All Your Questions Answered! Part 2
By Touchline
May 25 2008
The second part of the notes from last week's meeting between Mick Hogan, Falcons’ Commercial Director and Touchline. This part of the discussion covers questions you wanted asked categorised into Matches, Merchandise and Players. As with Part 1, for commercial, legal or similar reasons some of Mick's comments cannot be published.
Part 2
Matches
Q Will the Park & ride be continued next Season?
A Yes and at the same price
Q When will the other pres-season games other than Western Force be announced?
A Probably in the next week or so. It’s unlikely that there will be any other home pre-season games other than Western Force despite the Club making their best effort to arrange one. Several Celtic League sides were approached but it was not possible to arrange a game in the dates available. It was felt that a game against an ND1 side was not beneficial. Dates have proved a problem as the Falcons will be holding a 4-5 day training camp in France and there may be an away game against a Top 14 French side on the Weekend of 23-24th August. An Away game against a Borders Select 15 at Hawick is already virtually certain. Because of this it is planned to offer ST holders a BOGOF offer on tickets for the Western Force game.
Q Which team do you think will be relegated next season?
A Not us!
Q Is it planned to play any Home games at venues other than KP?
A Nothing is definite but if there was an opportunity to arrange an International Rugby Festival comprising e.g, a World Wide Sevens tournament leading to a Falcons home game which would generate income that could be used for the team then it can’t be ruled out.
Q Is there any way of common sense prevailing on the bottle top ban?
A The Club intend to speak the relevant people and try to get it changed for next season.
Q Why do we have such short posts?
A It makes for easy and quick removal
Q When will games be played next season, how many Friday matches etc?
A Probably 2-3 Friday night games. Saturday games would be avoided unless imposed by television. The Club remains committed to Sunday afternoons. Final scheduling won’t be decided until the Fixture List is available.
Merchandise
Q Why is there no Club Shop in the Metrocentre?
A The operating costs would be far greater than probable sales. Discussions are underway with retail partners for them to carry stock of Falcons’ merchandise.
Q Of the new Nike kits how many of each have the Club sold through the Official outlets?
A About 5,000 shirts sold with approximately 75% being the Home shirt. Charity shirt sales have been disappointing this year.
Q If there is a new Away top does it have to be predominately white?
A The rules require the away shirt to be a light colour. All yellow or all light grey is possible but black shorts are not allowed. Light red or orange with white shorts are also a possibility. On balance it is felt that he predominately white kit is the best for us.
Q Can we please have nice car stickers? Can we have flags & car stickers without the web address plastered all over them? Why doesn’t the shop sell flags?
A Next year all will be available.
Q Is the shop going to be closed on Saturday during the Off-Season? Would it be better to have it open on Saturday and close it for more days during the week?
A It will only be closed for 4 Saturdays, probably through June. Opening through the week doesn’t cost any more as full time staff are already working.
Q Why don’t ST holders get discounts on merchandise?
A They do on some items but not a blanket discount. The existing discounts will continue next year.
Q Why is there so little choice for womens’ and children’s wear?
A The Club try their best to carry stock but the suppliers insist on minimum order quantities which are difficult to justify on the sales of these items.
Players
Q Do the Club anticipate that the Kolpak Agreement will be extended to include Australia and New Zealand this year by those countries signing a Trade Agreement? If so, is this being taken into account with recruiting?
A This is possible but it is impossible to assume it will happen and if it does what the timing will be. The current regulations allow for 1 non-Kolpak player on the field for Premiership matches, 2 for Anglo Welsh Cup & European games and 3 during Internationals. However, the RFU Council are voting next month to allow 2 to be allowed at any time.
Q Is Matt Burke coming back?
A Matt’s contract expires this summer. He has not been sacked and is being paid in full according to his contract. An announcement on his future should be made by the end of the month.
Q Will any more of the current squad be leaving?
A Not over the summer. Decisions will be made after that as contracts come up for renewal.
Q Will we be recruiting 6 or 7 players this summer to replace those that have left for various reasons through the year?
A It is expected that 2 and possibly 3 additional players will be signed before the start of the season. One is very close to signing with a high probability of it going forward shortly.
Q How big will the Senior Squad be next Season?
A No bigger than this year. There will be no A Team next year, instead players not in contention for First Team places will be put into local Clubs ( eg Tynedale & Blaydon) and possibly ND1 Clubs. It is felt that playing regularly there will be more beneficial for them than the occasional A Team game.
That’s it folks.
Many thanks to Mick for his time and his candour in answering the questions and the ensuing discussion.
There may still be a few Development XV friendlies during the season, but as Mick rightly says we will continue our already-successful policy of placing players with the local ND2 and ND3 clubs, maybe a couple at ND1 if chance arises.
Cheers
Smithy
As I have pointed out, the Development XV is not being scrapped, we are just not going to be in the Guinness A League.
Instead we will play a small number of friendliesand continue our policy of using the strong local club scene to get quality regular rugby for our young and fringe players.
Wasps and Gloucester have made made exactly the same decision, among others.
Cheers
Smithy
I'm not disputing the quote, but I would say there is a difference between "running an A Team", ie: playing every Monday in a full-time league, and playing a small number of Development XV friendlies.
Cheers
Smithy
Doesn't sound like there'll be much point in an A League if at least 3 teams have pulled out.
Yes, the Guinness A League debate is a long-running one with good arguments both for and against.
It is entirely possible the competition will survive in some form, just that some clubs have taken the view that the cons outweigh the pros.
Cheers
Smithy
Disappointed I can't watch the dev team as often as before, but as I said not a criticism. I'm equally disappointed that I didn't win the lottery last night.
I'm guessing the club made a loss by entering into that league?
Given that the games are free entry for all supporters and we have to pay for travel to away games, yes we made a loss by entering the Guinness A League.
However, the decision not to enter is for primarily rugby reasons, and the financial side of it was not the main concern.
We have taken considerable time, weighed up the pros and cons and decided on what we believe is the best course of action for Newcastle Falcons.
This in no way signals a change in emphasis against producing our own young players, and this will continue to be a vital part of our future plans with the excellent work going on in our academy.
Cheers
Smithy
We have an excellent coach company and don't need accommodation for Development XV games.
Cheers
Smithy
As described above, this is for rugby reasons, and we are one of a number of teams taking the same stance.
Cheers
Smithy
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:25:22:56:15 by .Mark Smith.
2 or 3 signings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are doomed for sure.
How can Thumper possibly begin to imagine, even in his wildest dreams that 2 or signings (folks that most of us won't have heard of to boot) will adequately replace what we've lost, not to mention kicking on from where we were.
What an absolute joke.
We're skint, we're doomed and we're relegated IMO
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:26:13:37:31 by DGNTR.
Quote:folks that most of us won't have heard of to boot
I'd never heard of Soz or McDonnell, and only vaguely heard of Bubbs and yet they were class.
It's the low number of signings that concerns me.
As a minimum we simply MUST sugn the following, just to stand still:
A hooker
A second row
An openside flanker
A scrum half
A fly half
An inside centre
A full back
That is the scale of where we are. But remember that the chairmans son is the incumbent hooker and Bates thinks we've got world class scrum halfs already.
We are doomed.
Quote:Matt’s contract expires this summer. He has not been sacked and is being paid in full according to his contract. An announcement on his future should be made by the end of the month
....so presumably we can expect an announcement by the end of this week. If, as we all suspect , he is not coming back, why the interminable delay in making it public? My guess is they will try and bury the bad news by lumping it together with newsof couple "top signings" from the Super 14 in an attempt to cushion the blow.
The really surprising thing is that Burkey himself has said nothing publicly about the situation. I can only assume the club has asked him not to.
For goodness sake, I am beginning to bore myself here but I will repeat for the umpteenth time for the avoidance of any lingering doubt.
The reason there has been no announcement regarding Matt's future is because it hasn't been finalised. This is in the process of being finalised, and once it has been finalised we will inform you accordingly.
The lack of an announcement is not due to, as you rather cynically suggest, some sort of desire on the club's part to "bury bad news". I am really quite insulted that you would level that sort of accusation at me.
And has it ever occured to you that the reason Matt hasn't said anything himself is because there hasn't been anything definite to say?
Could it really be as simple as that? Oh no, that wouldn't involve a conspiracy theory or a chance to criticise the club, so that definitely couldn't be the case. No Sir-ee
Cheers
Smithy
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:27:19:43:50 by .Mark Smith.
I'm with Hooky, why does it take so long to tell us what I thought was the inevitable ie. he's not coming back.
What exactly is being "finalised"?
Using such language Smithy can only mean he IS coming back ie. finalising a new deal. If he's not coming back what exactly needs to be finalised? There's nothing to finalise for somebody that's not getting a new contract surely.
Intrigued now.
Today I emailed the proposed first draft of a press release to Burkey for approval, and for him to add some quotes.
That will probably go through a few drafts back and forth, and with the time difference it may well take a few days or even longer before all the various technicalities and paperwork bits are agreed.
That's what I mean by "being finalised".
Read in to it what you want, but I can assure you the absence of an announcement to date is not due to "burying bad news" or whatever else I am being criticised for this time.
Just seems to me to be a case of having a pop at the clubor myself personally, bringing my integrity in to question when, as far as I can see, we haven't done anything wrong. It's okay though, we're used to that sort of sniping by now from certain quarters.
Cheers
Smithy
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:27:20:51:26 by .Mark Smith.
Please will you point out where I have casted doubt on your integrity.
You've got it wrong mate, I've clearly hit a nerve with this one. You need to take a chill pill you really do.
Interesting use of words again Smithy.
"various technicalities"
What sort of technicalities could there possibly be for announcing that somebody is not coming back.
If Burke is not coming back why go to the far end of a f@rt to make what surely is a simple announcement.
I do hope there's more to this but my money is with macca's - he ain't coming back, we couldn't afford him even if we wanted him.
If you knew me - and we have met by the way - you would know that I am not the sort of guy to keep having a pop at you or the club, as you put it. On the whole, I do not believe that destructive criticism serves any useful purpose.
But I do seem to have touched a raw nerve with Matt Burke. I merely picked up on Mick Hogan's comment that "an announcement should be made by the end of the month" which of course is the end of this week. Ergo an announcement is imminent.
Yes I was being cynical in suggesting that the club might try and "bury bad news" but that stems from a lifetime working in the media!
However, as a journo, you will appreciate that the Burke situation continues to be a matter of intense interest to the fans. If I may speak frankly, this will-he-won't-he saga has gone on for rather too long and it's about time a line was drawn under it. It all adds to the air of uncertainty surrounding the club's future.
I note what you say about a draft press release being prepared. But I sincerely hope you are not building up false hopes by all this talk about the need to agree the text and quotes with Matt Burke - especially if the text and quotes take the form of a farewell letter.
The Burke saga has gone on too long and has turned into one big PR goof, and not for the first time. Smithy wonders why we keep asking what's happening. Simple answer is we'd like to know and can't understand why the whole thing is being strung out.
If Burke isn't coming back, questions have to be asked as to why we couldn't be informed sooner. What exactly is the point in stringing this out for weeks on end?
And the club wonder why fans think there's a hidden agenda? Perhaps looking at the PR strategy might start to deliver some answers.
"may well take a few days or even longer before all the various technicalities and paperwork bits are agreed."
So perhaps Mick was being a tad ambitious with the end of the month?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:27:23:54:41 by DGNTR.
It was the insinuation that I would be cynical enough to choose an opportune moment to "bury bad news" that I took offence with.
Despite massive provocation over a number of months regarding Matt's situation beyond this season I have been nothing but factual, and I have received (unfairly in my opinion) criticism for that.
Yes there is big interest in Matt, rightly so, and people want to know what is happening. I have no problem with that desire for information, but please do not bring my character or integrity in to question by suggesting that I would use this announcement for some sort of tactical PR victory.
The implicit suggestion is that we somehow have an announcement ready and on ice, cynically choosing our moment to release it. I find such an accusation personally insulting, especially when the player in question is a good mate of mine.
I was extremely disappointed by the insinuation contained in your original post, and nothing you have said since has made me revise that opinion.
I would never bring your integrity in to question, and I take serious issue when the same accusation is levelled at me.
DGNTR, I was not, as you put it "getting shirty" with you. My original response was in light of Happy Hooker's post, and not in any way prompted by anything you had said,so you haven't netted a fish on this occasion I'm afraid.
As for "it's clearly been a bad day for you". Not true at all, it's been a perfectly fine day, but thanks for your concern.
Cheers
Smithy
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:27:23:54:41 by .Mark Smith.
I'm off on Sunday for three weeks, so there will be a Falcons news vacuum during much of that time.
No doubt we will be accused of supressing information or some other cynical PR manoeuvring by not releasing any news during this time.
Same old.
Cheers
Smithy
Will there be a deputy PR person in place to cover your holiday break?
Put it this way, there won't be any little tiddlers on this message board for you to catch while I am away. I return on June 23.
There may be the odd snippet on the web during that time just to keep it ticking over, but nothing in the way of major player/coach announcements.
Keep your eyes peeled on the offy at 10am today (Wednesday) though for one, and hopefully one later in the week which is already written but I am trying to get signed off by the agent.
I will leave that carrot dangling as a leaving present for you.
Cheers
Smithy
And have a good break, and I genuinely mean that.
The heads of agreement have been signed, just waiting on the green light from the agent to announce hopefully before the weekend when I jet away.
Cheers
Smithy
I bet you there will be, there's plenty more fish in the sea.
They should've had them at Worcester the other week rather than the boring old portaloos.