Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with Nick Tana

NSL Club:                                           

Former owner Perth Glory

Four Diegos Verdict:                          

Chicken Treat Chicken franchise magnate and outspoken former owner of the glorious sand groping giblets, Perth Glory.

Tana had a ‘Chicken Treat’ vision for the NSL, rejecting vociferously the ‘headless chook’ strategy that had been adopted by the old Soccer Australia. Unfortunately for Nick few listened. The football strain of the chook flu got to Nick in the end and he walked away from the game.

Nick the Diegos loved your work amigo. Hope you are having a ‘Çhicken Treat’ of a retirement mate.

Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with Nick Tana

Nick is it time or a disco dance amigo?

Diegos: "Congratulations on Perth Glory's minor premiership win.

Over the years the Diegos have known you as a bloke who doesn't mind the old celebration disco dance and swig of champagne when you win.

Have you allowed yourself to enjoy the moment or is a Grand final win the only thing that matters?"

Tana: "At this point in time we're not going to place too much emphasis on the minor premiership. It's just a stage.

In Europe where they have a different format, obviously first past the post wins the competition. We know that in Australia we've got to win the top six playoff and that's what we're concentrating on.

So no Diegos, there won't be any premature celebration."

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2002

Tana on D'Avray…

Diegos: "After indulging in a few mud wrestles with you over the years, Bernd Stange moved on and a largely unknown quantity, Mich D'Avray came in as new coach.

He seems to have taken your beloved Sandgropers to the next level without missing a beat.

All football club owners love winning coaches but what do you like specifically about Mich? Is he cheap? Is he set to give you a game soon?"

Tana: "Let's get the record straight first. Mich D'Avray was to have been the coach for Perth Glory four years ago.

I selected him back then on the back of some pretty good credentials. He won the South Africa national competition two years running and was the Under 23 national South African coach.

I asked him to stand aside for Bernd Stange because Bernd had other qualities to offer and Mich obliged.

Mich's credentials are impeccable. He may be an unknown quantity but not by our terms and the guy has reveled in the job. I knew full well that he would."

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2002

Tana on coaching the team. Why not?  He is the boss you know….

Diegos: "A couple of weeks ago Perth fronted up against Adelaide Force, a team that is in fact coached by the club president and canteen lady, Bob D'Ottavi.

Are you surprised that Bob installed himself as coach of the Force after Zoran Matic's departure and are you tempted to rest Mich whilst you take the team into the finals?"

Tana: "Let me say this, I don't know what prompted Bob to take on the reins whether it was due to financial restrictions or whether he thinks he is a better coach than others, it's not for me to make a comment but however what I will say is this, there are only two positions in any sporting club that cop the wrath of the spectators and sponsors and they are the coach and chairman, president or owner.

Why in God's name would I expose myself to both?"

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2002

Tana on foreign investment in the NSL…

Diegos: "NSL chairman, Remo Nogarotto was quoted this week saying that no meaningful NSL reform could take place without foreign investment coming into the competition.

We know that Glasgow Rangers owns Northern Spirit and that a number of UK clubs are looking at investing in the competition in the future.

What's your view on the topic?"

Tana: "I don't necessarily agree with that and Remo and I have already gone on record together stating our differences on that issue.

Firstly you wouldn't want to insult all the other clubs around the world in terms of them investing in Australia.

My view is that I don't believe we need any foreign investment at this point in time. What we do need is some very substantial research that tells us where to? How to? When to? And why to? I believe once we have this then we can go forward. 

I believe there is enough money in Australia to do it. I believe there is enough confidence in both the business and sporting community to achieve it, all we need is the right ammunition to go forward.

We don't need foreign investment clubs at this point in time. Down the track maybe but at this point in time under no circumstances, categorically there's no foreign investment requirement."

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2002

Tana on the Melbourne Dragons…

Diegos: "In Melbourne it seems that with the flares, firecrackers and pumpkin seeds, we will soon see prawn crackers and Dim Sims at games, with the news that a Chinese backed consortium has applied to enter the NSL next season under the name, Melbourne Dragons.

Nick the Diegos know that you love your Chinese Yum Cha on a Sunday afternoon but are you quaking in your boots nevertheless?"

Tana: "No not quite. You're right I do love my Yum Cha. We would go out to eat at Chinese restaurants a couple of times a week. I have a big percentage of Chinese and Asian staff. I export a lot of produce to China and Asia so they have a very important place in terms of my business and personal life.  

Let me say again, however, for the same reason, another team whether it be Chinese, Greek, Italian, German, it doesn't matter, another team right now would just be a knee jerk reaction.

We need to take correct stock of where we are by virtue of going out into the marketplace and commissioning absolute thorough investigative research that tells us how to do it in the future so that we can take the competition to the next level.

You don't just pluck it out of the air because invariably you're going to compromise your decision."

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2002

Nick on the Four Diegos Annual Financial Report…

Diegos: "The Diegos Accounting team annual financial report for the NSL doesn't look good.

It shows that most clubs are broke and that even the 'Aussie Football Bank' Perth Glory has been digging deeper into their overdraft over the last couple of seasons.

Are Perth in good shape and what's your strategy for next season given that it seems that any reform will again be delayed by another year?"

Tana: "No question that we've been digging into our overdraft. We've already said on record that we will lose approximately $1.5 million this year and we'll lose another $1.2 million next year.

I'm prepared to do that because I'm not prepared to cut the cloth to suit other clubs, in terms of cutting marketing budgets and wages etc.

If clubs don't want to follow then like I say to South Melbourne President, George Vasilopoulos, perhaps they should all go fishing.

The losses that we are experiencing at present are operating losses. The capital component of our loss in terms of our new stadium would only be between $100,000 to $150,000 maximum.

Let me say this, in a competition that goes from 15 home games down to 12 home games and struggling for credibility and corporate support, we need to take stock of where we are at and make changes in terms of the direction we are taking and that can only happen with thorough research."  

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2002

Nick, are you still enjoying it?

Diegos: "Perth attendance averages are pretty good and the team is winning handsomely on the field.

Are you personally enjoying the challenge as much as you did in Perth's inaugural years?"

Tana: "The gloss has gone out of it because now its hard yards. It's hard yards because you're only ever as strong as your weakest link. I don't say that to be derogatory to other clubs because I'm sure that they would like to be in our position.

Our average this year will be 13,000 fans per game. In our semi final and hopefully Grand final we will play in front of 40,000 plus.

There's no question of this but at this point in time I'm a little disillusioned in that we can't take it to the next level because clubs in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, with the exception of Newcastle, are doing it absolutely wrong."

Soft Sombrero Moment March 2002

Tana on the importance of the World Club Championship to NSL clubs…

Diegos: "Now that the World Club Championship has been postponed until 2003 are you glad that you didn’t win the championship this year?"

Tana: "That could never be the case. You always strive for the best and you always strive to win. At the end of the day, that must be your objective. I didn’t realize the World Club Championship was going to be postponed. It's not a great thing to happen but regardless we will continue to build and attempt to produce results."

Diegos: "When you sit down with your team of people and other club presidents to discuss matters, is the issue of World Club Championships prominent? How much of a carrot is it for our clubs and what effect do think the postponement will have on the local game?

Tana: "South Melbourne’s involvement shows how it can affect a club. In terms of our discussions it has certainly changed the tone in that now there is serious money involved for clubs.

It’s no longer just a game but it is also a business. This is highlighted by the fact that Sydney Olympic was prepared to take on Soccer Australia in the courts over the 3 points issue, purely on the basis that it had a chance of making it to the World Club Championship."

Soft Sombrero Moment May 2001

Tana on looking like George Costanza and taking the glory to the next step…

Diegos: “You’ve become many things in the Australian press. Some have called you a dictator others have even said that you are a George Costanza (from Seinfeld) look-a-like.

No one argues though, that you and your team have developed a club structure that is the envy of every other NSL club.

Given the depressed state of the game currently in Australia, are you confident that somehow, you can take Perth Glory to the next step?"

Tana: “We have already set ourselves along that path, and let me be the first to say that we are not without our own internal problems. It seems that soccer manifests itself to these problems. But the difference between Perth Glory, other clubs and Soccer Australia in particular is that we can move on and make the hard decisions that need to be made at the time rather than procrastinate."

Soft Sombrero Moment May 2001

Tana on effective restructure…

Diegos: "What does Soccer Australia need to do? Will the restructure make the difference?

Tana: "I’ve always maintained that no matter what the restructure is, the end result would be merely cosmetic. My reason for this is that there is no magic number, 12, 13 or 14 pick whatever number you want. The bottom line is that the clubs need to be commercially viable and capable of supporting full time professional soccer players.

Now the bottom line figure for any club to operate is 2.5 – 3 million dollars at the least. To do it with less than that you are not going to do justice to it. You are kidding yourself."

Soft Sombrero Moment May 2001

Tana on selling equity overseas…

Diegos: "Is the answer in selling our clubs to larger overseas clubs?

Tana: “As for clubs that are looking at foreign ownership, I don’t agree with this idea. The foreign clubs are just accelerating their nursery program and I think that we should be looking after our own."

Soft Sombrero Moment May 2001

Tana on Stange…

Diegos: "There's much speculation about whether Bernd Stange will remain in charge of the Glory next season and beyond. Most pundits have his Bavarian piano accordion packed and tickets on the next Lufthansa 747 booked.

Is Bernd still a chance to remain coach and what specifically are you looking for in the next coach of Glory?

Tana: “The criterion for any coach of Perth Glory is firstly his ability as a coach and then they must be affordable.

This criterion has always been in place from day one and will not change. As far as Bernd’s position I won’t be making any comment until after the dust has settled, so I’m sorry but you won’t get a scoop from me today."

Soft Sombrero Moment May 2001

Tana on the Despotovski incident…

Diegos: "The ugly scenes at the Knights stadium in the aftermath of the Knights V Glory first leg finals clash a fortnight ago, was widely reported and did enormous damage to the game.

We've had to endure these type crises before but the public condemnation on this occasion appeared a lot stronger than in the past.

What effect does such an incident have on the marketing of the game in the future and will the game be able to recover and forge ahead after this latest incident?"

Tana: “I think the public condemnation was not of the incident but rather the lack of action in response to the incident. People make reference to other code's tribunal hearings etc and the swiftness of action. In Australian soccer this seems to be the biggest problem."

Soft Sombrero Moment May 2001

Tana on Labbo…

Diegos: "The Diegos know Nick Tana as a nice bloke who doesn't mind the odd public stoush.

But you've surprised us throughout the current Aussie soccer fracas between disaffected followers of the game and Soccer Australia by keeping a pretty low profile. You’ve resigned from the NSL executive and been issued a public challenge by Soccer Australia commissioner, Tony Labbozzetta but still no Tana tirade.

Is this the new-age Nick Tana or have you got something up your sleeve?"

Tana: "Let's just say that in battle, one keeps his gun powder dry."

Diegos: "The Diegos aren’t looking for violence we just want to know your thoughts on the type of person who should be leading Australian soccer.”

Tana: "My confrontationalist approach has always been based on what I believe the game is capable of doing.

Maybe I move a little bit too fast for the current form of administration.

The reason for my move away from the NSL executive is that I didn't believe that I could make effective change. I was a lonely voice there, so I resigned my position to concentrate on Western Australian soccer, which is also in disarray.

I'm doing that as controversially as I did whilst I was on the executive.

The sort of person that you're looking for to run Soccer Australia has to be the sort of person that has the fortitude to make the tough decisions. He cannot have baggage. He cannot have had associations from the past that are going to compromise his position. That has to be absolutely paramount because this game has gone to long on the basis of debt to people of the past. I make no bones about the fact that we must respect the people who have done so much good for the game but that's were it stops.

We can't keep on paying debt back to the people of the past."

Soft Sombrero Moment February 2001

Tana on the NSL restructure…

Diegos: "In your view do you think the restructure for next season will be messy and ugly?"

Tana: "I'm not going to comment on the restructure because invariably the way things are shaping up at the moment it may be short circuited.

I have a partner of mine who is currently on the executive, who says that there is no commercial evidence to say that a reduced league will be beneficial. So there is already vibes and moves that it may not happen.

All I can say is this, whilst there is no commercial justification that is written down in a document form to show that a 12 or 14 team competition will work, change will be difficult.

I say, instead, lift the height bar to a point where you are forcing the change. Give the clubs time to change, possibly 2 to 3 years. Let the clubs do what they have to do, merge, sell or bring in major partners.

Give them time but set the high bar at a level where we can manage and maintain our game."

Soft Sombrero Moment February 2001

Tana on the World Club Championship…

Diegos: "$ 8 million dollars can by a lot of Chicken Treat chickens.                                     

That's the amount of money Wollongong Wolves stands to receive for winning the Oceania Club championship recently.

We don't really need to remind you Nick that it could've been you. Has the Wolves achievement in Papua New Guinea opened up old wounds?"

Tana: "Not at all. Quite the contrary.

I've stated publicly that if I could sign a document that ensures that every club in the league wins the competition alternately so that the windfall spreads to all the clubs, providing they spend it right and do what is right for the game, then I will sign that document."

Soft Sombrero Moment February 2001

Tana on the prospect of a second team in Perth…

Diegos: "The Diegos have always said that competition cleanses the soul and spirits the loins.

It seems that your soul and loins are about to get a good working over with two new consortiums from WA, Western Lightning and Fremantle City, putting their hand up to enter the NSL for next season.

Does their possible entry into the competition concern you?"

Tana: "I think soccer requires as much exposure as possible. Having said that in a marketing sense, supply and demand is what it's all about irrespective of what the product is, whether it's soccer or retail.

The game in Australia is in its infancy in terms of its commerciality. My belief is that it will have an effect on Perth Glory. It will bring us down in terms of sponsorship and attendance and it will not be good for the game in the short term.

In the long term, I have no doubts that a second team in Perth will be necessary but it needs to be done at the right time when the game has come of age in Australia."

Soft Sombrero Moment February 2001

Tana on television coverage…

Diegos: " Whilst the eastern states are crying out for more coverage of the game on Channel 7, it seems the Glory have managed to secure a ground breaking deal with Channel 7 Perth to televise a number of games this season.

Has the deal been confirmed and have you any tips on how we can best put pressure on our local Channel 7?"

Tana: "The deal, you could say, is 'unofficially confirmed'.

The reason I say that is that it still must go through the inner sanctum and engine rooms of both Glory and Channel 7.

This deal has come about due to a number of corporate sponsors like Western QBE, Chicken Treat, who have underwritten the whole program.

You’re asking me what one can do to force change. What comes first the chicken or the egg?

We've got the product in Perth. Perth Glory’s management team, coaching staff and players, has developed the product. You've got to have a product to put on TV otherwise you won't have the credibility. I say you must get the product right.

Unfortunately clubs are not concentrating on the product. They think that just because they've got a game of soccer and the fact that it is so popular overseas, automatically gives them the right for this game to deserve respect.

It doesn't work that way.

We can't go with the status quo. The clubs must take a real hard look at themselves and make the tough decisions.

Here I am starting to use a little bit of my gunpowder. Rest assured that in the next 7 days Nick Tana will come out of hiding and Nick Tana will be talking." 

Soft Sombrero Moment February 2001

Tana on Glory’s finals run and the Sandgroper throng in 1999…

Diegos: "Congratulations on a fine season and a great finals run.  It could have been a different story though, had it not been for a Bobby Despotovski header at the death against the wily, Adelaide City to give you the win in the Elimination final second leg. 

When Bobby got the winner, what was your reaction?  Did you kiss your wife, kiss the super-box waitress or kiss Bobby?"

Tana: "No, the first reaction was absolute exhilaration – from memory we all jumped up. Thankfully, I don’t think that much kissing was going on.”

Diegos: "To us Victorians it seems that the Glory this season has been able to capture the imagination of every feral, two-headed Sandgroper in your fine state. 

The Elimination final crowd was something never before seen at NSL level in this country.  Has the hype and support surpassed your expectations and how much bigger can this get?"

Tana: "I’m the first one to admit that it has gone further than what we expected it to. However, let me say, to understand what has been occurring one needs to understand what we have done as opposed to what other national league clubs have been doing for the last 5 to 7 years.

The concept of what we have achieved over here in Perth is not rocket science, it is very simple, unique and never done before in this country. The proof is in the pudding, the turnstiles are clicking.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Tana on the ‘Glory- Dome’…

Diegos: "As the Diegos surfed the 'Financial Review' a couple of weeks ago, checking out the share price of our blue chip Mexican coffee bean stock, we noticed an article about the Glory and their proposed purpose built $40 million soccer stadium. 

Have the events during the finals forced the WA government to move more quickly on the proposal?"

Tana: “Firstly Diegos, let me make something quite clear, your investment will be most welcome. One would have to say categorically that the events that have unfolded over the finals have jolted parliamentarians and all sporting fraternities.

We have got a sleeping giant in Australia that we have succeeded in waking up. Now what has to happen is that the rest of Australia has to catch on to the bandwagon. The government over here obviously has an agenda. They have announced that the stadium will be constructed but it will be at their time.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Tana on Sandgroper scalpers…

Diegos: "Not only does success breed success, but in sport it also breeds the undesirables.  Apparently there was such a great demand for Glory tickets to the elimination final that, for the first time in Aussie domestic soccer, it flushed out a brigade of opportunistic, lowlife, trench coat wearing scalpers selling tickets at exorbitant prices. 

Are you flattered by the scalpers wanting to do business or is it an unexpected blight on the game?"

Tana: “Firstly let me acknowledge that it is a sign of success. On the same token we are disgusted that people are profiteering from other people’s passions. Let me also say that we are going to move very quickly to insure that this doesn’t repeat itself.

It is my understanding that scalping is illegal in other states, whereas in Perth it is legal. What we want to do is to lobby the government to legislate that tickets cannot be sold above face value. We are going to be pushing that for next season.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Tana on giving Australia a little of what the Glory is having…

Diegos: "In a scene reminiscent to the faking orgasm restaurant clip in 'When Harry Met Sally', we in Melbourne are crying out for a little of what Perth Glory is having.  From afar do you think that Melbourne and Adelaide can replicate what Glory and Northern Spirit have done for the game in their states?"

Tana:  " We’ve got a real special recipe, just like KFC – it’s a secret recipe, do you expect me to give you that? There are two fundamental words that can put clubs on the path to success in Australia, ‘Neutrality and Broad base’. I’ve already laid it out to a lot of the clubs over in the eastern states. Basically we have got no cultural ties.

I’m not saying that is wrong, I’m of Italian origin and I’m proud of my Italian heritage, but in sports in Australia there is absolutely no doubt that for the game to go forward it must adopt a neutral approach. It cannot have a national culture behind it.

It must be a club that is a regional or geographically based club and it must be broad based. In other words, irrespective of what nationality you are, you should feel comfortable at that particular club.”

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999

Tana Heart balm…

Diegos: "You are known as a straight shooter, saying things as you see them.  Therefore you are a perfect candidate for the Four Diegos 'Heart Balm' where we ask you to give us your brief heart felt response to the following topics…

- Pamela Anderson's breast implants?"

Tana: "Fantastic!"

 Diegos: "Boris Yeltsin endorsing Chicken Treat Chicken?"

Tana:   "Couldn’t go wrong!"

Diegos: “Perth Glory Ericsson Cup Grand Final winners in 2000?"

Tana:   "A beautiful dream!"

Diegos: "The Four Diegos?"

Tana:   "Just like Pamela Anderson’s breast implants – fantastic!"

Soft Sombrero Moment 1999