Eddie McGuire was just a “boy” reporting for Channel 10 News when I first met him in the mid 80’s. I remember he interviewed me at Carey Grammar where I taught Physical Education before a game against Footscray. I can remember it like yesterday thinking wow this guy knows his stuff and has so much energy and he also knew how to throw in a curly question by asking me if “someone” would be watering the Moorabbin Oval (mud heap) at 2am before the game. Talented people like Eddie use their strengths as their weapon in their chosen field to make progress up the ladder. I believe what drives Eddie is his insatiable desire to succeed and his ability to communicate at all levels of the community. I love Eddie and Eddie is good for the AFL very good.
Sure being president or chairman of the biggest sporting franchise in Australia both in Football and Cricket (Big Bash) sure gives you a platform to speak your mind. But having an opinion is only ever any good if you can back it up with the runs on the board and at the moment Eddie has a Don Bradman batting average when it comes to success in media and football.
I can remember being at the Tok H nightclub in Toorak as a young 23 y.o. and standing with me was these two young very ambitious news reporters Stephen Quartermain and Eddie McGuire. Those were the days when Channel 10 got it right. Quarters has gone on to be the National News Co-Host and Eddie’s achievements would fill the MCG. Back then I was taken back by how these two were the first to mingle with AFL Players socially and of course befriended them which lead to major inside knowledge of breaking player stories. Smart very smart. I also noticed how competitive they both were to beat each other yet were mates. It reminded me a lot of growing up with Brownlow Medallist Greg Williams in Bendigo. We were great mates but lived each day to beat each other at everything from bike riding to who could eat the most Sunny Boys or Glugs to everything football. I won the bike riding and Sunny Boy eating but I’ll give him a win on the footy but only because of the Brownlows.
Everyone in the world would know that Eddie grew up in Broadmeadows and to be honest I wouldn’t have known where Broadmeadows was if he hadn’t told the world 6 billion times. Broady was good for Ed but Ed was good for Broady and that’s why AFL needs an Eddie McGuire.
Eddie can talk. He talk’s a lot of sense. He could sell ice to the eskimos. When he became president of Collingwood he not only sold a future to the Pies fans he also was selling the future of the AFL to all fans. Because without a successful Collingwood (with the largest fan base) there would be no where near the TV viewers or attendances at games.
What Eddie is is a visionary. Sure he has great ideas for a new Stadium near the MCG. This is part of his brilliance but its was his vision for Collingwood when they were playing at Victoria Park to move them to the MCG and to have training facilities second to none across the road. It was his vision to have all Collingwood fans feel wanted and part of the Club. It was his vision to bring the past players back on board who were at loggerheads with the Club. In turn he got some very clever people to the Club including Mick Malthouse, Gubby Allan and Greg Swann and of course a Premiership resulted. It’s was his vision when starting on the Footy Show to harness Sam Newman but at the same time let him go for it. He’s also very good at get over stuff ups.
Yes me makes blunders (usually when on live radio or TV) but he ain’t the first or last. Eddie’s comments about Adam Goodes a few years a go and of course dropping of the C Bomb on Fox Footy come to mind but wow you haven’t made similar comments. Give me a spell. He has a remarkable way of responding to both mistakes and criticism. He gets on the front foot early takes responsibility and moves on.
What makes him good is he is the face of not only his own Club but the Competition. He has major media platforms to spruik both including Radio, TV and Newspaper. What he does is he creates interest in the game. He is bold and daring and at times I haven’t agreed with everything he has done but his heart is always in what’s best for both the game and Collingwood. Not too many people would know he helped the Western Bulldogs find a major sponsor when they done and dusted. He ticks off a carve up of tickets Sales to Clubs who play Collingwood. He fights for his own Club and in return for the members. Let’s face it whoever you follow you would love Eddie to be President of your Club.
At the moment I can sense Eddie knows the game is lacking appeal. He knows the game needs characters and high scoring matches. I suspect just like me he thinks the Commission may lack visionaries just like him. All the Commissioners are highly regarded businessmen and woman but I don’t see a Michael Gudinski type who can see the future. I wonder is it coincidence or not that Jeff Browne (a good Eddie mate) and former Legal Eagle at the AFL and former Channel 9 CEO is being spruiked as possible Commissioner. Personally if I had to rate the the top 5 visionaries in the AFL over the 36 years I’ve been involved I would have Eddie as No.1 Andrew Demetriou as No.2 Jeff Browne as No. 3 and Brian Cook No. 4 and Jason Dunstall No. 5 ( he got Clarkson to the Hawks and pushed for Kennett the rest is history)
I believe the time has come for the AFL and the AFL community to use Eddie McGuire as the No. 1 man in AFL and make him an offer to Chair the AFL Commission. I believe this would secure the future of football for a long time. It would reward the man and the game with the best result for everyone. No one can bring waring parties together better than Eddie. No one has a bigger public profile. Yes he there will be criticism that he has conflicts of interest but tell me someone who doesn’t ? As Eddie moves in to the next phase of his life I know he will need challenges to keep his focus and drive. He has seen first hand how the Big Bash has won the support of the fans with short sharp games that are entertaining from the first ball to the last, how characters draw people to games like Kevin Pietersen and how sport is entertainment now and needs to be in your face from start to finish.
Eddie is not good for footy he’s great and believe it or not could be a hell of a lot better if we make the appointment I am suggesting. Eddie McGuire Chairman of the AFL has a ring to it doesn’t it.
Ricky Nixon’s take on AFL #ChickenGoesBANG Mondays and Fridays 6pm Sporting News Australia
Contact Ricky Nixon via info@rickynixon.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rickynixon19
Ricky Nixon 