Miller pledge on Frawley memo
9:04:37 AM Thu 24 July, 2003
afl.com.au
Richmond Director of Football, Greg Miller has conceded the club is embarrassed and disappointed by the leaking of an internal memo which portrays senior coach Danny Frawley as unpopular with the club’s supporters.
The memo, prepared by the club’s communications manager, Paul Maley describes supporter opinion of Frawley as being ‘at an all-time low’ and recommends that the coach should show more emotion and passion for Richmond and its supporters.
"Make no mistake, our supporters are angry. In particular, their ire is being directed at Danny Frawley,” Maley writes in the memo dated 16 July and published in the Age and Herald Sun today.
Miller said the club would be acting quickly to resolve any ‘issues’ between Maley and Frawley, and that he personally would be acting to ensure that internal affairs remain internal.
“It’s probably been emailed to one too many persons and it’s leaked from an office somewhere. It’s disappointing for it to come out that way and it’s not nice for the senior coach to wake up before a big game and read that sort of information,” Miller told Sport927.
“I’ll be closing up some of the loopholes that have occurred for this to get out. There’s also an issue of communication around the place.”
“It is the communications manager’s position to weigh-up how he feels things are going. It happens at every club. His comments are taken in by me. Some of it I agree with, some I don’t,” he said.
Miller noted that Frawley had been less prominent in the media in 2004 and more measured when conducting press conferences, but he denied that the coach had been gagged.
“In the past he was covering too many areas. We haven’t gagged him, we’re just sharing the load,” Miller said.
“In that, the communications manager has read it that perhaps some people are seeing Danny a bit less passionate. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“Danny loves the Richmond Football Club and he’s putting his heart and soul into everything. That’s one of his strengths.”
“I’ll be reassuring Danny. He knows what my feelings are, absolutely. Danny’s doing everything possible to succeed for the Richmond Football Club and he’ll continue to do so this year and next year.”
Miller said that he understood the mood of supporters after nine straight defeats, but stressed that the players were right behind the coach.
“Of course the supporters would be concerned and upset. Some blame the coach, some blame the players and some blame me. It just goes with the territory when you’re losing matches.”
"(But) the support (for Danny) of the playing group is first-class and their attitude and morale around the place is fine. Our results haven’t been there and the execution of our skills hasn’t been there, but the endeavour and morale of the playing group is fine.”
Miller said that he expected Frawley to be available to the media at his regular pre-training conference at Punt Road on Friday.
9:04:37 AM Thu 24 July, 2003
afl.com.au
Richmond Director of Football, Greg Miller has conceded the club is embarrassed and disappointed by the leaking of an internal memo which portrays senior coach Danny Frawley as unpopular with the club’s supporters.
The memo, prepared by the club’s communications manager, Paul Maley describes supporter opinion of Frawley as being ‘at an all-time low’ and recommends that the coach should show more emotion and passion for Richmond and its supporters.
"Make no mistake, our supporters are angry. In particular, their ire is being directed at Danny Frawley,” Maley writes in the memo dated 16 July and published in the Age and Herald Sun today.
Miller said the club would be acting quickly to resolve any ‘issues’ between Maley and Frawley, and that he personally would be acting to ensure that internal affairs remain internal.
“It’s probably been emailed to one too many persons and it’s leaked from an office somewhere. It’s disappointing for it to come out that way and it’s not nice for the senior coach to wake up before a big game and read that sort of information,” Miller told Sport927.
“I’ll be closing up some of the loopholes that have occurred for this to get out. There’s also an issue of communication around the place.”
“It is the communications manager’s position to weigh-up how he feels things are going. It happens at every club. His comments are taken in by me. Some of it I agree with, some I don’t,” he said.
Miller noted that Frawley had been less prominent in the media in 2004 and more measured when conducting press conferences, but he denied that the coach had been gagged.
“In the past he was covering too many areas. We haven’t gagged him, we’re just sharing the load,” Miller said.
“In that, the communications manager has read it that perhaps some people are seeing Danny a bit less passionate. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“Danny loves the Richmond Football Club and he’s putting his heart and soul into everything. That’s one of his strengths.”
“I’ll be reassuring Danny. He knows what my feelings are, absolutely. Danny’s doing everything possible to succeed for the Richmond Football Club and he’ll continue to do so this year and next year.”
Miller said that he understood the mood of supporters after nine straight defeats, but stressed that the players were right behind the coach.
“Of course the supporters would be concerned and upset. Some blame the coach, some blame the players and some blame me. It just goes with the territory when you’re losing matches.”
"(But) the support (for Danny) of the playing group is first-class and their attitude and morale around the place is fine. Our results haven’t been there and the execution of our skills hasn’t been there, but the endeavour and morale of the playing group is fine.”
Miller said that he expected Frawley to be available to the media at his regular pre-training conference at Punt Road on Friday.
