Shane Richardson appointed as Rabbitohs CEO, Nicholas Pappas as Chairman and John Lang as a Football Consultant
26th May 2008
In a proactive and positive meeting, the Board of the South Sydney Football Club has unanimously supported changes to the Board of Directors and the management of the Club today, with Nicholas Pappas moving into the role of non-Executive Chairman and Shane Richardson returning to the position of Chief Executive Officer. The Club's football department has been strengthened with premiership winning Coach John Lang joining the Rabbitohs as a Football Consultant.
Incoming Chairman Nicholas Pappas commended Mr Holmes à Court for the work he has done as Executive Chairman over the past two years. "Peter has made an enormous contribution to the elevation of the Rabbitohs over the last two years," Mr Pappas said. "Together with Russell Crowe, Peter will continue to make an important contribution to the Rabbitohs both as an investor and as a Board member, as he has done over the past two years. I'm delighted with the Chairmanship appointment at a time when we have the ongoing support of two committed investors and a thriving membership that will ensure the prosperity of the Rabbitohs for decades to come."
CEO Shane Richardson added: "My focus now is on winning football games. The addition of John Lang in a football consultancy role is about reviewing and recommending the best practice of the total football operation and thus giving us recommendations for the best structures going forward to put together a winning team."
Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe said: "The reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. Today the Board applauded Peter's achievements in lifting the South Sydney Club and collectively we thanked him for his gargantuan effort over the past two years. Right now it's my belief that what South Sydney needs is the continuity, knowledge and experience that both Nick Pappas (non-Executive Chair) and Shane Richardson (CEO) bring. Both men come from within the Souths family and both men understand intimately how to take advantage of the progress the Club has made."
Head Coach Jason Taylor said: "I think John Lang will add a great deal to the football department here at Souths and I'm really looking forward to working with him. His experience will be invaluable to the Football Club. I'm 100% behind Shane Richardson's return to the CEO?s position and now we can all move forward and concentrate on winning football games."
Mr Holmes à Court said: "I am proud to have worked with a united Board for the last two years, proud to have given my time and investment to this great Club, and honoured to have been Chairman for our first finals appearance in 18 years. We have used the last two years to put in place the essential building blocks: strong sponsorship, the fastest growing Membership in the NRL and a great football department. We have added a first class stadium deal, an elite training facility now under construction in our heartland of Redfern, and an away camp at Coffs Harbour. As I promised, I am handing over the Chairmanship to Nicholas Pappas. I remain a director, a very long term shareholder and a Member ready to support the team this Sunday at ANZ Stadium."
President of South Sydney Juniors, Keith McCraw, said: "South Sydney Juniors will continue to support the senior club through its development of young players in the area. We are proud that we have a senior club for our young players to aspire to."
Richardson Guarantees Future
30th May 2008
The club's returning chief executive Shane Richardson did, saying he wouldn't have returned to the job if he didn't believe the club had one. Asked if he believed the famous Rabbitohs would still be around in 20 years, Richardson said, "I wouldn't be back in the job if I didn't believe that. "There's unfinished business and I'm going to do my best to make sure this club's back on the winning list again."
Richardson on Monday returned to the job he had held before the privatisation of the club saw Holmes a Court and Hollywood star Russell Crowe become majority owners. But Richardson said things weren't as bad as they seemed. "It's not always the way it is, perception," he said. "It's nowhere near as bad as people are making out. I've got great faith in (coach) Jason Taylor and great faith that the team will turn it around. John Lang's appointment is because I'll tell you something about rugby league and Peter Holmes a Court's learning it now. When you go down on your knees in rugby league, people kick you in the head, they don't help you up and you need people around you that really believe in it. We've got members who stuck with us through the worst situation in the world. This is not the worst situation. We've got a club that they can be proud of. We'll put it back on its feet and we'll get wins for them again but you've got to stick together and more importantly you've got to trust each other."
Richardson said the reaction had been exaggerated because of the involvement of Crowe and millionaire businessman Holmes a Court. "I'd like to think if it wasn't Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court it wouldn't be the same reaction," he said. "It's completely over-exaggerated, the position we're in."
Richardson confirmed reports the pair had dipped into their own pockets to keep the Rabbitohs going after the club recorded a $4 million loss last year. "(Holmes a Court) paid for things out of his own pocket, he never took a wage whatsoever, he never in any way took any money from the club in any way, shape or form," the CEO said. "Peter put that money in to balance the books ... people who talk about him not doing it, he did it and Russell put money in to make sure the club goes forward as well."
Richardson had said he'd seen no evidence of a rumoured rift between the co-owners, who reportedly met over dinner on Tuesday night in a attempt to patch things up, but hinted that there could have been disagreements. "Friendships are funny things from time to time, aren't they?" he said. "Everyone makes me and (Lang) out to be great mates and everything else. I can tell you we've had some humdingers over the years and patched them up. Time tests friendships."