Pie crown may not fit Korda
Collingwood chiefs thought the decision to install longtime director and insolvency expert Mark Korda as full-time president on Wednesday night would turn the Jeff Browne forces away from the Holden Centre gates, they were wrong.
Those in the Browne corner – and they are a growing number – say Korda’s appointment only serves to demonstrate the governance failings that have plagued Australia’s most famous sporting club. Some have even likened the plight of the Magpies to the spectacular downfall of Crown Resorts.
“Mark Korda is a very well respected businessman – a fabulous person – but it misses the point, and the point is governance. Proper governance,” former Pies solicitor and prominent Melbourne businessman Francis Galbally said.
“What has happened with Collingwood is that the board has allowed Eddie McGuire, who I love, to effectively run the club, and what we have now seen is a total collapse of the club as a result of that lack of governance. So there has not been, in my opinion, proper governance put in place to ensure that there is an appropriate transition program for leadership.
“Everybody just seems to have agreed with whatever the prevailing view was.
“And the best analogy for Collingwood right now is Crown casino. It’s a terrible thing to say, but from the outside the governance does not look good.”
As part of the problem, Korda, pictured, cannot be part of the solution, Galbally says.
For the time being, Browne, 66, and his backers will step back and watch – and wait.
The public endorsement of the ex-Channel 9 boss and former AFL legal adviser by powerful player agent Craig Kelly was a game changer.
As the manager of Nathan Buckley and a member of ColIF lingwood’s famed 1990 premiership team, Kelly’s support speaks to unrest within the Magpies constituency.
Peter Moore, the father of star defender Darcy Moore, has also added his name to the push and Browne is well connected with the suits at AFL House. His enduring friendship with McGuire is another key factor.
“The fuse is lit. They (the current board) will f--k it up. There’s a lot of discontent around,” said one Browne supporter.
The nuclear option to force an emergency general meeting via 100 member signatures remains a possibility, meaning the 90,000 paid-up Collingwood fans could yet get the chance to endorse a board and president of their own choice.
But Galbally says an EGM can be avoided if Korda and Co “realise we can’t keep going the way we have been going”.
“A number of board members need to resign and there needs to be a whole new group of people who can step up and go on the board as fresh faces. And absolutely Jeff Browne should lead that,” he says.
“If they don’t, then you’ll need members to speak out.”