So I've vented. As many of us have had this week. It's probably been as negative as any week I can remember, but with ill feeling directed at the administration rather than the players.
It's important for us to do this. It's important for us to make our feelings known. If we feel the need to stand up for certain players, or our coach, then its important the club recognises it. The public back-tracking over the possible early release of Daniel Anderson I see as a victory for the fans. You rose in numbers to support the Eels coach and I think that message came through loud and clear. You've made clear to the board of directors that unless they're seeking a one-term stint in office, they'll honour their commitment to Daniel Anderson and at the very least let him see him out his contract.
I think it's been made clear what we believe this great club should stand for, and how we'd like to see our management operate. I'm proud of the fact that the vast majority want to see the club uphold itself to a certain set of standards and professionalism. And we will not tolerate to see those standards compromised. And I'm proud that 1Eyed Eel has provided a vehicle for so many fans to express how they feel.
However, I think its important we all start to re-focus on the task ahead. Once again our season goes on the line this weekend - at our home ground against the Tigers. I don't know about you, but all of this drama, all of this media spotlight, makes me hunger for a premiership in 2010 than ever before. I want to see our proud captain, the legendary Nathan Cayless who broke a record that will likely stand for many years last week, go out with a Premiership ring. I want to see Feleti Mateo and Krisnan Inu win a premiership with the mates they've played football with since they were juniors. I want Kris and Matty Keating to share a lap of honour together.
None of this drama is furthering our cause. So as a community, I'd like to see us back off on the negatives somewhat and focus on the game ahead. After all, it was only days ago that we were in raptures of the performance of our local debutant Anthony Mitchell, overjoyed with another young junior Taniela Lasalo stepping up to the challenge, and thrilled by the performances of the likes of Mateo, Hayne and Keating.
So let's try and recapture some of that excitement. Because, as has been shown this week, the fans matter. Your thoughts and feelings filter through the press and into the public domain and it truly does impact the club. And to be fair to the administration, we should not judge too harshly until the recruiting process has been completed. I constantly defend the players against criticism I see as premature or half-cocked, so I think we need to cut the administrators a little of the slack as well. (And I fully realise that given the Quade Cooper decision is likely to happen this week this may very well be an overly ambitious desire).
However, for me, I get to go to my Stadium on the weekend, and sit on my hill and I get to see a team that I wanted to see in place all year, and I'm going to bask in that despite whatever is happening in the back office. I'm not overjoyed about how 2011 is looking, but right now I just want to focus on 2010. Because I haven't given up on that bastard yet.
Replies
Long live parra and long live ando!!!!
Come on Parra! :-) :-)
We vent and rave and scream then as you have done in the past on a number of occassions you manage to pull us back to the task at hand with a precise and measured approach.
Sometimes you may find that when the supporters vent like this it becomes the time when their passion and support rises to meet the challenges of reaching the finals.
Hopefully this added dimension of support transfers itself into the team knowing (and feeling) we are in this with them to the end.
Great piece.