This is no time to abandon struggling Suns

IT is time to shatter a popular perception: the Gold Coast Suns are not rolling in cash.

IT is time to shatter a popular perception: the Gold Coast Suns are not rolling in cash.

The truth is they are just scraping by and operating on a reduced budget much smaller than last year.

That was on display this week with the appointment of Malcolm Blight as a "part-time" director of coaching.

The timing was odd, but a senior assistant is what Guy McKenna has needed from the beginning.

It was no surprise to discover Blight, who will step down from the Suns board of directors, will not be paid for his help.

The reason is simple - the Suns can’t afford to pay him or anyone for that matter.

In terms of this role, Blight is not the answer for the Suns.

He is undoubtedly a legend of a game, but has not stepped foot in an AFL coaches box since 2001.

The game has changed remarkably in that time and Blight, through no fault of his own, is yesterday’s man when it comes to modern coaching.

It is telling that Blight will assist part-time for what should be a full-time role.

The Suns never had the means to be able to follow the model made popular by Essendon and Collingwood in employing an experienced figure to guide an L-plate coach.

The AFL have the Suns on a six-year funding model.

But it was more a front-loaded budget – a good allowance in their first year before dropping off from their second year onwards.

No endless money pit exists and times are tough.

Gold Coast sit in the bottom three of the 18 clubs in terms of their annual football department spend.

Second rate does not even begin to describe their facilities.

They have a new stadium, but the players and staff still work out of crammed demountables at Carrara.

The players’ gym is in a tin shed.

This is scarily reminiscent of the old Brisbane Bears set up, which the AFL repeatedly boasted they had learned from.

It is 12 months since AFL boss Andrew Demetriou visited the Suns headquarters for an inspection and a pep talk.

After an address to the entire playing group, Demetriou asked if there were any questions.

One of the older senior players shot up his hand.

He wanted to know where they were at in helping the Suns establish a proper training and administration facility.

The club drew up plans for one at their Carrara base earlier this year.

It has been identified as their priority, but it is still some years away as they search for much-needed funding assistance.

It will not be flash nor state-of-the-art, but it will at least allow them to compete with the other clubs.

Right now, they are seriously battling to keep up when they need all the help they can get.

This is not to say the Suns deserve unlimited funds while other clubs are also battling, because they don’t.

But this club was the AFL’s baby and they have an obligation to see it through.

The way this club was created had never been done before.

All are now realising it is a far more difficult undertaking than what was envisioned.

The club is well run by chief executive Travis Auld and chairman John Witheriff, but the battle for a financial independence will be a long and difficult one.

Especially given the Gold Coast’s economy remains very much in the doldrums.

They have just over 11,000 members, which is down on the 14,000 members they signed up for their first season.

Crowds are also down, which is a combination of the tough times and poor on-field performance.

They have done a good job re-signing their promising youngsters, but are almost certain to lose former No.7 draft pick Josh Caddy - who wants to return to Melbourne - at the end of the year.

Supporters in the southern states underestimate how tough it is to compete in the northern markets.

It is a daily grind and they are competing in a league that moves fast.

They will be left behind unless they are properly looked after in these tough formative years.

Establishing the club was just the first phase – this is no time for the AFL to close the wallet.

If they do, it will not be only the Suns that suffer for it.

Nick Smart was the AFL writer at the Gold Coast Bulletin from 2006 to mid-2012.

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