Journeying
Draftee
Long time BF reader. First time poster.
Just wrote an email to the club. Wanted to share.
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Howdy,
I won't bother with a very long-winded email. But I'll write enough to get my point across.
I've been a member from 97-02 as a child, then 08-15 - buying memberships for myself from the age of 14. Between 02 & 08 I attended most home games with family friends. Highlights including Round 22, 2002; the '04 Prelim; and the smashing of West Coast mid-2007. (Hoff had a day out). Heck, even attending the disaster years including the 130 point belting at the hands of Collingwood in 2011 wasn't awful. However, watching today's game sucked. Why? I wanted us to lose. Why? So that change would come about.
I stopped being a member only after moving to Perth. (I actually wrote to the club about a more equitable WA membership - where you get to see both Perth games (when there are two games here) instead of just picking one, but apparently this logical request couldn't be processed). I still have attended every game here over the past four years. And I watch every week.
I'm writing to say that I would like to see changes at the club. I'm not sure if you'll listen to supporters unless it starts to impact financially. So I won't be purchasing any more merchandise until there are changes - especially with regards to positions held by the head coach & even chairman.
Co-captains was evidence that the club doesn't care much about their lifeblood - the supporters. We've now had five consecutive years of mediocrity. Ladder finishes of 9th, 10th, 7th, 10th, 10th. The only finals appearance was classic Port of this era - heartbreaking and humiliating. (I guarantee there was no worse place to be as a Power fan that night than Perth). And then to have the final minutes repeated in eerily similar fashion to the exact same team less than a year later was comical.
Here we are again at the end of another disappointing season. The enjoyment of football is fading fast. This isn't entirely based on success. I know this because I could attend games where we were getting smashed (I was there at the '07 GF... OK that wasn't enjoyable but I was there) and still find the experience meaningful. For example, watching a random home loss to Brisbane around 2012 in the wet at Footy Park. It was still a great day out. Getting around a then emerging Matt Lobbe - & watching a young Wingard snag a goal or two.
What's changed? Lack of hope for the future. The media department may point to Rozee or Duursma as evidence of hope. And they are brilliant to watch. But I don't trust the coaches to develop them. Look at Wingard as example. Or Wines.
It feels like we are going nowhere under current leadership.
Administration needs to be held to account. And such an email like this is my personal attempt to do so.
Football isn't the be all and end all. But it can be something that gives meaning to a lot of people. Those employed to provide that meaning should treat their positions with absolute respect.
9th, 10th, 7th, 10th, 10th.
We need change. Desperately. Or a lot of people are going to walk away from this club. People who stuck with it through the aforementioned losses of 119, 132, 167 (a week after 132). I know my history. So should the club. Respect tradition. No co-captains. No nonsense. Strive for success. Don't accept mediocrity.
Thanks & kind regards.
Just wrote an email to the club. Wanted to share.
---
Howdy,
I won't bother with a very long-winded email. But I'll write enough to get my point across.
I've been a member from 97-02 as a child, then 08-15 - buying memberships for myself from the age of 14. Between 02 & 08 I attended most home games with family friends. Highlights including Round 22, 2002; the '04 Prelim; and the smashing of West Coast mid-2007. (Hoff had a day out). Heck, even attending the disaster years including the 130 point belting at the hands of Collingwood in 2011 wasn't awful. However, watching today's game sucked. Why? I wanted us to lose. Why? So that change would come about.
I stopped being a member only after moving to Perth. (I actually wrote to the club about a more equitable WA membership - where you get to see both Perth games (when there are two games here) instead of just picking one, but apparently this logical request couldn't be processed). I still have attended every game here over the past four years. And I watch every week.
I'm writing to say that I would like to see changes at the club. I'm not sure if you'll listen to supporters unless it starts to impact financially. So I won't be purchasing any more merchandise until there are changes - especially with regards to positions held by the head coach & even chairman.
Co-captains was evidence that the club doesn't care much about their lifeblood - the supporters. We've now had five consecutive years of mediocrity. Ladder finishes of 9th, 10th, 7th, 10th, 10th. The only finals appearance was classic Port of this era - heartbreaking and humiliating. (I guarantee there was no worse place to be as a Power fan that night than Perth). And then to have the final minutes repeated in eerily similar fashion to the exact same team less than a year later was comical.
Here we are again at the end of another disappointing season. The enjoyment of football is fading fast. This isn't entirely based on success. I know this because I could attend games where we were getting smashed (I was there at the '07 GF... OK that wasn't enjoyable but I was there) and still find the experience meaningful. For example, watching a random home loss to Brisbane around 2012 in the wet at Footy Park. It was still a great day out. Getting around a then emerging Matt Lobbe - & watching a young Wingard snag a goal or two.
What's changed? Lack of hope for the future. The media department may point to Rozee or Duursma as evidence of hope. And they are brilliant to watch. But I don't trust the coaches to develop them. Look at Wingard as example. Or Wines.
It feels like we are going nowhere under current leadership.
Administration needs to be held to account. And such an email like this is my personal attempt to do so.
Football isn't the be all and end all. But it can be something that gives meaning to a lot of people. Those employed to provide that meaning should treat their positions with absolute respect.
9th, 10th, 7th, 10th, 10th.
We need change. Desperately. Or a lot of people are going to walk away from this club. People who stuck with it through the aforementioned losses of 119, 132, 167 (a week after 132). I know my history. So should the club. Respect tradition. No co-captains. No nonsense. Strive for success. Don't accept mediocrity.
Thanks & kind regards.
