REINSTATED Northern NSW Football chief executive David Eland has taken aim at former chairman Peter Moore and rejected claims he was sacked because he acted outside of the board’s wishes.
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Eland completed a miraculous return to the CEO role yesterday, 14 weeks and a day after being axed in a move that split the NNSWF board and ultimately led to the departure of Moore, deputy chairman Greg Wilson and directors Richard Face and Andrew Robertson.
Eland, who was given no reason for being sacked 2 years into a five-year contract on October 30, broke his silence yesterday, saying his year working under Moore ‘‘was very tough’’ and that he still had no idea why he was axed. But Eland rejected speculation it was because he did not consult the board on important issues and that it led to a breakdown in the working relationship.
‘‘Part of the speculation was that I was making decisions the board weren’t happy with or the board weren’t across, well that’s just absolute rubbish, because every major decision was endorsed by the board,’’ Eland said.
Although keen to move on from the saga yesterday, he opened up about his poor relationship with Moore, the moves to oust him and the effect on him and his family.
‘‘The last 12 months were very hard,’’ he said.
‘‘The first year and a half of my employment were enjoyable, fulfilling and rewarding. Then Mr Moore took over the chairmanship from Mr [Jeff] Green in December 2010.
‘‘Peter and I don’t have a personal relationship, and I don’t think that’s essential. The chairman and CEO don’t necessarily need to get along.
‘‘But at all times I strived to be professional, to have a successful working relationship and to treat the chairman and the other members of the board with the utmost respect.’’
When asked if he had spoken to the former directors since the dismissal, he said: ‘‘They were deleted as a contact off my phone immediately, because I didn’t by mistake even want to get in contact with them. I had nothing to discuss with them.
‘‘They terminated me without reason, without giving me a chance to respond.’’
Despite long-running rumours about a breakdown in relations, Eland was shocked by the move against him.
‘‘I was taken by complete by surprise because I’m sure, like anyone else, I would have expected the courtesy or the opportunity to at least respond to their concerns before they took such drastic action,’’ he said.
He said he did not receive a performance review in his time in charge and that ‘‘would have been the time to address’’ any concerns.
Eland said he did not attend a meeting on October 26, which followed a meeting that day where a vote of no confidence against him was discussed, because of doctor’s orders.
Two days later the motion was passed after directors Bill Walker and Michael Gaertner resigned, setting in motion a chaotic three months for NNSWF.
‘‘I was asked at late notice to turn up at Mr Wilson’s office at 7.30 on that Wednesday night to discuss salary review for staff which was dramatically overdue,’’ he said.
‘‘I asked the chairman for an update. That led to later in the day the call for the meeting.
‘‘I then received a call from a director who asked if I was aware of a meeting at 6.30. I had no idea a board meeting had been called.
‘‘It’s not for me to speculate what would have occurred at that 7.30 meeting, but perhaps there was more than salary reviews on the agenda.
‘‘When I heard about the secret meeting taking place, I rang my wife and said, ‘It’s on, get ready. There’s something going on here.’’’
He said the three months after the sacking had been ‘‘incredibly hard’’ on his wife Fiona and their two daughters.
‘‘My girls have been terrific and my wife is probably stronger than me,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s been a really tough time because it takes a long time to become part of the community and we made a massive commitment and investment here.’’
He said it was great to be back in the top job and thanked the football community, in particular new chairman Walker and deputy Gaertner, for their support.
‘‘For them to resign on the spot then get on the front foot ... they could have easily have gone away and not worried about it all but they stood up for what they knew was right,’’ he said.
And despite the drawn-out battle, Eland said he was always hopeful of returning to the CEO role.
‘‘When I got a grasp of the members’ support I was certainly buoyed by that because we’re a member-based organisation and ultimately they dictate what goes on,’’ he said.
‘‘I had the members calling me, sending me texts etcetera, saying, ‘this is unfounded’ or ‘we’re not going to stand for this’.
‘‘I was buoyed by that and also humbled by the support.
‘‘The support from the members was unbelievable and the support from the football community at large was unbelievable.
‘‘The staff in here, I can’t tell them how much I appreciate their support as well.’’
As for the men who sacked him, Eland was keen to move on.
‘‘I can assure you, I’m just going to get on with it and be professional,’’ he said.
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