‘3 year plan’ mystery leaves Sydney FC fans demanding answers

- January 23, 2014 - Opinions - 1 comment

The existence of an unknown multi-year strategic plan currently underway at Sydney FC lit up Twitter on Wednesday night as frustrated Sydney FC fans tried to find out more information as to how the club, under fire for another poor season and apparent lack of long-term plans, planned to return to the club to the top of Australian football.

In response to a story on Sydney FC’s current woes, both on and off the field, The Australian football writer Ray Gatt revealed that, after discussions with Sydney FC chairman Scott Barlow, he was confident the club was in a good place, something which fans may feel doesn’t match the reality of the current situation.

 

 


When pressed further, Gatt stated he had been shown the club’s strategic plan for the next 3 years. While the football results were obviously unacceptable, off the field the club was ‘exceeding all targets’.

 

 


Requests for more information on this plan, specifically information regarding signings post-Del Piero were rebuffed, as the plan appears to only be available to journalists.

 

 

However, others confirmed that the club was already half-way through the plan.

When Gatt was asked whether Barlow or anyone at the club intended to release details of the club’s plan and vision to fans asking for answers on the club’s future, Gatt said the club wanted to wait for an ‘appropriate time’.

 

 


The appropriateness of the time, or who it was supposed to be appropriate for could not be confirmed by Gatt. Further requests for information were refused.

 

With the Twitter trail now cold, Sydney FC fans desperate for a scrap of information from their club must now wait for the details of the plan to be revealed, all the while wondering if their club will make the Top 6 this season, or miss out yet again.

Opinion

Gatt was the target of a barrage of Tweets from fans – not just those who support Sydney FC – regarding the information he hinted at. If his intention was to reassure fans that the club was on the right path, he was unsuccessful, but that’s ignoring the deeper issue; Gatt doesn’t run the club after all, so he is merely the messenger in all this.

This isn’t like, say, the Wanderers, who have proven they know how to structure an effective title challenge despite the occasional loss or two. If Sydney FC’s vision was clear, this plan would be a non-issue; most businesses have a strategic plan in some form or another which aren’t shared with customers. But most businesses with sliding results and an uncertain future would be trumpeting their plan to all and sundry in an attempt to reassure their customers – in this case, fans – that yes, you can still believe in us. If the club was losing badly, but the fans knew why, and could see the coach, club & players were working towards a defined plan to leave the club in a better position both on and off the field, e.g. Gombau at the start of this season, then most fans would probably understand. But this isn’t the case, and hasn’t been for a few seasons now. To have Sydney FC’s strategic on/off field plan hinted at, told it was known to several journalists, told that the club intends to share the details of the plan with fans, but not provided with the when, where, or how, was gut-wrenching to watch.

There is precedent for clubs sharing the details of their strategic rebuilding plans. Those of you familiar with NRL might remember Gus Gould’s five year plan for the Penrith Panthers, now at its halfway mark. While the team has had its struggles and the plan pilloried by various parties, the fans know why. Last season was one of the best seasons the Panthers had since Gould took over, and with positive signings this off-season, others are now acknowledging that the plan is beginning to bear fruit. But can you imagine the confusion and outcry if Gus hadn’t told fans what was happening, two and a half years in? Ignorance would’ve hardly been bliss. Let’s also not forget the GWS Giants and of course, Gombau…

The fact this plan is now known to exist should prompt the club to reveal as much of it as possible, if only to shout down the growing number of dissenters who claim the club has no vision, plan, or idea. It shouldn’t have to come to this, but if any time was ‘appropriate’ for the club to share its vision with the fans who continually cry out for something, anything, to keep the faith alive, it would be now.

About the author

I love over-thinking the beautiful game any chance I get. Trying my hand at writing about football this year, as well being as an optimistic supporter of Sydney FC.