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  • Ex Oz-Open boss MacNamee sacked from football job

    7/27/08 1:27 AM | Johan Lindahl
    - Former Australian Open boss Paul McNamee has been dumped from a
    third sport in three years after a falling out in executive suite at
    the Melbourne Aussie Rules football club Melbourne Demons.

    McNamee, who won a Wimbledon doubles crown, had taken the
    Australian Open to world-class status over a ten-year run before
    being ousted in another corporate throat-cutting when new management
    at Tennis Australia cleaned house.

    McNamee landed on his feet after that March, 2006 debacle, taking
    up the job of administering Aussie golf. But the man who still keeps
    his hand in tennis with Wimbledon senior doubles and organises the
    annual Hopman Cup teams event in Perth, was head-hunted away by
    Melbourne FC only four months ago.

    The club's board explained the sacking: “In order to create a
    sustainable Club, a new CEO would be required. This led to the
    cessation of Paul McNamee's contract. We bear Paul no ill, but we
    do firmly believe that the skills needed for the future of the MFC
    are to be found elsewhere.”

    McNamee admitted that he had clashed with his board at the
    debt-laden club. “I think they had a certain direction and it seems
    that was at odds as far as I was concerned. At the end of the day,
    they're the board, they get to choose, so it's disappointing.”

    Mac's sack will cost Melbourne, which has won just two games this
    season, a mere $115,000.

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