Glamorgan chief defends shake-up

Chairman Paul Russell has responded to claims that Glamorgan has lost its soul by saying that the "dysfunctional family" needed to be changed.

Ex-captain Steve James and disgruntled members say that the club has focused too much on the 2009 Ashes Test.

Major changes in recent weeks include the departure of long-serving stalwarts David Hemp, Mike Fatkin and Len Smith.

"Fans tell me the family feeling's gone - I can only say good. It was a pretty dysfunctional family," said Russell.

606: DEBATE
What do you think of Russell's comments?
"When I took over as chairman, we were turning over less than £2.5m and had one permanent building with 800 seats and were crashing and burning financially.

"In 2009 we will turn over £9m and have one of the finest medium-sized Test venues in the world.

"You can talk about the detractors, but there is no getting away from those facts. While some people are being negative I see a great deal of hope.

"It has taken me more time to build a new side than it has a stadium which was the reversal of what I thought would be the case.

"But I think we now have a basis of a side that can win us trophies and take us up to the first division."

Glamorgan will spend £1m over the winter, £600,000 on a new drainage system and a new hover cover system, similar to the equipment used at Lord's.

"I never find taking actions in the interests of the business difficult"
Paul Russell

On Monday, Glamorgan installed Simon Lee as their new operations director, while announcing that captain David Hemp and fellow batsman Richard Grant would be leaving the club.

Andy Atkinson was brought in as acting chief groundsman last week, replacing the retired Smith, while chief executive Fatkin has yet to be directly replaced.

"Simon Lee is not a replacement for Mike Fatkin, it was a role that we were recruiting for when Mike was still with us," said Russell. "In fact, Mike helped with the job description.

"In the chief executive department, I have been granted executive powers by the board until the Ashes Test.

"I am referred to as executive chairman, which will effectively be a temporary chief executive role. After next summer we will take a long hard look at the structure of the company.

"I never find taking actions in the interests of the business difficult.

"I am a businessman and I have to take objective and dispassionate decisions which I think are in the interest of Glamorgan.

"I think we now have a group with the sufficient expertise and experience to make a real success of things."

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