From the Moreland Leader...
("prodigal son" and "sworn in" not withstanding...
I didn't think the toilets were that bad - compared
to some other grounds...perhaps the ladies isn't
up to scratch - I wouldn't know about that)
Cleary's back with Coburg
by Brad Bishop
THE Prodigal son's homecoming is complete
with Phil Cleary last week sworn in as the new
Coburg Tigers Football Club President.
Tuesday night saw the Coburg ledgend elected
to the head of a new board, which also includes
Richmond's director of football Greg Miller,
Linda Dobson, Electrical Trades Union secretary
Dean Mighell and Coburg's football administration
manager Michael Roberts.
It is a board Cleary believes will get the Tiger's
administration back on track after two months'
indecision following the resignation of initial
president-elect Peter Bacash and his deputy Tony
Singarella.
"This is going to be a very solid board of
management," Cleary said. "It's got a variety of
talent and experiences and I think they'll come
to the fore."
Cleary said Richmond's commitment to Coburg was
crucial in his decision to take on the role.
"A key reason is I think Richmond can be a good
partner for Coburg and it gives the club some
infrastructural support and a potential supporter
base that we can draw on," Cleary said.
"I suppose I just needed to be assured that Richmond
understood the importance if Coburg's integrity as
a club and that Coburg could not promote itself in
the community if it looked just like a reserves
team.
"Coburg has to have it's own identity. Greg (Miller)
understands that. The key issue for him is that the
Richmond AFL-listed players are in a good club when
they're not on an AFL side.
"I've known Greg for a long time, I trust and respect
Greg, so his commitment was a key reason why I
decided to take on the job."
Cleary, who had a previous stint as Coburg president
in 1995 when he was Wills Federal MP has wasted no
time compiling a list of pet projects.
"We need the Coburg Footy club to be embraced by the
council as their premier football club... and they
need to fix the toilets up straight away," he said.
"That is number one. Fix those toilets up so people
can take their kids there and their kids can go to
the toilet in a civilised setting."
And before anyone starts making comparisons with a
famous AFL president that calls games with Channel 9,
Cleary made it clear he would not be relinquishing
his role as commentator with the VFL broadcaster the
ABC because of the Coburg presidency.
"I'm going to keep doing the broadcasts," he said.
"I've got to keep doinfg that; it's really important
to me.
"It's my professional life and while the presidency is
a key factor, when it comes to the broadcasting I've
got to keep doing that.
"The AFL's a big entity and it's a massive financial
organisation and the TV rights are massive and Eddie
can make his own judgement, but my judgement is that
it's quite reasonable for me to still be out there
calling the community game."
PHIL CLEARY
-----------
1975: plays first game with Coburg after three years
with Coburg Amateurs.
1979: a member of Coburg's eight-point premiership win
over Geelong West, the club's first Division One flag
in 51 years.
1980: experiences the other emotion if Grand Final day
with Coburg going down to Port Melbourne by 11 points
in the premiership decider.
1984: takes over as playing coach of Coburg.
1986: captain-coach in Coburg's 13-point Grand Final
loss to Williamstown, a match that is remembered for
Cleary being ordered from the ground in the final
quarter.
1987: retires as a player after 205 games and 317 goals
with Coburg.
1988: remaining as coach, Cleary gains revenge over
Williamstown for the 1986 loss with premiership glory.
1989: follows first permiership as a non-playing
coach with back-to-back flags.
1992: hands over the reins as Coburg coach after being
elected to parliament.
1995: returns to Coburg as club president and plays a
major role in the club being abile to avoid ejection
from the competition.
2003: responds to a public push and returns as club
president.
("prodigal son" and "sworn in" not withstanding...
I didn't think the toilets were that bad - compared
to some other grounds...perhaps the ladies isn't
up to scratch - I wouldn't know about that)
Cleary's back with Coburg
by Brad Bishop
THE Prodigal son's homecoming is complete
with Phil Cleary last week sworn in as the new
Coburg Tigers Football Club President.
Tuesday night saw the Coburg ledgend elected
to the head of a new board, which also includes
Richmond's director of football Greg Miller,
Linda Dobson, Electrical Trades Union secretary
Dean Mighell and Coburg's football administration
manager Michael Roberts.
It is a board Cleary believes will get the Tiger's
administration back on track after two months'
indecision following the resignation of initial
president-elect Peter Bacash and his deputy Tony
Singarella.
"This is going to be a very solid board of
management," Cleary said. "It's got a variety of
talent and experiences and I think they'll come
to the fore."
Cleary said Richmond's commitment to Coburg was
crucial in his decision to take on the role.
"A key reason is I think Richmond can be a good
partner for Coburg and it gives the club some
infrastructural support and a potential supporter
base that we can draw on," Cleary said.
"I suppose I just needed to be assured that Richmond
understood the importance if Coburg's integrity as
a club and that Coburg could not promote itself in
the community if it looked just like a reserves
team.
"Coburg has to have it's own identity. Greg (Miller)
understands that. The key issue for him is that the
Richmond AFL-listed players are in a good club when
they're not on an AFL side.
"I've known Greg for a long time, I trust and respect
Greg, so his commitment was a key reason why I
decided to take on the job."
Cleary, who had a previous stint as Coburg president
in 1995 when he was Wills Federal MP has wasted no
time compiling a list of pet projects.
"We need the Coburg Footy club to be embraced by the
council as their premier football club... and they
need to fix the toilets up straight away," he said.
"That is number one. Fix those toilets up so people
can take their kids there and their kids can go to
the toilet in a civilised setting."
And before anyone starts making comparisons with a
famous AFL president that calls games with Channel 9,
Cleary made it clear he would not be relinquishing
his role as commentator with the VFL broadcaster the
ABC because of the Coburg presidency.
"I'm going to keep doing the broadcasts," he said.
"I've got to keep doinfg that; it's really important
to me.
"It's my professional life and while the presidency is
a key factor, when it comes to the broadcasting I've
got to keep doing that.
"The AFL's a big entity and it's a massive financial
organisation and the TV rights are massive and Eddie
can make his own judgement, but my judgement is that
it's quite reasonable for me to still be out there
calling the community game."
PHIL CLEARY
-----------
1975: plays first game with Coburg after three years
with Coburg Amateurs.
1979: a member of Coburg's eight-point premiership win
over Geelong West, the club's first Division One flag
in 51 years.
1980: experiences the other emotion if Grand Final day
with Coburg going down to Port Melbourne by 11 points
in the premiership decider.
1984: takes over as playing coach of Coburg.
1986: captain-coach in Coburg's 13-point Grand Final
loss to Williamstown, a match that is remembered for
Cleary being ordered from the ground in the final
quarter.
1987: retires as a player after 205 games and 317 goals
with Coburg.
1988: remaining as coach, Cleary gains revenge over
Williamstown for the 1986 loss with premiership glory.
1989: follows first permiership as a non-playing
coach with back-to-back flags.
1992: hands over the reins as Coburg coach after being
elected to parliament.
1995: returns to Coburg as club president and plays a
major role in the club being abile to avoid ejection
from the competition.
2003: responds to a public push and returns as club
president.
