Chris Connolly, pictured here with Melbourne recruiting manager Todd Viney and CEO Cameron Schwab. Source: Getty Images
MELBOURNE cannot pay official Chris Connolly in his year out of football but he could eventually be financially rewarded for being the Demons' tanking scapegoat.
The AFL last night confirmed Connolly could not be paid by the Demons until February 1 next year, after he was suspended for acting in a manner prejudicial to the league's interests.
But the AFL cannot prevent Connolly being paid by coterie members or affiliates of the club, and says he can be paid any figure the Demons want when he returns.
Connolly's official title is general manager of club development, but he runs the Foundation Heroes fundraising arm that has raised millions to clear Melbourne's debt.
That fund has consistently dragged Melbourne out of financial dire straits, with the charismatic Connolly considered the perfect man to drag money from reluctant members.
As recently as last week, Connolly was determined to fight the charges, but a marathon session at AFL headquarters on Thursday clearly changed his mind.
He believes four people confirmed his throwaway line about maximising losses late in the 2009 season - two recruiters, a welfare manager and coach Dean Bailey.
AFL deputy chief executive Gillon McLachlan said yesterday:
"Chris has accepted he went into a football department meeting and he made a terrible and stupid decision in the context of AFL rules."
Melbourne president Don McLardy confirmed Connolly could be paid.
"I will be seeking clarification from the AFL on what Chris can and can't do, but I understand we can pay him," he said.
"They are decisions we can make. It's not my decision, it's a board decision, but Chris has been an outstanding contributor to our football club and we value him very highly."
McLardy admitted it would be a challenge for Melbourne to break even this year, given the $500,000 fine, but the lack of a tanking finding will be a relief.
Any club found guilty of tanking would have sponsors fleeing through escape clauses and would find it difficult to find new ones on market rates.
McLardy admitted he was no closer to knowing what tanking was - deliberately losing games or just experimenting with player positions.
"My answer would be no, I don't think we are," he said.
"I think it is a cloudy area, obviously. No one has got clear-cut ideas about tanking and what it actually means."
He said the decision cleared late president Jim Stynes of any wrongdoing.
"There was no co-ordinated approach people were taking to this tanking saga. It was never something Jim would be answerable to, but his legacy is untarnished," McLardy said.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Payout may come later for Connolly
Dengan url
http://caraseopemula.blogspot.com/2013/02/payout-may-come-later-for-connolly.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Payout may come later for Connolly
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Payout may come later for Connolly
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar