Trimboli gets stamp of approval

 

Zach Hope

December 2 2010

Shepparton News

Frank Trimboli found no shortage of controversy as Goulburn North East Football Association president this season.

From a seemingly endless player eligibility crises to club anger over scheduling and nearly everything in between, Trimboli had it thrown at him.

At times it seemed his four-year reign was sure to end, at times it seemed he even wanted it to end.

But he stuck out, saying on more than one occasion: ``If the clubs don't like what I'm doing they can vote me out at the AGM (Annual General Meeting).''

That AGM was held Tuesday night and Trimboli was re-elected unopposed after his sole challenger pulled out of the running earlier that day.

In an even greater stamp of approval for his regime, secretary Megan Carr, treasurer Rob Trevaskis and directors Sam Saracino and Vince Sagoleo were all re-elected to their posts without serious challenge.

``I think the clubs have slowly given us some appreciation,'' Trimboli said yesterday.

``They like to keep us on our toes throughout the year, but really they know we're doing a good job.

``The meeting all passed quite easily actually.''

The five-member board will now govern for a further two years, having taken no shortage of lessons from the last term.

Carr said better governance was the board's priority moving forward and that it was looking at installing one or more people on a part-time consultative basis to remove some of the administrative headaches that had plagued the team this season.

She said that would also free up time for board members to meet more regularly with clubs on a one-on-one basis.

``We got tied up a lot with everything that was going on when really what we wanted to do was get out there and meet with their (the clubs') committees and see where we can assist them grow and help them,'' she said.

``We met with a few clubs this year, but not as many as we would have liked to.

``That's a priority next year.

``We'll still have our delegates meetings, but we'll get out to actual committee meetings and help point them in the right direction.

``There are a lot of grants out there which I don't think our clubs take advantage of, for example.''

Trimboli said the ultimate goal for his next term was to have a ``smoothly operating competition'' with a focus on building the senior grades and retaining juniors in the sport, indicating changes could be made to the ex-radius rules that allow clubs to import foreign players.

He added the idea of Football Federation Victoria taking over administrative duties of the association had been ``parked for now''.