Latest news with #TheFonz
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
My to-do list for the man about to become football's Mr Fix It
As difficult as it was for The Fonz to say 's ... s ... s ... s ... sor ... sorry' in TV's Happy Days, some critics of the AFL might be equally reluctant to say 'w ... w ... w ... wel ... well done' to the AFL on the appointment of Greg Swann. But the league deserves plaudits for appointing Swann. He has an incredible track record wherever he has gone. Not only did he lead two of the biggest clubs in footy heartland – Carlton and Collingwood – but the job he did steering the turnaround of the Brisbane Lions was remarkable. The Lions today are a stable club, with healthy attendance at games, on-field success, elite training facilities, and are considered a destination club for many players. That's a far cry from the position the club was in when Swann arrived in 2014. Just like your columnist in his playing days, the AFL is never be accused of being fast. But Swann was lured to league headquarters just days after the role of head of football performance was created. The speed and quality of that appointment has been widely applauded, even by the league's harshest critics. But the AFL's glacial response to a raft of issues needing serious attention has left a legacy. After taking nearly two years to appoint Andrew Dillon as CEO to replace Gillon McLachlan, the league has continued to lack urgency, particularly in the development of a new drugs policy, and addressing concerns about the football department soft cap. Let's hope the events of the past week herald an era of greater vigour and energy from the AFL, spearheaded by Swann, a man who is both pragmatic and decisive – just what they need at footy's City Hall. As he prepares to step into his new job next month, I, like many others, have some ideas on what his priorities should be. This is my to-do list for the AFL's new footy supremo:
The Age
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
My to-do list for the man about to become football's Mr Fix It
As difficult as it was for The Fonz to say 's ... s ... s ... s ... sor ... sorry' in TV's Happy Days, some critics of the AFL might be equally reluctant to say 'w ... w ... w ... wel ... well done' to the AFL on the appointment of Greg Swann. But the league deserves plaudits for appointing Swann. He has an incredible track record wherever he has gone. Not only did he lead two of the biggest clubs in footy heartland – Carlton and Collingwood – but the job he did steering the turnaround of the Brisbane Lions was remarkable. The Lions today are a stable club, with healthy attendance at games, on-field success, elite training facilities, and are considered a destination club for many players. That's a far cry from the position the club was in when Swann arrived in 2014. Just like your columnist in his playing days, the AFL is never be accused of being fast. But Swann was lured to league headquarters just days after the role of head of football performance was created. The speed and quality of that appointment has been widely applauded, even by the league's harshest critics. But the AFL's glacial response to a raft of issues needing serious attention has left a legacy. After taking nearly two years to appoint Andrew Dillon as CEO to replace Gillon McLachlan, the league has continued to lack urgency, particularly in the development of a new drugs policy, and addressing concerns about the football department soft cap. Let's hope the events of the past week herald an era of greater vigour and energy from the AFL, spearheaded by Swann, a man who is both pragmatic and decisive – just what they need at footy's City Hall. As he prepares to step into his new job next month, I, like many others, have some ideas on what his priorities should be. This is my to-do list for the AFL's new footy supremo:
