Well it wasn't Gary Hetherington, which is what this was about.

And for your last point, there is no evidence to suggest Pearson is running Hull well on a commercial basis either.

With Pearson the Hetheringtons are a convenient scapegoat. During Kath hetheringtons leadership of Hull FC they grew massively in terms of crowds, brought through some quality youngsters, won the CC reached a GF and for a while were a realistic contender, Pearson has done none of this but he has painted a picture of a bogeyman responsible for the fact Hull didn’t kick on from there. Now Kath has been gone a while and Pearson is struggling to turn things around as quickly as he promised a new bogeyman was needed. There was nobody better placed for that than Kath’s husband the CEO of Hulls bigger, more successful big city neighbours. It provides a good narrative that explains why Hull failed to kick on, why they still struggling to make the jump and why said bigger more successful big city neighbours have been bigger and more successful. Its because their CEO has the RFL in their pocket innit.

Im not surprised he’s trying it, im just surprised by how far and how fast Hull fans are falling for it.

My point was, why bring Hull's commercial performance over the last few years into your retort when it is irrelevant?

Pie Man was speculating about what the likes of Lenagan would do, so I can understand why you commented about Wigan and think it's probably fair seeing as he's been there over 6 years now so had time to affect change (and he has IMO), but I still don't see why you bring in Hull's recent years as an implication that Adam Pearson is an inferior businessman to Gary Hetherington. The fact is that they were largely overseen/affected by someone else so are not a reflection of Pearson's abilities yet. You're comparing Tom's performance against Dick's to say that Harry isn't as good.

Totally agre Fred.P.
It needs sorting asap so the SL can move forward lets get them ALL round the table with their proposals and come up with acceptable plan of action that they ALL agree on.
This name calling is BS whoever said what about who the game as a whole is bigger than any 1 CEO.
P.s.Smokey bang on about Pearson a gob-sh##e who told the world and his dog what he was gonna do at FC and also with GH over the Luke Briscoe signing yet was made to look foolish on both occassions.
Saying that though there is an urgent need for them all to get it sorted asap without any personal axe to grind on either side.

The point in my post about GH putting his house on the line to further the sport of RL Football was that somebody was making veiled suggestions that he was not to be trusted

That's just BS.

Really which bit?

Your point is what? GH started a business by offering his house as collateral, like thousands of other small businesses possibly even Mr Lenegan if you could actually get to the facts. He soon ditched that when Mr Caddick's big bucks came rolling into town. The point is GH is primarily interested in GH just like the rest of us, to paint him as some kind a saintly RL figure is delusional.

The fact the RFL is in such a mess is partly down to Gary huge influence, he got Wood the job, who in turn surrounded himself with losers such as Solly and Rimmer. This proposed structural change should not happen until the RFL is re-structured so it is fit for purpose and that means some changes at the top.

Gary has done a great job at Leeds but he has had an almost bottomless pit of money to do so - this helps. He also picked up a sleeping giant with a huge catchment area - he knew exactly what he was doing when he ditched Sheffield. The real test is about to happen - his golden era, a bit like the Revie side at United, is coming to an end can he continue the level of playing and financial success?

Let's face it he made a pretty big hash of running the RU club.

Has he? I don’t remember Caddick pumping in millions as gifts to the club. Whilst obviously having the backing of a rich man helps, its quite clear that the Rhinos aren’t run as a plaything. They make profits and are expected to do so. If you look at something like the Carnegie Stand that was something the club paid for and not Caddick, the Southstand as well. That’s being done with Clubs cash surplus and loans, not Caddick throwing money at it.

I’d agree that Caddick has been a pretty good safety net, I think it’s misleading to say that its money that was the catalyst for what has happened at Leeds.

Im also not sure he necessarily made that much of a hash of running the RU club. They went from nothing to winning the powergen cup and getting to the Guinness premiership within 10 years. If anything Leeds Carnegie are a lesson in the asshattery of promotion and relegation and its destructive effects.

Harsh.
If memory serves, GH was the prime mover in getting the RFL to be run a non-club-partisan.
Or have we forgotten the heady days of Maurice Lindsay?

Warrington Wolves have today, announced a major 4 year sponsorship with Emirates Airlines whilst the RFL has had no main sponsor for 2 years. The World Cup has no main sponsor either. Mmmm,

Well done Wire

As long as he retain his influence through the back door - hence Wood. You only have to look at how Gary got Tony Smith out of the Leeds job and into the England job to see his power base at the RFL.

Wood is his man, he is in charge because of Gary and GH seems able to easily brush aside the ineptitude at the RFL - why is that?

During that time the club lost huge amounts of money - were is the RU team now? The fact they were yoyo club without any sustainable growth in quality on the field or crowds must in part be down to the person who runs the club.

Without Caddick's money the club would have been bust, the Carnege was paid for by Leeds Met, Caddick's money paid for the training facility at Kirkstall etc. Who do you think paid for Harris? Once the club had got on roll it became self financing but it is easier to borrow money for major projects if you have some collateral.

How did GH get Wood his job? Not saying you're wrong, just that I don't remember the circumstances surrounding his appointment.

When Lewis went Wood was put in temporary charge until a successor could be found - that process never happened!!

How does that prove GH got Wood the job?
The way your talking and others implys GH runs the RFL now which in the cold light of day is total bollox!

Hang on, so Hetherington not only managed to convince the RFL Board to appoint Wood, he also managed to convince the RFL Council to vote through his appointment, and managed to convince Richard Lewis it was a good idea?

Wrong. Very, very wrong.

Without Caddicks money the club would have been bust. But its not because of Caddick throwing money at the Rhinos that we are where we are. The clubs was only reliant on Caddicks money in the early stages because of the ineptitude of the previous owners.

The RU club were a yo-yo club because of the obvious difficulties which arise from P+R. Every time Carnegie built some kind of platform their instable position broke it up.

Quote ="Sal Paradise"As long as he retain his influence through the back door - hence Wood. You only have to look at how Gary got Tony Smith out of the Leeds job and into the England job to see his power base at the RFL. Wood is his man, he is in charge because of Gary and GH seems able to easily brush aside the ineptitude at the RFL - why is that?'" does GH brush aside the ineptitude of the RFL? [iThis decision is purely down to bureaucracy and red tape and it is so disappointing that Rugby League players are treated differently to other professional sportsmen and how little influence our governing body seem to have compared to other sports[/i www1.skysports.com/news/12040/8479003/ hardly a glowing endorsement of the RFL>

Quote ="Sal Paradise"As long as he retain his influence through the back door - hence Wood. You only have to look at how Gary got Tony Smith out of the Leeds job and into the England job to see his power base at the RFL. Wood is his man, he is in charge because of Gary and GH seems able to easily brush aside the ineptitude at the RFL - why is that?'" does GH brush aside the ineptitude of the RFL? [iThis decision is purely down to bureaucracy and red tape and it is so disappointing that Rugby League players are treated differently to other professional sportsmen and how little influence our governing body seem to have compared to other sports[/i www1.skysports.com/news/12040/8479003/ hardly a glowing endorsement of the RFL>

I don't see how using the Ru club can be used as a negative against GH. He took a small club, and got them to win major silverware.

the business was not profitable at the level they were competing at. The club are now at a suitable level. The club not being profitable is not the fault of GH, simply a case of wrong market. You could have a really good sausage roll recipe, but if you open a shop in Tel Aviv you will struggle

I think you're just wrong here.

When you say "the club" lost huge amounts of money, do you mean Leeds CF&A Ltd or the Union club?

Caddick may well have guaranteed the debts he inherited but he's never put a penny into the league club (He stopped funding the union club after a while as well). He and GH have made the company sustainable and profitable in it's own right.

You use the RU club as a negative example. We would not have the Kirkstall facilities without the RU club which were not paid for by Caddick but were an asset of that self same Union club we accquired (not a bad deal eh?) and the refurb funded by Sport ENgland thanks to being a Union Club as well as a league club.

You want it both ways - he's a great businessman because RL is in the right market, but it isn't his fault that RU didn't work despite the club game in the UK being financially viable in a number of other locations in the UK?