Strategy CEO Thread - Jennifer Watt - Started Jan 2023

[Souup]

I've heard a number of negative things from people who have worked with Bell over the years. They're all first hand accounts and there's no reason for any of them to be made up.

I'd prefer if he stayed at Fremantle.

 

[krakouers]

I've heard a number of negative things from people who have worked with Bell over the years. They're all first hand accounts and there's no reason for any of them to be made up.

I'd prefer if he stayed at Fremantle.

On a personal level, really missing him on ABC radio in the mornings..

 

[Patchterrier]

I've heard a number of negative things from people who have worked with Bell over the years. They're all first hand accounts and there's no reason for any of them to be made up.

I'd prefer if he stayed at Fremantle.

It seems unusual that there is a bunch of WA players looking to leave a WA based finals' team. Competitive interstate teams don't normally have player retention issues with locals.

Not sure if that's a reflection of the club environment (that he's responsible for) or just a coincidence though some stories in this thread are a concern.

Hopefully the Board are applying a robust recruitment process, our offfield business is flying (onfield will be sorted with Viney & Clarkson) though the CEO needs to be a business savvy person to continue the work in building the club.

On SM-G996B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[North1411]

No that is incorrect.

"I" means it's an ego driven idiot and that's why he has been fired from Cricket Aust and now North.

"I" is a red flag - "we" is a much better way to go about it.

The only indiviual to use we as a reference to themselves is a Monarch, hence it is called the royal we.

The use of we in that circumstance would be a much bigger red flag. Really this is all big footy nonsense.

 

[ferball]

The CEO is responsible for both the football aspects and the business aspects. He did well on the commercial side, got us profitable, debt free, extended with Mazda, etc. But he failed big time on the football side.
We were the worst performing side of the last 3 years, finishing last, last, and second last.
He didn't join the team in the hub when other CEO's did, including the premiership CEO.
It appears that he didn't provide Shaw with the support he needed to have a hope of being successful.
He appointed 2 coaches on his watch that lasted only 1 full season each before parting ways with the club.
The list goes on...

What two coaches did he appoint?

 

[Patchterrier]

From my perspective, the club has suffered from a lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities, which these structural changes are seeking to address.

Installing Todd Viney as GM of Football means that he carries the can for all things football related, including onfield, list management and recruiting.
Todd reports through to the CEO alongside the other GMs (Finance, People, Comms, Marketing, etc).

To this extent, I do not believe that it is essential for the CEO to have been a past player or even necessarily have been involved in football. They just need to have agreed measurables in place with all GMs that are regularly reviewed and scrutinised.

My view is that the CEO needs to have a clear and succinct vision that is easily communicable to all staff and members. Something like "Five in Five" (5th premiership, $5 million in cash reserves and 59000 members all within 5 years). It's simple, sets expectations and provides targets for the club to build strategies around.

We have just had the 50k membership campaign and the multi million dollar Arden St precinct (which is much bigger than just our own Arden St ground / club facilities) as well as the future fund which have all been established and delivered successfully a COVID world.

To do that takes bold strategic vision AND the ability to deliver with so many key stakeholders (multiple government agencies, AFL, property developers, Melbourne council, sponsors, planning permits, the Board, members and I'm sure many others) whilst also working with uncertainty re: 19th licence bid for Tassie, low crowd numbers across AFL etc.

I would consider that ambitious and strategic - the qualities we want of our CEO.

On SM-G996B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Patchterrier]

What two coaches did he appoint?

Only 1 coach. Shaw was appointed by Ben Buckley pre Amarfios arrival.

Noble was appointed following a process which had a panel of 6 or 7 people (including Amarfio, Hood, Archer, Roos, some external people etc).

On SM-G996B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ferball]

We are currently employed in a middle management role but we are always open to further opportunities. We are highly motivated and we believe we could provide a great fit for your business if you choose to hire us.

You're top dog now Charlie - don't mess it up...

 

[ferball]

Only 1 coach. Shaw was appointed by Ben Buckley pre Amarfios arrival.

Noble was appointed following a process which had a panel of 6 or 7 people (including Amarfio, Hood, Archer, Roos, some external people etc).

On SM-G996B using BigFooty.com mobile app

But people constantly post this stuff about him appointing two shit coaches.

Seems Amarfio is wearing the can for footy department failures that go back long before his tenure.

 

[Massive Unit]

We have just had the 50k membership campaign and the multi million dollar Arden St precinct (which is much bigger than just our own Arden St ground / club facilities) as well as the future fund which have all been established and delivered successfully a COVID world.

To do that takes bold strategic vision AND the ability to deliver with so many key stakeholders (multiple government agencies, AFL, property developers, Melbourne council, sponsors, planning permits, the Board, members and I'm sure many others) whilst also working with uncertainty re: 19th licence bid for Tassie, low crowd numbers across AFL etc.

I would consider that ambitious and strategic - the qualities we want of our CEO.

On SM-G996B using BigFooty.com mobile app

Good post Patchterrier. I'm fine with what Amarfio delivered commercially and where we are headed off-field.

The key issue was the appalling on-field performance, which ultimately sat with Ben. I think he was on a hiding to nothing given the inexperience around him and do wonder how we would be positioned now with the right structures in place. My primary criticism of Ben was the way he speaks in a public setting. I feel he comes across as inauthentic, but given that Sonja is essentially the face of the club from a corporate perspective, it's not such a huge issue.

 

[Sillygit]

But people constantly post this stuff about him appointing two s**t coaches.

Seems Amarfio is wearing the can for footy department failures that go back long before his tenure.

Which is why im still uncertain of his axing, cause most answers feature inaccuracies, opinion based statememts, feelings instead of facts.

Its done and we move on, but it still smells to me.

 

[Mr Lloyd Christmas]

The only indiviual to use we as a reference to themselves is a Monarch, hence it is called the royal we.

The use of we in that circumstance would be a much bigger red flag. Really this is all big footy nonsense.

Thanks Ben.

 

[North1411]

Thanks Ben.

Your welcome

 

[Mr Lloyd Christmas]

Your welcome

*You're

Considering I'm royalty I can use "we", your point is a very good one Ben. ; )

 

[Patchterrier]

Good post Patchterrier. I'm fine with what Amarfio delivered commercially and where we are headed off-field.

The key issue was the appalling on-field performance, which ultimately sat with Ben. I think he was on a hiding to nothing given the inexperience around him and do wonder how we would be positioned now with the right structures in place. My primary criticism of Ben was the way he speaks in a public setting. I feel he comes across as inauthentic, but given that Sonja is essentially the face of the club from a corporate perspective, it's not such a huge issue.

Thanks and interesting discussion.

The question really is the accountability of a CEO. In every industry the CEO is responsible for all facets of performance of a business - in football that includes onfield performance, media, membership, commercial and sponsorship, finances, governance, HR / payroll, contracts, stakeholder management, government, AFL relationship etc.

It covers everything and primarily you are looking for someone who has the strategic vision and extensive business skillset to deliver, and also the capability to enable others to deliver their best. (Letting the specialists within the business do their roles).

This is interesting as seemingly every other area of performance across the business was no issue, in fact you could probably argue performance has been very strong. Onfield (which of course is huge given we are a football business) is the only area.

If there was a fundamental issue with CEO performance we would see it across other areas of the business and the evidence is not there (and if it was then CEO appropriately goes).

This is an onfield performance issue only - in my view it has to sit with the senior on field staff (coach / GM football) which has now been (hopefully) remedied.

Now we need to find a replacement CEO that can continue to deliver all areas of the business as we now have AC & TV to expedite the rebuild and fix onfield.

Your opinion on his speaking is probably reasonable, not high on my priority list for a CEO necessarily (Sonja has a high media profile so probably covers it) though a reasonable observation.

It will be interesting to see who the Board select, hopefully after a robust process.

On SM-G996B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[joegreen]

Thanks and interesting discussion.

The question really is the accountability of a CEO. In every industry the CEO is responsible for all facets of performance of a business - in football that includes onfield performance, media, membership, commercial and sponsorship, finances, governance, HR / payroll, contracts, stakeholder management, government, AFL relationship etc.

It covers everything and primarily you are looking for someone who has the strategic vision and extensive business skillset to deliver, and also the capability to enable others to deliver their best. (Letting the specialists within the business do their roles).

This is interesting as seemingly every other area of performance across the business was no issue, in fact you could probably argue performance has been very strong. Onfield (which of course is huge given we are a football business) is the only area.

If there was a fundamental issue with CEO performance we would see it across other areas of the business and the evidence is not there (and if it was then CEO appropriately goes).

This is an onfield performance issue only - in my view it has to sit with the senior on field staff (coach / GM football) which has now been (hopefully) remedied.

Now we need to find a replacement CEO that can continue to deliver all areas of the business as we now have AC & TV to expedite the rebuild and fix onfield.

Your opinion on his speaking is probably reasonable, not high on my priority list for a CEO necessarily (Sonja has a high media profile so probably covers it) though a reasonable observation.

It will be interesting to see who the Board select, hopefully after a robust process.

On SM-G996B using BigFooty.com mobile app

Some good points made.

The highlighted section. Whilst I agree the performance of a CEO covers all areas, and for us many were performing well (from the outside at least), I have a question on what you might call core business.

Does a CEO fail if the core business fails but everything else performs well? I think they do.

I've seen in mining (about as cut throat as you can get, CEO's and revolving doors, they just throw chairs as people...) the poor performing team get the sack, then their manager, then the manager's manager. And not long after the Board remove the CEO, again... rinse repeat.

And having said all that you cannot focus on core business (winning games of football) at the expense of everything else. We'll soon be in big trouble
again.

It's a bloody tough gig. You need a vision as others have said, along with the plan on how to get there and know how to execute. You need the right people around you, who believe and support you and often some luck i.e. sometimes it is being in the right place at the right time.

Sometimes good people fail.

And 100% agree it must be a robust process.

 

[joegreen]

From the Freo Board:

"Peter Bell will be putting his hat in the ring for the Nth CEO role. Believe he has the blessing of powerbrokers."

 

[gokangas]

From the Freo Board:

"Peter Bell will be putting his hat in the ring for the Nth CEO role. Believe he has the blessing of powerbrokers."

Hmmmmmmmmm. Just not sure tbh.

 

[joegreen]

Hmmmmmmmmm. Just not sure tbh.

Neither am I. So long as they look far and wide and whoever comes up on top, so be it.

And checking the posters history I am even less certain. He likes to say he is never wrong very often....

 

[gokangas]

Neither am I. So long as they look far and wide and whoever comes up on top, so be it.

And checking the posters history I am even less certain. He likes to say he is never wrong very often....

Just not a warm sorta bloke and players are bailing out a big rate from Freo right now. Maybe not his fault but.............dunno. Just not getting excited about this move.

 

[FDH16]

Neither am I. So long as they look far and wide and whoever comes up on top, so be it.

And checking the posters history I am even less certain. He likes to say he is never wrong very often....

I am never wrong.

 

[Shinboner1]

Hearing Freo have Joe Briety (Bell's right hand man) waiting in the wings for when Bell leaves. Looks like it might be a serious chance to get done!

 

[joegreen]

I am never wrong.

Very good!

But now that you're here, can share anything more?

 

[Caracas]

I am never wrong.

Good god. TZ has an alias. Sarah Wright says “hi” and “sit on this”!


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[William Caresser]

Once again, people seem to have forgotten that the Board chose a no-holes-barred, ground zero rebuild. The results were always going to be bad, even if Noble had have been competent.

If the Board chose to continue down the mediocre path, we would've kept the ageing C graders and maybe finished 10th. Did Amarfio have any say in the rebuild decision? Doubt it, but even if he did it was the right decision. We had to get a lot worse, go to the draft, get rid of the shitmen before we got better.

Yet some people want all the benefits of the rebuild - the high draft picks, the room in the salary cap, the clearing out of the dead wood - but none of the downside. Again, you can't have your cake and eat it too.