In the week since the Walt Disney Co. board announced it would move quickly to find a successor to Michael Eisner, the chief executive's two fiercest critics have publicly been as quiet as, well, a mouse.
But behind the scenes, former Disney directors Stanley Gold and Roy Disney have been canvassing their allies, seeking consensus on whether their work is complete. Their answer came Tuesday: Yes, with reservations.
"I'm heartened, but we're not done," said Roy Disney, nephew of the company's co-founder. He and Gold said they still could make good on their threat to propose an alternate slate of directors if it appears the board is retreating from its promise to conduct a far-reaching search for Eisner's replacement.
Still, Gold and Disney offered kind words to a board they've vilified for the better part of a year. In a statement, they praised directors for deciding to conduct an independent search and name Eisner's replacement by June. Gold and Disney had pushed the board hard on both those issues, as well as in obtaining assurances that Eisner would not be named chairman after his contract expires in September 2006.
The board did not, however, set a definitive timetable for Eisner's exit, as Gold and Disney had hoped.
Among Gold and Disney's biggest remaining concerns is the possibility that the board might end up backing Eisner's preferred choice, Disney President Robert Iger, when the search is completed.
But behind the scenes, former Disney directors Stanley Gold and Roy Disney have been canvassing their allies, seeking consensus on whether their work is complete. Their answer came Tuesday: Yes, with reservations.
"I'm heartened, but we're not done," said Roy Disney, nephew of the company's co-founder. He and Gold said they still could make good on their threat to propose an alternate slate of directors if it appears the board is retreating from its promise to conduct a far-reaching search for Eisner's replacement.
Still, Gold and Disney offered kind words to a board they've vilified for the better part of a year. In a statement, they praised directors for deciding to conduct an independent search and name Eisner's replacement by June. Gold and Disney had pushed the board hard on both those issues, as well as in obtaining assurances that Eisner would not be named chairman after his contract expires in September 2006.
The board did not, however, set a definitive timetable for Eisner's exit, as Gold and Disney had hoped.
Among Gold and Disney's biggest remaining concerns is the possibility that the board might end up backing Eisner's preferred choice, Disney President Robert Iger, when the search is completed.