of ‘The Huddle’ community center.
Brayshaw rejected rumors of a personal feud between the pair. He also rejected the view North Melbourne was in crisis.
“I don’t agree with that to be brutally honest,’’ he said.
“We don’t like losing by 115 points, that’s just a fact, if you ask anyone in the football department they’ll say that’s a long way from acceptable for our footy club.
“Brad (Scott) said at the weekend that any criticism we get we will have deserved. But we are a footy club, and footy clubs stick together.
“We are all responsible, we are desperate to fix it, and we are all doing our very best.
“This just adds another layer to that conundrum we face if you like. We will find someone really good who will take over and lead this great footy club.”
