County Championship v Essex (Colchester) Thu 4th-Sun 7th Aug

Bm,

You make some good points.

Brooksy’s role was to redevelop the ground. When achieved, he left. Toumazi’s success has been off-field where his role was to increase sponsorship levels and help double the annual off-field turnover. This has been achieved. Zac has also done sterling work for Jim May's community legacy.

So his CEO role is close to complete. Therefore, do not be surprised if he retires at the end of this season or during 2017.

We have had many chats and I’ve carried out various interviews with him over the years. I’ve always found Zac to be open and friendly. He is a good 'people person'. And while the pressure of work may have been a shock to his system at the beginning, he has come to terms with it now, even though this may have affected his health in the past.

Imho, the next CEO needs to be quite different to his two predecessors. Ideally, someone who is young with energy, vision and ambition along with a strong leadership trait. Someone who can shake up the club and steer them forward to a renewed period of success.

Unfortunately, Sussex may not hire such a person as they might worry that type of individual could be too threatening for the present cosy club family culture. If so, then Sussex might well wither away and repeat the pattern of Kent as you fear.

PS: I often wonder why the club have such an aversion to strong personalities, where a softer more timid hive mentality is preferred. My only conclusion goes back to the post days of the 1997 revolution. In fact, I wrote about it in a blog during February 2015. Here is the link.

unofficialsussexccc.freeforums.net/post/7035/thread

As a suggestion, are the club still suffering from some PTSD Dave Gilbert syndrome? The Aussie man who traumatised the club with his domineering lizard-like ways, reducing players like Mike Yardy to tears, and tearing out the heart of Tony Pigott?