[SEN] Brett Crabtree on Essendon Board threats interview summary
Garry: What's the motivation here? If it's not the one you want you might spill the board?
Brett: You're right, the crux of it all is this is based on a litany of many years of poor decisions. I'm speaking on behalf of a group, this is not about me this is about Essendon, it's not something I want to be doing, I have a business to run. I'd prefer to fly under the radar but this goes back to years of poor decisions. When Brad Scott was let go and James put his name out there, Essendon had an opportunity to stamp it on the head and say no or if he was going to be a candidate ensure the process was far quicker and more seamless than this complete circus we've seen bordering on 4 months. I don't know James Hird, he doesn't know me. This is about what's best for Essendon. This is not about board division and disuniting, it's about uniting the club. They can make a decision to unite the club and make it relevant again.
Brett gets disconnected due to audio issues, will rejoin
Tim Watson: If James wasn't going to be considered then the ideal time to tell him that was at the beginning of the process. I would hate to think at the end of all this they've just brought James along to appease the members. Because what it did do was at the beginning of it, it did scare off a lot of other potential candidates to be a coach.
Brett rejoins
Garry: It appears an actual process has been run, aren't you obliged to accept the results of the process?
Brett: That's a valid point Garry but why has the process taken as long as it has? How many potential candidates for this job have done exactly what we've seen and gone elsewhere and said we aren't interested? If Essendon/Welsh had've come out from the get go and said sorry James, no. My initial reaction was I'd have loved to see Corey Enright as a candidate. But once Hird puts his hat in the ring then Essendon had an obligation to make the process much faster.
Tim: If this process doesn't go the way you want do you see yourself as a potential chairman of the club?
Brett: Absolutely not, I see myself as a soldier and I represent a group of very significant influential individuals based in Melbourne who have a longer connection than I do. However for reasons I won't get into they have to remin anonymous.
Tim: When you say influential what does that actually mean?
Brett: They are closer to Essendon than I am. Obviously I'm in Adelaide, they're in melbourne. They have far more knowledge of the people, the process and at this stage they really want Essendon to do the right thing. We all want to go back to our lives if Essendon do the right thing and we will see Essendon become relevant again.
Garry: Is hiring Hird the only thing that could be the right thing?
Brett: Now, that's correct.
Tim: So if Essendon names, Graham, McVeigh or Davis so you're saying your group will challenge the board?
Brett: Absolutely and it wont be a complete challenge to clean out every board member. It will be a targeted program, there are people who have sat through the board through multiple terms. You only need to look at what Essendon's achieved during their time. If I was them I would've stepped down. This is very targeted at certain board members.
Edmund: What would you say to people who say you're causing division?
Brett: We are not interested in making upheaval for the sake of it. If Essendon do the right thing and make the right decision we will be united. We will cause upheaval to make Essendon relevant again. If push comes to shove why would we keep doing what we've done for 14-15 years? Sometimes desperate needs call for desperate deeds.
Brett leaves
Watson: If it's Graham or someone else I'm trusting that they've done the process correctly which is what I've said from the start. This is what I said to Hird, if you don't get it you have to trust that they've done the most rigorous process and you aren't the right man. So if it's Graham I'm happy its Graham. My point is that it's not about one appointment, there are a lot of things at the football club that need to be looked at and need to be fixed. The problem is that if they aren't fixed then we're just throwing a new coach to the wolves. If they choose Graham then they have to know that he has to be ready to handle all these things that will come