That article isn't worth the paper its written on. I'm surprised The Age would even let it go to print.
Where's the article talking about Jonothan Brown and his contract negotiations? He's the one asking for a 5 year deal, not Fev.
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Still, Fevola is not completely stupid. Even he, despite what has clearly been some pretty ordinary advice close to home, could see the soap operatic nature of his contractual negotiations was starting to make him look like a selfish dill.
Besides field some questions on TFS, where he refused to comment, and 'allegedly' stop the Fenech fight with his revelations the Swans offered him a deal, what has Fev done to make his contract negotiations a soap opera?
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The angriest Carlton chief executive Greg Swann has appeared this season was when John Elliott was quoted in The Age saying Fevola deserved three years and Elliott had told then president Richard Pratt to sign him.
Whats this got to do with Fev? Hardly his fault Elliott has a big mouth.
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We understand his new management group was also becoming a trifle impatient, urging the player to sign and be done with it.
We understand...sounds like Caro is making stuff up again. There has also been opinion that his management group are poorly advising him. She said it herself, that he's been getting some pretty poor advice close to home. That either means his management or Alex. How on earth would Caro or 'her sources' know that?
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Premiership player Maclure put it best in The Age several days ago when he bristled at a comparison between the inconsistent if brilliantly talented footballer and the wild Carlton boys of the 1980s.
"He's not like us at all, he's selfish for starters," said Maclure.
"We wouldn't have put up with the way he carries on. We would have got him to pull his head in well before now. Ask me what I think of Brendan and I'd say too often he lets the team down, not to mention lets himself down by not giving his all.
"I think Brendan picks and chooses when he wants to play well and that is not the way to win premierships. He's a very good player, a brilliant player, but he's only that when he wants to be."
Wonderful use of a quote to back up your argument.
Is this the same Mark Maclure whos come out to take shots at the club and the way it was run over the same 6 years, but refused to help out 'until the right people were in place'?
Picks and chooses when he plays well? FFS, if you were to say sometimes his attitude prevents him from playing well, that would be fair enough, but to suggest he picks and chooses when to play well is accusing him of something far deeper and helps explain where Maclure is at.
Are there still a group of ex-players, including Rhys-Jones and I thought Maclure, working with the players on the history and culture of the club? They made a big song and dance about it saying they'd let the club and current players down by not being around. (this is distinct from Maclure refusing to help out with the off-field side of things).
Why didn't they get him to pull his head in a long time ago?
You can essentially blame Hutchy for all this crap. No one was talking about it and there was no pressure on Fev until he came out with the Swans story. Its not the first time a player has had lengthy negotiations and its not always the players fault.
As for the suggestion that we have a right to know the progress of contract signings with our players. What a wonderful competitive advantage we'd be giving the other 15 (soon 17) clubs. We elect a board, who then put the people in place to handle these things. Imagine the outroar amongst the media and supporters if the club were to come out and say negotiations with Marc Murphy aren't going well, we're a long way off agreeing to terms, its likely to take another 2 months. We've nearing completion of talks with Jason Saddington on a 1 year deal.