The petition
** This petition is also available in English. **
Ons, die ondergetekende, lojale Blou Bul ondersteuners, verklaar die volgende:
1. Die Blou Bulle het ‘n lang, trotse rugbygeskiedenis, as die suksesvolste span in die geskiedenis van die Curriebeker en as die huidige Super 14-kampioene.
2. Die Blou Bulle lewer reeds jare lank ‘n beduidende bydrae tot die sukses van Suid-Afrikaanse rugby in die geheel, insluitend die onlangse suksesvolle Wêreldbekertoernooi.
3. Die Blou Bul strukture vir rugbyontwikkeling word in die algemeen as wêreldklas, selfs as wêreldleiers, beskou.
4. Die Blou Bulle Maatskappy is finansieel die suksesvolste in Suid-Afrika, danksy die vertroue wat deur hul borge, beleggers en ondersteuners in hulle gestel word.
Daarom spreek ons, die ondergetekende, lojale ondersteuners van die Blou Bulle, ons kommer uit oor die prestasie van die Vodacom Bulls in die 2008 Super 14-toernooi, asook die merkbare agteruitgang in die algemene spelpeil van die span, en ons stel graag die volgende:
1. Ons verklaar ‘n mosie van wantroue in die huidige afrigtingspan. Ons erken dat die verandering van die vorige na die huidige hoofafrigter groot aanpassings verg, maar meen dat, gegewe die hoeveelheid beskikbare talent, die oorgang na ‘n nuwe afrigter 'n groot rol speel in die span se swak prestasie.
2. Ons verklaar ‘n mosie van wantroue in die huidige keuringsproses. Ons erken die verlies van senior spelers aan Europese klubs, maar meen dat sommige senior spelers gekies word bloot om die Blou Bulle Maatskappy se belegging in sodanige spelers te beskerm, in plaas daarvan dat die beste spelers gekies word.
3. Ons verklaar ‘n mosie van wantroue in die Blou Bulle Maatskappy se kommunikasieprosesse. Ondanks die klinkklare feit dat die Vodacom Bulls tans onderpresteer, was daar nog geen verklaring wat kommer hieroor uitspreek, of ‘n erkenning van die feit dat die Bulle nie die hoë spelpeil handhaaf waaraan ons, as ondersteuners, gewoond is nie.
Ons meen ook dat die kommunikasieproses oor Pierre Spies se mediese toestand en Bakkies Botha se kontraksituasie swak hanteer is, wat samesweringsteorieë en bespiegelings tot gevolg gehad het.
Daarom versoek ons, die ondergetekendes, die volgende:
1. Duidelike, oop en eerlike evaluering van die prestasie van die hele afrigtingspan, en ‘n onderneming van die Blou Bulle Maatskappy om die situasie so gou moontlik reg te stel.
2. Duidelike, oop en eerlike evaluering van die spelpeil van die senior spelers in die span, en ‘n onderneming van die Blou Bulle Maatskappy om die situasie so gou moontlik reg te stel.
3. Duidelike, oop en eerlike kommunikasie met ons, die ondersteuners van die Blou Bulle.
Neem kennis dat ons NIE dreig om die span se tuiswedstryde te boikot nie, maar dat ons daarop wys dat voortgesette swak prestasie in elk geval tot swak bywoning sal lei.
Die Blou Bulle het ‘n lang en trotse rugbygeskiedenis. Ons, die ondergetekende ondersteuners, kan nie aanhou om die probleme raak te sien en daaroor stil te bly nie. Ondersteuners is net so ‘n integrale deel van die trotse geskiedenis en kultuur van die span as die spelers, die afrigters en die Blou Bulle Maatskappy.
Beskou hierdie dokument asseblief as ‘n uitdrukking van ons besorgdheid oor ons geliefde span, en nie as ‘n dreigement of onredelike kritiek nie.
Vriendelike groete
Ondersteuners van die Blou Bulle
We, the undersigned, loyal Blue Bull supporters, declare:
1. The Blue Bulls have a long and proud rugby history, as the most successful team in the history of the Currie Cup, and reigning Super 14 Champions.
2. The Blue Bulls have been a large contributor to the success of South African rugby as a whole, including the recent successful World Cup campaign.
3. The Blue Bulls rugby development structures are generally recognized as world-class, if not leading the world.
4. The Blue Bulls Company is financially the most successful in South Africa, enabled by the confidence shown in them by their sponsors, investors and supporters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, loyal supporters of the Blue Bulls, note with concern the performance of the Vodacom Blue Bulls in the 2008 Super 14 competition, and the severe decline in the overall performance of the team, and wish to state the following:
1. We declare a position of no confidence in the current coaching staff. We acknowledge the major transition between the previous and current head coaches, but feel that given the amount of talent available, that the transition to a new coach plays a large role in the current under-performance of the team.
2. We declare a position of no confidence in the current selection process. We acknowledge the loss of senior players to European clubs, but feel that some senior players are selected just to protect the Blue Bulls Company investment, instead of selecting in-form players.
3. We declare a position of no confidence in the communication processes of the Blue Bulls Company. Despite the very obvious fact that the Blue Bulls are under-performing, there has been no statement of concern, nor an acknowledgment of the fact that the Bulls are not performing up to the high standards that we the fans have come to expect.
We also feel that the communications process around the medical condition of Pierre Spies and the contractual situation of Bakkies Botha was poorly handled, leaving room for conspiracy theories and wild speculation.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, request the following:
1. Clear, open and honest evaluation of the performance of the entire coaching staff, and an undertaking from the Blue Bulls Company to rectify the situation as soon as possible.
2. Clear, open and honest evaluation of the performance of the senior players in the team, and an undertaking from the Blue Bulls Company to rectify the situation as soon as possible.
3. Clear, open and honest communication with us, the fans of the Blue Vodacom Bulls.
Please note that we are NOT threatening a boycott of the team’s home games, but will point out that continued mediocre performances will have that effect anyway.
The Blue Bulls have a long and proud history in the game. We, the undersigned fans, cannot continue to see the problems, and keep quiet about it. We are as much a part of the proud history and culture of the team as the players, the coaches and the Blue Bulls Company.
Please see this document as our expression of concern for the team we love, and not as a threat or undue criticism.
Sincerely
The Blue Bulls Fans
Sign the petition
Fields marked * are required.