Eels hire former NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert to fix financial issues

• DAVID RICCIO• The Daily Telegraph• November 19, 2015 9:00PMThe Parramatta Eels have hired former NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert to clean-up the club’s financial issues.For 18 years Schubert was the NRL’s salary cap auditor with his investigation into secret player payments leading to the Melbourne Storm being stripped of the 2007 and 2009 NRL premierships.Now Schubert is back, almost two years after quitting his post at the NRL, to fix the Eels’ salary cap dramas.Parramatta are nearing finalisation of an independent review which was required to be undertaken at the demand of the NRL following a series of secret third-party payments being uncovered last July.Schubert’s appointment is seen as a determined bid by the club to avoid becoming embroiled in any further salary cap issues in the future.Working closely alongside head of football operations Daniel Anderson three days a week at Eels HQ, Schubert has been signed by the Eels to a 13-month contract.Describing Schubert’s inside knowledge and experience as an asset, Parramatta chairman Steve Sharp said the club had been able to not only move towards total control of their cap, but also that they had now space leftover to spend on any desired recruits ahead of the 2016 season.“Schuey has been fantastic — he knows the salary cap better than anybody,’’ Sharp said.“In the short time that he’s been involved with us, he’s been great.“We’ve been able to clear up the salary cap, create space in our salary cap and for want of a better term we now own our salary cap, instead of being bound by contracts of the past.“But further, there’s also an education process going forward to teach the key people in our organisation exactly how it (salary cap) works and what the expectations are.“It's a win-win for us because we get an education process and we get his expertise to help clarify and fix up what we’ve got know.’’Will Hopoate is just one of the many contract’s that have sent Parramatta’s cap into disarray Source: Getty ImagesIt was in July that the Eels were levelled with a fine of $465,000 by the NRL for salary cap breaches.The drama flattened head coach Brad Arthur’s ability to use certain players during the 2015 season, for fear of facing further wrath from the NRL.Along with the heavy fine, the NRL threatened to strip the club of competition points next season, should they fail to undertake a corporate governance review by February.However, that review is well under way with Price Waterhouse Coopers leadingLOGGERHEADS: Grant to face off with clubs“We’re three quarters of the way through the review being done by an independent company, which is PWC,’’ Sharp said.“We went to three tenders, they were agreed on by the NRL based on the selection process.“They're doing that report right at the moment, they’re expected to have the first draft of the report completed by the end of the month and hopefully before Christmas we’ll be sitting down with the NRL and going through the acceptance of that report.“Then we could implement any recommended changes over the Christmas and January period, so that by mid-January the NRL can come out and give us the all clear and we can move ahead.’’Ian Schubert was a long time NRL salary cap auditor. Source: News LimitedOriginally published as Eels call in Schubert to fix salary cap

"Come on Macy, surely you can see the benefit in being able to put that Matterson $400k into the process of signing Barnett for next year. That money with Lomax being offered to the Warriors could seriously help get that signing over the line. A…"

"In a way, i'm glad a deal didn't get done. If it did, i think the feeling would have been that we lost & succumbed to pressure from the Storm & NRL as we wouldn't have gained that much. $400K is not really that much to carry for this year. This way,…"

"Happens all the time (NBA refs, some eventually caught). How many Storm personnel went to jail for cooking books? Gambling industry rife with cheating (horse racing etc). Eels last year were the only team I seen get done for the roll play the ball.…"

Replies

HH - Love You Iongi Time! November 19, 2015 at 10:34pm

Izzy coming?
Fuuuuuui November 19, 2015 at 10:41pm

Cool David.. Any other 3 month old stories you have lying around that you can publish to fill the paper?
1ee November 19, 2015 at 11:10pm

Parra sells papers! That's all they have! Bet he's kicking himself writing this crap and then...... The Roberts story breaks!! Shit!
colin hussey November 20, 2015 at 10:12am

Interesting as I read some time ago about this appointment, however it raised a question with me at that time & its still a burr under the saddle for me. Wasn't Schubert the one that rejected the eels contract for Israel Folua to return to NRL at Parra?

Schubert wanted him to be paid top price for his contract from day 1, & would not take into consideration he was away from the game for xxxx years, top dollar from word go.

So, for mine he did us no favors back then so can't see him doing us any this time round either.
Sir Col "THE NODDY MUSHROOM" November 20, 2015 at 10:37am

This Riccio guy is on the ball.

The ENTIRE world knew Shueb was working for the Eels about 4 months ago.

Rivetting headline stuff.
Jimbo November 20, 2015 at 2:27pm

I wonder how much we are paying this bloke for the easiest job in the world? 3 days a week for 13 months - please! I see some value in getting him in for a 2 hour meeting to clarify the areas of grey ... What does he do for the next 56 weeks? This is window dressing at its best to keep the NRL placated - a necessary evil, but let's hope we are paying him in bar vouchers and not exorbitant consultant money.
FAT GUY November 20, 2015 at 3:34pm

Still can never forget I spewed on Schus foot after sprints around Lidcombe Oval in 1985....f me that outside running track was brutal pre season chit..lol he was listed in the West Player Profile as a professional Model back then I chit you not.......
slip November 20, 2015 at 7:06pm

Schuey? Oh god we are in for another long season.