Former Essendon AFL chief executive Ian Robson has been thrown a job lifeline – by A-League club Melbourne Victory.
Robson, who resigned as Essendon boss in the wake of the supplements scandal and the damning internal report into the club’s governance which followed, has been appointed Victory chief executive.
He replaces the departing Richard Wilson and will start his new role in early August.
Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro said Robson had emerged as the preferred candidate after a thorough search.
He is understood to have trumped the Victory’s general manager of operations Trent Jacobs for the role.
“Ian brings a great enthusiasm for the role of sport in the community, as well as experience at the CEO level in elite sport, and will be a valuable asset to the club as we look to build on the solid foundations laid over the past 18 months,” Di Pietro said in a statement.
“We have been through a thorough process, engaging with a number of parties, giving us complete confidence that Ian is both suitable and extremely well qualified for the role.”
Robson resigned in May as Essendon chief after a damning internal report found serious governance issues at the Bombers in 2012.
The club’s supplements program that season is currently under investigation by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and the AFL.
That probe is likely to be completed in August.
Robson is scheduled to start his new job on August 5.
Before working at Essendon, Robson had built a strong track record in sports administration, including at previous AFL employer Hawthorn.
He has also worked for NRL club the Warriors.
Speaking from overseas where he is holidaying with his family, Robson expressed his delight at being appointed.
“Melbourne Victory is a really exciting club in what is an extremely competitive sporting landscape, so I was immediately interested in exploring the possibility of a new challenge,” he said.
“Having spent many years working across other codes, I feel privileged now to have the opportunity to be involved in the world game with a great club like Melbourne Victory.”
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Well unwanted bad news/atmosphere is the last thing the A-League/The Victory need and Robson appointment stinks to high heaven -people who choose to ignore the implications are not wise and never learn from history -if I were the Victory if they value their integrity credibility and future they will dump this guy soon after the WADA report comes out
Redb
Roar Guru
The CEO is accountable for governance and reporting to the Board. I'm just offering what I've heard , I think Robson was popular at Essendon and acheived much on the revenue side, new facilities,etc. The observation came from a high up Essendon member that Robson liked the glamour not the nitty gritty.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Appointing Robson CEO before the ASADA issue has run its course does make me question the understanding of Duty of Care from the MV board. Regardless of Robson's capacity as an administrator there is a real risk of MV being dragged into a media maelstrom that may follow any ASADA final ruling. This risk should outweigh the administrative returns that Robson brings to the club. The MV board sees it otherwise. It is an unecessarily risking strategy.
Phutbol
Guest
Apparently (per FFT posters) MV looked OS for 'genuine' football admins but were priced out. He was the best of local/cost effective options...
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
If that's the case, then I my criticism of Robson will lessen ... a fraction. The structures & processes required to maintain sound Corporate Governance is the responsibility of the Board - not the CEO. If it has been determined that the structures & processes surrounding Corporate Governance at Essendon were inadequate, then the Essendon Board is to blame. However, I would question why Robson - as CEO - did not identify the gaps in Corporate Governance structures & processes and advise the Board to fill those gaps.
Philip
Guest
This is the board that appointed Mem Durakovic and Ange P ... they get it spectacularly wrong or spectacularly right. We can only hope that Robson wants to redeem his reputation and works wonders this time around
c
Guest
Redb I would hope that our boys do not need to have any requirement for "supplements" to assist them in playing their game
Redb
Roar Guru
Inside word on Robson is that he spent too much time wining and dining sponsors not enough time administrating the club. Good commercially for revenue, governance err not so much.
NUFCMVFC
Roar Guru
As iv'e said before, A-League clubs face a trade-off, on the one hand you can go with a general sports administrator who knows the Town you work in (in this case Melbourne) or you can go for an international quality football person who knows football but not necessarily the town you work in Personally I'm willing to give him a go given Geoff Lord did a pretty good job setting MVFC up to be what it is so an AFL person can do O.K. In this instance the priority for MVFC at this time is to start buying and building facilities and apparently he has done good work there in the past Might not be great PR wise but frankly I don't care as long as it is run well. I don't care for FFA meddling either, they have no place telling is how to run our club, especially as we are on of the few teams who have actually been clued up about it
Franko
Guest
I would say his knowledge of both the Melbourne market (Hawthorn and Essendon) as well as international (British Super league, SportsScotland) probably got him over the line. Still agree with most of the above though, time will tell.
Ian
Guest
^ you're on fire on this article ^ when MV fans are questioning it there is something wrong. Surely there was someone else they could have found available in their thorough process of evaluating multiple candidates.
Ian
Guest
David Gallop is going along just fine.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Deeply alarmed at this man being involved in the A-League.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
At the least, oversaw a club culture so unaccountable and alpha-male driven that Dank could have sailed the USS Nimitz through its "safeguards".
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Oh MVFC you muppets... If Ziggy's report into governance wasn't enough to sink this man's career as an executive, then god help Australian businesses for they have no clue.
RC
Guest
Another maverick from another code- first dumb dopey Dirk Melton at Sydney FC, then David Gallop at the helm, now another resume builder in this bloke Robson from the AFL. Our beloved football never learns!!! These blokes are only in it to build their resume- wouldnt have a clue about football.
Philip
Guest
Robson has already made it clear ... "Robson said the Switkowski report made it clear that, even though he did not know of the program being run by sports scientist Stephen Dank, he was ultimately responsible for the events that unfolded at Essendon last year. "As he said, the club chief executive must be responsible for everything that happens in his organisation," Robson said. "He acknowledged that I didn't know but he also made it clear that CEO's should be across everything." http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/bombers-ceo-ian-robson-quits-from-embattled-club/story-fnca0u4y-1226649091428 It may be that the unscrupulous behavior of some at Essendon conspired to keep the drugs program very quiet and Robson was deliberately kept in the dark, but given that the final ASADA report and penalties are yet to be handed down, and Robson's ignorance is hardly a good excuse or a sign of good management, I would have preferred that MVFC didn't make this appointment.
Titus
Guest
So he was one of the kingpins in the Essendon mafioso?
c
Guest
http://www.google.com.au/#q=essendon+drugs+scandal&source=univ&tbm=nws&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=gZzeUbu1JoinkgWSy4HoCg&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQqAI&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48705608,d.dGI&fp=3f52d9babac40e3d&biw=1366&bih=673
Titus
Guest
Never heard of him.