The proposed merger between Southern Championship club Olympia FC Warriors and NPL Tasmania club Clarence Zebras is off
The newly announced president of the combined club which would have resulted from the merger, George Mamacas, has stepped away and released the following statement:
“I regret to advise that the merger between Olympia FC and Clarence Zebras will not proceed.
“At the Board meeting held on Monday evening I moved a motion that the name of the club for purposes of legalities, bank accounts etc remain Clarence Olympia FC Zebras but trading as Spirit FC.
“I proposed that the club be marketed and play its games as Spirit FC.
“I envisioned a future of chaos and confusion amongst players, supporters and sponsors with the COZ name being long convoluted and unworkable from a marketing perspective.
“On Tuesday evening I was informed that Olympia FC was moving away from the merger. They informed me it was because Olympia FC members wanted Olympia to be part of the name.
“It was made clear to them that the name Olympia had remained as the official name with the on-field and marketing name being Spirit FC.
“This in my view fulfilled the members’ request for the name Olympia.
“This club, to work, needed a fresh start with a vibrant new launch which included a new on the field branding.
“Spirit FC was by most agreed to be perfect for this new club. Sadly, some on the Olympia side did not agree.
“As there is no longer a merger I have stepped away.”
The Olympia club has also issued a statement:
To Olympia Members.
After a thorough review and due diligence process, we regret to announce that the proposed merger between Olympia FC Warriors and Clarence Zebras FC will not move forward.
Despite the strong potential for collaboration, due diligence uncovered certain factors that couldn't be reconciled.
Both parties have worked diligently, but we have determined that the timing and conditions are not right for this partnership.
The decision to not proceed with the merger was made by Olympia.
Olympia FC Warriors remain focused on our goals, continue to strengthen our respective teams and work towards a successful 2025 season for all our teams.
Regards,
Olympia FC Warriors.
31 comments:
Not for the first time.
Many, many, many moons ago there was a concerted push for Olympia and Taroona to merge. Olympia were training at Taroona at the time.
One of the reasons it didn't happen was due to the requirement that Olympia be in the new club name.
I think it is also important for me to point out that due diligence was in its infancy. Documents were still being sourced for a review by an appointed accountant. The Olympia FC statement suggesting there was a completion or thorough review done is not accurate. The inference that the club walked away for this reason is not the case. I feel for the Clarence Zebras board. They have been nothing but honest, transparent, excited and keen to make this work. To put it mildly Olympia have been stretching the truth in their press release to their members.
I wish Clarence Zebras FC all the best.
GM you are lucky this occurred this point and not further down the track. Zebras need all the help they can get but Ido not believe access to your financial kindness is fair.
They have created the situation they are in and I believe that if the club folds then be it on the board head as they have created this farcical situation.
Good luck to Olympia also and work to get ack in the NPL
There is no pathway for Olympia and NPL, Olympia at best will become a social club at worst they will dissolve
Zebras hold an NPL licence, Olympia don't!!! Zebras will be fine, but Olympia have missed a great oportunity and I can't see them ever getting into the NPL.
Prior to there special meeting the board advised that if the merge didnt happen, the whole board would resign! I hope they have stood by this????
About time. Some common sense.
Rumour is that 5 out of the 8 resigned.
How can this occur when the vote with the financial members was overwhemingly in favour of merging. Well good luck in paying the 230k unpaid bills and loans, good luck with finding 1.5 M to replace the grass( five years overdue), good luck finding 500k to replace the wiring and lights that keep blowing. Do you really think that the yes voters now will continue supporting Olympia. What an opportunity lost to build a big club based on the eastern shore. The people with the loudest voices need to all stand up and put your money where your mouths are
Merge with barnestonworth.....the Olympia barnestonworth warriors!!! Kings of div 4
Relistically moving forward Olympia needs to market themselves as a family club for the youth to develop. Youth meaning 13 and under. Until there are drastic changes it is a social club. Now mamacas has stepped away they need another cashed up/leader of the community to step forward and lead the club out of this mess.
Money talks and George walks
Money does not fix everything especially everything related to football. Do Olympia really have another as financial as GM who is happy to kiss millions goodbye for the sake of a game? That is not an investment and that is why I say kiss millions goodbye.
Olympia need an injection of new people and any existing people must listen and take note.
Going down the same old road year after year has not and does not work.
Totally agree. Small group of people living on the past & dreaming too much. Was a ripper club for many years. Once George left it was all down hill. The opportunity was there to once again make it great with the chance of the Super Club. With money & brains behind the wheel & obviously CZ & GM we’re happy to work together. The brainless few who wouldn’t agree to a name change need to stand out the front, across the road & look at the big picture. It’s an embarrassment! The pitch, the fences, the overall presentation of the entrance. Mmmmm, can’t see them being able to afford to resurrect any of this anytime soon. Farewell Warriors!
Maybe a blessing for Zebras that this merger failed.
Once were Warriors
As I understood it the board was going to stand down if the vote did not get up at the meeting to progress to the next stage ie due diligence, to make sure they were getting what they voted for. Obviously they felt they weren’t so they acted accordingly and pulled the plug as they said they would at the meeting.
Thanks to them for being honest and taking into account what there members actually voted for….
The Zebras board needs to really think about if they want to lead this club or not, if not make it known and hopefully some new blood will step up.
I think all three clubs are in trouble not just Olympia. NPL will fall apart. Football TAS is trying to run the same competitions as the mainland but we don’t have the numbers. Tassie is a AFL state and they can’t even sustain a statewide league , so how is Football TAS going to sustain it. Also Clarence Zebras must be in financial trouble for them to ask George to merge. Having an NPL license doesn’t mean they will be alright. They have had an NPL license for how many years now,They will continue to struggle. Football tas has a lot to answer for as they keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
Spirit??? Isnt that the name propsed for a Metro takeover once apon a time
Agreed. Then the brains trust want to add in more teams to the already weakened NPL. AFL and Basketball are the winners in the state as FFT were too slow. Just have to look at the amount of juniors now playing basketball and football in schools compared the soccer. She is a dead concept this state league now.
Funny how people act when they don’t get their own way…
From the outside looking in… All well and good to be trading as Clarence Olympia FC Zebras.. but the new ‘President’ couldn’t adhere to the first dot point of the merger plan and blames everyone else for his own mistakes…. And continues to fire pot shots
Classic GM.
When George came back to Hobart Olympic his first job was to bring back the Olympia name. I’m guessing it was important to him. Now it’s about not wanting to be the president of Clarence and Zebras. The Olympia name is just collateral damage
So is South East utd going to be able to fill all the underage teams to gain an NPL License, or is FFT going to change the bar again as they do every year. Is there anyone who can enlighten me on what is needed for an NPL license.
Fft 😂
The real issue here is that these clubs considered a merger. Now it's either mis management which I'm sure there has been , but what I'm even more sure about is lack of funding. Real football has highest youth enrolment, but looses them all to AFL... How can this improve??
With AFL coming , football is dead in this state.
You could play Benny Hill music in the background of this post!
Didn't George talk of a seamless transition?
He and DJ should be expelled from any administrative position within sports clubs.
They are a disgrace. What a mess - it's a poor look for the sport and it's no wonder were not taken seriously.
All this commotion and to walk away because of a few letters in a name. Lol
The Olympia members voted YES to the Merger as long as the Olympia name survives. Clarence agreed to that condition.
So George let the Merger collapse because he couldn’t reverse the deal agreed on between the 2 clubs. Both clubs may have dodged a bullet
Good luck then, Olympia will only be a championship league team while based at warrior park. Aren’t you listening the ground will never get approval for NPL
It’s about time things at Clarence changed ! Unfortunately without someone with the brains and go forward thinking like George at the helm it’s just going to be another disastrous few years ahead even if they can field a side of decent players willing to join the club for the peanuts they shell out
This is about as funny as South Hobart thinking they are good enough to play in a Mainland competition
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