Watch Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas and president Brett Duncanson's press conference on PTV above. Can't see the video? Watch on YouTube.
PORT ADELAIDE chief executive officer Keith Thomas has confirmed that an independent review into every facet of the club’s operations has been ongoing since February this year.
Thomas addressed the media, club staff and supporters at a special press conference at Alberton today.
In addition to confirming that senior coach Matthew Primus would not continue in the role, replaced in a caretaker capacity by assistant Garry Hocking, Thomas said that ‘tough’ decisions were being made to guarantee Port Adelaide in the short and long term.
[ Related: Hocking appointed caretaker ]
“The Port Adelaide Football Club is at a moment in time where it has to get everything right,” said Thomas.
“We are heading towards Adelaide Oval in 2014 [and] our expectation is to arrive at that milestone in tremendous fighting shape both on-field and off-field.”
“Every decision made today and that will be made in the future months will be about fulfilling that requirement.”
“Some of them will be tough, I understand that and everyone associated with the club understands that.”
[ Related: Statement on Duncanson, Primus ]
Thomas said that whilst there would be a temptation to view Port Adelaide as being in turmoil, the club’s supporter base could be confident that today’s announcements were part of long term plans to ensure success at Alberton.
“What I can categorically tell you is that nothing could be further from the truth,” Thomas said when asked whether the club was in ‘crisis.’
“What’s happening is that cool, calculated, well-informed decisions are being made to ensure the success of the club going forward - there’s no crisis - nor is everything broken at Port Adelaide - far from it.”
Thomas, who started as the club’s chief executive in September 2011, revealed that he had been working with “Seven external, independent AFL experts” on a review into the club’s football department.
[ Related: Letter from CEO ]
“As a new CEO it provided me with a great opportunity to come in with a fresh set of eyes and objectively start to review the entire football program,” he said.
“That process started back in February.
“[The experts] were asked to evaluate a different slice of our [football] program, none of them were connected, they didn’t know it was part of an overarching review that I was conducting.
“They were simply reviewing and commenting on different aspects of our football program.
Confirming that his review was nearing completion and would be released subsequently, Thomas left supporters with a clear message.
“The outcomes [of the review] will shape the way we approach our football program and building upon the program we’ve already got,” he said.
“It’s been an important, necessary and exhaustive process.
“The only thing we’re interested in … is sustained on-field success which will drive commercial independence and financial security.”
“That’s what our members want, [they] expect it.”
“The Port Adelaide Football Club is 140-odd years old, with an enormous history of success [and] strength.”
“It will go on and it will go on in great shape.”
“The Port Adelaide Football Club is at a moment in time where it has to get everything right,” said Thomas.
“We are heading towards Adelaide Oval in 2014 [and] our expectation is to arrive at that milestone in tremendous fighting shape both on-field and off-field.”
“Every decision made today and that will be made in the future months will be about fulfilling that requirement.”
“Some of them will be tough, I understand that and everyone associated with the club understands that.”
[ Related: Statement on Duncanson, Primus ]
Thomas said that whilst there would be a temptation to view Port Adelaide as being in turmoil, the club’s supporter base could be confident that today’s announcements were part of long term plans to ensure success at Alberton.
“What I can categorically tell you is that nothing could be further from the truth,” Thomas said when asked whether the club was in ‘crisis.’
“What’s happening is that cool, calculated, well-informed decisions are being made to ensure the success of the club going forward - there’s no crisis - nor is everything broken at Port Adelaide - far from it.”
Thomas, who started as the club’s chief executive in September 2011, revealed that he had been working with “Seven external, independent AFL experts” on a review into the club’s football department.
[ Related: Letter from CEO ]
“As a new CEO it provided me with a great opportunity to come in with a fresh set of eyes and objectively start to review the entire football program,” he said.
“That process started back in February.
“[The experts] were asked to evaluate a different slice of our [football] program, none of them were connected, they didn’t know it was part of an overarching review that I was conducting.
“They were simply reviewing and commenting on different aspects of our football program.
Confirming that his review was nearing completion and would be released subsequently, Thomas left supporters with a clear message.
“The outcomes [of the review] will shape the way we approach our football program and building upon the program we’ve already got,” he said.
“It’s been an important, necessary and exhaustive process.
“The only thing we’re interested in … is sustained on-field success which will drive commercial independence and financial security.”
“That’s what our members want, [they] expect it.”
“The Port Adelaide Football Club is 140-odd years old, with an enormous history of success [and] strength.”
“It will go on and it will go on in great shape.”
