Campo has his faults no doubt- they are well known so i wont repeat them. But calls for him to be given the arse is just plain shortsighted.

I agree he is overpaid (well, overpaid based on what I have been told his back-loaded contract is giving him this year) But when he renegotiates his final contract with us it will be at far more realistic terms. He is too old to be a target for opposition teams so he will be forced to take our terms or retire. I can see him on 250,000 to 300,000. Half of which goes into the SC due to vet status. At 125,000 to 150,000 of our SC HE IS A BARGAIN.
Where else are you going to get someone of his caliber at this price?
His disposals this year are 13,21,19,24,9,32,23. We can argue all we like about the quality of these disposals but they are still very handy. Without the hawthorn game where he only got 9 possessions he has averaged 22 possessions per game this season. If he was a new recruit we would all be on the Campo band- wagon
04 20.3
03 22.2
02 18.45
01 23.5
00 27.7
99 22.8
98 22
97 17.8
96 17.4
95 14.8

You can see from this that he is traveling pretty much on track for his game average except for his blow out year in 00. Again the quality of his possessions may be questioned, but he is still finding plenty of the footy.

It all boils down to expectations. As a senior player we expect him to dominate a game. But unfortunately he is not a Brett Ratten or a Koutta who generate opportunities for themselves and others, he is and always has been an outside player that needs the help of other in and under players to bring him into the game. Having said that I think that underestimates how many times he is in and under by necessity.
If we develop/ recruit a couple more tough midfielders then Campo could again return to his natural game. I would also say this about Nick Stevens.
A perfect addition IMO would be Sam Mitchell from Hawthorn. OK back to Campo. Can we expect him to dominate in a side that clearly lacks the type of players that he requires to excel- eg Rattens or Williams. Koutta is doing a great job but is playing a lone hand. Clearly Campo is incapable of fulfilling our expectations in the current team structure.
By getting rid of him we are failing to recognize his true value as a running link player. Once he goes we will have that space to fill as well. We have enough gaps to fill now- we should not be looking to make the situation worst. He is part of a good midfield if that midfield can be completed. It is no use having a threadbear midfield for the next 3-4 years by getting rid of Campo (and Koutta as some have suggested) because the midfield has to be at least competitive for the team to be even a chance. Without at least breaking even, the rest of the side will be swamped by the opposition- hardly an atmosphere for young players to learn and develop. We need Campo to stay on for the next few years for the good of the teams structure and the development of the youngsters. What we dont need is an overpriced midfielder that generates huge expectations because of this. For the sake of the Club I sincerely hope that Campo decides to be realistic over the renegotiation of his contract. He has been part of Carlton for a long time and has been well looked after financially. It is time for him to give a little back to the club, not only by helping the club with its salary cap but also by helping some of our youngsters develop in a team which is at least competitive

campo is becoming the most prolific poster on this site

i've got no problem with him being an outside player. every team has one or two. braddles played over 300 games with us predominatly as an outside runner! you need guys who can run the lines and deliver well (i think his delivery is ok, it has deteriorated this year but it's generally ok).

however ....

a) leadership sux
b) attitude sux
c) overpaid
d) overpaid
e) obscenely overpaid
f) clever clever bludger
g) unaccountable
h) unreliable
i) THE WORST @#$%&! TACKLER OF ALL TIME!!!

just on point (i) ... you'd think that a guy who's been playing for 11 years would have SOME idea as to how to lay a tackle. not our campo ... he either allows the tacklee (is that a word?) to break the tackle attempt, or he takes them too high and gives away a free kick.

even if he is an outside player, there is an unwritten rule that applies to ALL players ... when it's your turn to go ... you go!

if we can't offload him, i would love to see pagan force campo to play a similar role to riccardi and thompson (st kilda) and come off the bench ... on a vastly reduced contract of course!!

_________________
... an eagle flew out of the night. he was something to observe, came in close i heard a voice, bending stretching every nerve, had to listen had no choice ...

75 tackles last year which was about 28 more then the next best!

Howabout giving us a career average?

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Give me Nick Stevens average first?

Not interested in Nick Stevens average... Nick stevens runs and presents going forward as well as around the back.
Cant compare them ... just look at the last quarter of the Collingwood game if you want to see the difference between Nick Stevens and Campo.
Holland tried to take Stevens out... Stevens got up before Holland ..didnt even achnowledge him and won the ball to put it down Fevs throat in the very next stanza...

Campo was running around mouthing off.....

Can a contrast ever be more stark between two players you say are similar types????

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Maxi, you forgot undisciplined

Some other points;
1) Apparently overpaid ATM. What if he is signed for say $250 - $300K & is played off the bench. Surely he would still be overpaid if he is spending say 35% of the game off the ground
2) Posts have suggested he is a link player. It appears that my definition of a link player is different to others as I assume that style relates to guys who run forward of the play to create the loose man & link back to midfield/midfield to forwards. Not someone who runs behind the player who has worked hard for the kick, demands the ball & then just kicks it to a position the bloke with the original kick could have reached.

Leadership has also been mentioned. Just because you've been around the club for a while does not make you a leader. In a young team already low on confidence, the way he carried on with Betts on the weekend was a disgrace.

Campo, remember the pure joy you showed when kicking a goal in the 95 GF & the way all the senior guys embraced you (think sticks may have lifted you in a big hug). Shouldn't you now be embracing the new wave of younger guys in the same manner?

Play him on the HFF & offer him $200K, otherwise, OFF TO AAMI STADIUM & SAY HI TO MASSIE FOR ME

I've started a Campo related post this week to compare Kouta and Campo, and their impact on the game on Saturday. My only point was the difference in leadership between the 2.

I don't want campo to go, I don't want a protracted contract negotation with him giong public - what I want is him to stay around ona lower contract and finish his career at Carlton like all PP's should do (in my romantic view). Campo will have a good 3-4 years left, he's hardly been injured and you could see him being useful to one of the SA clubs. I think he could be very useful to us, going back as a forward or wingman where he started, even rotating on to the ball when we have a full * proper rotation. But as for playing defence or full time on-ball, I just don't see how his lack of accountability can be forgiven or covered up.

Love to see him kick goals, and our midfielders goals this year are well, well, down, and I think this should be our aim for him over the comign years.

IMO i think the problem with Campo is we all expect to him to play like he did when he had ratts, diesel and co feeding him the ball.

this isnt the case, and due to his age, he has almost become the one that needs to get it, which is entirely not his game.

wouldnt mind seeing him in the forward line as a FP or HFF and see how he goes.

he may only get 10 possessions, but aslong as they include 2 goals then most would be happy with his imput. I agree with the "Riccardi" type role for him, this it would be the perfect role for him.

And for the life of me - i cant see why we are so quickly to scorn Campo, Whitnall and Kouta for their contracts, it was the previous administration that set up all these back ended contracts, sure the club is paying for them now, but we cant blame the players.

Kernahan said it spot on at the GenBlue breakfast - when we made Kouta the million dollar man (2000 season) he said he has never seen anyone play the game like he did and if it wasnt for his knee he just doesnt know what Kouta could have become.

I tell you what i reckon he could have done - won two flags by himself and most likely wrapped up a brownlow on his way as well. Same goes for Whitnal - he was flying back in 2000-2001 and we signed both of them up on long term deals.

You cant blame the players for signing good contracts

_________________
Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

last year campo had a "run-with" role. it's easier to nail a stationery target at a stoppage. guys like kirk and baker lay a million tackles a season.

_________________
... an eagle flew out of the night. he was something to observe, came in close i heard a voice, bending stretching every nerve, had to listen had no choice ...

Interested in the tackle stats..are those recorded attempts to tackle or are they completed successful tackles where the player tackled has been unable to dispose of the ball or been forced into error?

The main problem i have with Campo is him continually staging for Free Kicks. flower Piss weak campo! Try concertrating on getting the ball the old fashioned way!

I agree - sick of seeing him mouthing off - just get the ball and shut up.

Also thought his disposals were very selfish on saturday - hes obviously injured, so he has to stop trying to do the fancy stuff when its obvious that right now hes not quick enough to pull it off.. holding onto the ball until you're about to be clobbered and passing onto a teamamte who is in a worse spot just to save ur own arse is unacceptable - especially from someone with leadership aspirations.

I'd like to see him put hios head down and play as a team member - not just as a show off.

_________________
Those of you who think you know everything are annoying to those of us who do.

So the grand stand experts once again know what Pagans instructions to Campo are. To all those Campo knockers if he isn't playing to the coaches instructions then why isn'the spending more time on the pine?

Is Pagan scared of benching him ? I think not, the bottom line is that the only ones with a problem with Campo are the ones who watch the games from the outer circle not the inner.

_________________
I know a little secret. And i'm not sharing.