Collingwood Football Club is guilty of systemic racism

[Rocket Science]

Meanwhile one of their board members at this eve's AGM evidently didn't get the memo ...



It's a just a thing that's wafting about in the air and perhaps seeped into the carpets they can probably fumigate for.

[GVGjr]

Eddie should stay and address the issues that have been raised. He has to repair his own image along with that of the Collingwood footy club

I get why so many have called for his head and I agree his approach has been appalling but he should want to fix this and set the club on a far better course

[jeemak]

Eddie should stay and address the issues that have been raised. He has to repair his own image along with that of the Collingwood footy club

I get why so many have called for his head and I agree his approach has been appalling but he should want to fix this and set the club on a far better course

He's had enough chances and proved himself incapable of being better in this area.

People have good attributes and bad attributes, blind spots and clear sight. In this area Eddie has bad attributes and a blind spot, and this doesn't mean he is a bad person in totality, rather, it just means that he's not the person to take the club in a different direction when it comes to systemic racism within its four walls and beyond.

[Topdog]

He's had enough chances and proved himself incapable of being better in this area.

People have good attributes and bad attributes, blind spots and clear sight. In this area Eddie has bad attributes and a blind spot, and this doesn't mean he is a bad person in totality, rather, it just means that he's not the person to take the club in a different direction when it comes to systemic racism within its four walls and beyond.

Perfectly articulated.

[mjp]

Meanwhile one of their board members at this eve's AGM evidently didn't get the memo ...



It's a just a thing that's wafting about in the air and perhaps seeped into the carpets they can probably fumigate for.

I think this is an important point though in many ways.

There are a LOT of people who work at Collingwood in all areas of the club. I think it is possible for individuals within an organisation - and I know there have been a few references on socials to a couple of indigenous staffers who have been working to change things from the inside - to have a mindset that is open, welcoming and supportive to ALL whilst the overall tone of the place is flawed.

I know this sounds like the defence used by most of the members of the SS post WWII however it is an important point.

What has happened here is overall positive and hopefully it has all clubs looking at the way they conduct themselves. There is no doubt that the thoughts expressed by Matt Rendall back in 2012 were held by pretty much every club in the competition and the continued focus on recruiting players from the Victorian APS schools is strong evidence of this...that players including Lamumba and Chris Egan have spoken out about the way they were treated at Collingwood is a credit to them - that the investigation has been released is also a positive (setting aside the legitimate concerns about the time taken to complete it).

Whether Eddie remains in place to address the issues himself (I think he should be determined to do that but if I was on the board I wouldn't let him - he really has become the George C. Wallace of this issue and no matter what he says and does NOW there is simply too much history there for anyone to take any words of reconciliation seriously) or if he is replaced and another leader given the opportunity Collingwood have actually been given an opportunity not afforded any other club right now - to rebuild their culture from the ground up using 2021 sensibilities...

[bornadog]

[Twodogs]

I preferred the Easybeats' version.

[Dry Rot]

I only saw this in passing, and my first thought was that it was an apology to Collingwood fans that they have only won 2 flags in 63 years.

[Axe Man]

Eddie standing down as President, effective immediately.

[bornadog]

Eddie standing down as President, effective immediately.

It is the right thing to do.

[GVGjr]

Eddie standing down as President, effective immediately.

He ran out of options didn't he? As Jeemak mentioned, he had a blind spot on the issue and didn't male the right calls
He's done so much for football over the years but many will remember this instead of the more positive outcomes

Look at the way PG exited the position and the way he will be remembered. Ed's done himself a disservice

[EasternWest]

He ran out of options didn't he? As Jeemak mentioned, he had a blind spot on the issue and didn't male the right calls
He's done so much for football over the years but many will remember this instead of the more positive outcomes

Look at the way PG exited the position and the way he will be remembered. Ed's done himself a disservice

It was 2013 when he called Adam Goodes a gorilla.

It's good that Collingwood took some fast, decisive action.

[merantau]

Eddie has been his own worst enemy. His comments over the years have often shown that he is blind to the make up of 2020 Australian society. For example, the comment that "we've got Asian people coming through our netball team." Well maybe some of those people had grandparents who were born here - certainly parents who were born here and certainly the players themselves are likely to have been born here.
It must make those players question just what it is they have to do to be accepted as Australian.
I would not classify Eddie as a nasty racist - he is not. But he does have a blind spot and has been really poor in his use of language. "Proud day for Collingwood"! That was spin to the nth degree.
Better to have said: "This is a watershed moment for Collingwood. We have failed as an organisation to support all who comprise it. We cannot allow this state of affairs to continue. We are sorry for the hurt we have caused. We are sorry that we have allowed issues to fester instead of addressing them. We must do better and we will do better.:

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Eddie dug himself a hole he couldn't climb out of. In the end, the right decision was made.

BUT.

Let's not pretend Eddie is the devil and forget all the good things he has done for clubs and people within the football World. For mine, he's a good person with good intentions who occasionally says some stupid things. He fell on his own sword but I can't stand people who jump on the bandwagon by painting him in such a negative light.

Unfortunately he hasn't learned from past mistakes and its cost him.

[jeemak]

It was 2013 when he called Adam Goodes a gorilla.

It's good that Collingwood took some fast, decisive action.

He didn't call him one, just said he should pretend to be one to promote a stage show! Jesus, sensitive!