New South Wales rugby union coach Ewen McKenzie says he is mystified as to why Queensland is still using Wendell Sailor in its marketing campaigns.{br}{br}View the Entire Article{br}
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New South Wales rugby union coach Ewen McKenzie says he is mystified as to why Queensland is still using Wendell Sailor in its marketing campaigns.{br}{br}View the Entire Article{br}
Nice job. Maybe they can make more with Sharpie and the others that left...
Turn your back on Queensland? Well it's f-ing easier than watching them play...
Sailor opens fire
By Andrew Dawson
January 29, 2006
WENDELL Sailor has dumped a bombshell on the Queensland Rugby Union with an extraordinary attack on its administration and marketing arms.
In an explosive preamble to next month's Super 14 series clash against NSW at Suncorp Stadium, Sailor questioned whether incumbent CEO Theo Psaros should continue in his role and criticised the "Boo Wendell" campaign ahead of the interstate grudge match.
But Psaros returned fire, accusing Sailor of living on "Planet Dell" and not knowing what happens outside "Wendell World".
"I still talk to several of the guys and they are filthy about the campaign," Sailor said.
"I'm big enough to cop it, but how predictable is that?
"There are some good young kids coming through at the Reds, yet instead of focusing on a bloke like Drew Mitchell they want to put smart comments about me on billboards."
Sailor fired a broadside at Psaros when he said: "If the Reds want success this year, they desperately need to get their house in order.
"I'm not sure that Theo Psaros is the right man to turn the Reds around.
"How can any chief executive think he's doing a good job when he loses 14 players in one season?
"Sure, the players didn't get results on the field but he didn't help with the way he handled negotiations as players weighed up their futures.
"I remember occasions when Psaros would attempt to negotiate contracts with guys 24 hours before a game.
"Surely there are better ways to conduct business than approaching blokes on the eve of big games."
However, Psaros said no such negotiations took place and emphasised Sailor had been consulted before the current marketing campaign was launched.
"We are not urging spectators to boo Dell. We just think it is amazing that anyone could choose to turn their back on Queensland," Psaros said.
"But I thank him for his bit in promoting the game, particularly as we advised him prior to the campaign and he was relaxed about it.
"Wendell is a magnificent footballer and I have the greatest respect for his ability, but frankly he does not know a lot about what goes on outside of Wendell World.
"He is on Planet Dell with his claim about me negotiating contracts before one of the guys play a big game.
"We all know Wendell generally has an opinion on everything and that includes me.
"But the facts and his opinions are two different things.
"We have lost a number of players, but guess what, we have also retained plenty of them and attracted Sam Cordingley and some exciting new talent in Berrick Barnes.
"We are also doing pretty well on the business side as well, with the best provincial rugby sponsorship in Australia involving Queensland Rail and Suncorp Bank.
"They have recognised better times ahead. It is a pity Wendell did not choose to stick around to help with the hard work that Jeff Miller and his new coaching team are putting in, but that was his call."
Sailor said the Waratahs were as tightly knit as the great Broncos sides of the 1990s and he resented suggestions money was what drove him from Brisbane to Sydney.
The Sunday Mail (Qld)
Theo sounds like a bit of a wally to me.
Del is known for his mouth but he's a player, not a CEO.
And I think Del raises a good point "How can any chief executive think he's doing a good job when he loses 14 players in one season?"
Despite us being the beneficiaries of most of those players, if they had their house in order they wouldn't be having to turn to old journeymen like Cordingley, Connors, McKellar and potential Kefu.
Supposedly it was Ben Tune that was approached to make a deal on the eve of a game. Dell's a bit of a d**k complaining that they're signing people but also complaining that they weren't signing people... Apart from that, this Psaros guy sounds like a knob jockey.
Yeah Sage, as I recall Tuney was put under extreme pressure in South Africa by Reds management back when Mitch was trying to get him to sign with the Force.
Thankfully we got Staniforth instead of Tune going on the season so far!
Re Qld though, they might not be promoting the "Boo Del" scenario but they sure aren't distancing themselves from it either. I'm sure I read an article early last week where a Qld official was indicating it wasn't such a bad campaign, will have to have a hunt through the websites.
I'm actually happy QLD are making all this comotion. I've got a far bit of parody material at the moment. Just need to snap some photos on Saturday for it.
If anyone is interested, we've updated WearBlue with some good old slander against QLD. There's more to come but I need some photos on Saturday first.
Just click the sig, enjoy.
I am so happy that Mr Mitchell didnt sign Dell for the Force - You can have him Sage
The site is looking good Sage!
I'm prepared to give him a red hot chance. I wasn't at all impressed with his signing but I had a really odd dream once (which I actually published on the site) which changed my mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by the.committed.in.exile
Thank you. We've got a fair ammount of support from the powers that be, more fans are visiting also. I also noticed there's a few people getting to thewholeforce from our site, you can thank me with a beer later. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Coach
Sage what you do in the privacy of your own mind really is your own business - no need to tell us about it. You might scare the kids.
Don't worry, I know the look on your face.. It's the same look I got from everyone else I've ever told that story to.
Reds also opposed smearing Big Dell
By Wayne Smith
January 31, 2006
IT is not just the NSW Waratahs who are aghast at the Queensland Rugby Union's marketing campaign targeting Wendell Sailor in the lead-up to the February 11 interstate match. Senior Queensland players also oppose it and tried to nip it in the bud.
It was revealed yesterday QRU officials went ahead with their plans to build a massive advertising campaign around Sailor's decision to turn his back on the under-performing Reds to join the arch-enemy, NSW, despite the fact the Reds expressed serious reservations about it.
"Rugby is a professional game now and this is what we do for a living," one Reds player said yesterday.
"It's our job, and people are going to move from state to state as opportunities arise. We've got as many New South Welshmen playing for us as the Waratahs have Queenslanders playing for them, so what's the big deal about Wendell's move?"
The players also expressed their fears the campaign would play into NSW's hands by providing the Waratahs with a motivational free kick. Those concerns appear to be well-founded, with NSW coach Ewen McKenzie having ridiculed the QRU's billboard blitz.
After playing alongside Sailor for the past four years, the Reds also had little doubt how he would respond to the ribbing.
"Wendell will love it and play the house down," one player said. "And the other concern is that this might set a precedent. Are we going to do the same to Sharpey (Nathan Sharpe) before we play the Western Force?
"On the other hand, we understand why the marketing people are doing this. It's their job to put bums on seats and there is no doubt this campaign will do that."
Already just under 30,000 tickets have been sold to the match at Suncorp Stadium, with QRU chief executive Theo Psaros hopeful the Australian Super 12 crowd record of 42,600 (set at the 2004 interstate match) will tumble on the first weekend of Super 14 rugby - assuming the Western Force-Brumbies match does not eclipse it at Subiaco Oval the previous night.
"There were some reservations among the players about the campaign and we did pull some billboards that they thought were a little over the top but ultimately we made a business decision to go ahead with it," Psaros said.
"We're moving from Ballymore to Suncorp Stadium and it's going to be a brand new market for us. We were criticised last year for being too passive. Well, we're not going to be meek, mild and passive this year."
Just captured this from Sports Tonight:
http://thewholeforce.com/photos/turnyourback.jpg