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Andrew Johns, Todd Carney and the modern footballer

Roar Pro
29th June, 2014
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Todd Carney has played his last game in a Cronulla jersey, and quite possibly his last game in the NRL. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Roar Pro
29th June, 2014
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4921 Reads

In light of the fallout from the Todd Carney incident and the subsequent reporting of Andrew Johns’ statement regarding Carney’s behaviour, it is clear that some people in the world of men’s sport are sorely misinformed on life the bubble.

There has been and will continue to be people taking a stance similar to the one Johns did on Carney’s behaviour. Excuses that players like Carney are wayward young boys are wearing thin.

>> PRICHARD: What next for Carney?
>> Was Carney’s punishment too harsh?
>> Were Cronulla right to sack Todd Carney?
>> How do you solve the Carney problem?

Statements such as “they are paid to play football, not be role models” are far from the mark. The statement made by Andrew Johns on the Channel Nine Footy Show on Sunday, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, is bordering on delusional.

‘Surely they couldn’t sack him for that, it’s silly…it’s stupid…he is only doing it to himself.”

Andrew Johns,who was no stranger to controversy during his playing days, has found a kindred spirit in Todd Carney. Johns can see nothing wrong with Carney’s actions because he wrongly believes they don’t affect anyone else.

Well unfortunately for Andrew, it seems because he was excused for his shameful behaviour, he never learned a life lesson. To claim Carney is only hurting himself demonstrates sheer contempt for fans of rugby league, the clubs, the sponsors, and his own employer – those who pay to keep this game running.

Cronulla paid Todd Carney $650,000 per annum to be the best athlete he can be. They paid him to perform at the highest level and be a better ball player than his opposition. They paid him to attract fans through the gate and to have those same fans forego their hard earned dollars to buy merchandise.

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The Sharks paid Carney to perform on the field and have a positive media persona, which in turn assists in attracting sponsorship.

Cronulla are languishing at the bottom the of the table. They have a drugs scandal hovering over their heads, a team captain who won’t take responsibility for his inability to lead and motivate his team and sponsors treating the club like lepers. They have a coach who didn’t want the job in the first place.

How must his teammates feel the way they will now need to hobble through the season without a strike playmaker? How will the Sharks admin staff now feel with their future already uncertain before this week? How do the fans feel when they tell their children playmaker Carney won’t be playing again.

Andrew Johns, based on his statement regarding Carney, seems sorely misinformed in basic capitalism or simply unable to grasp the concepts surrounding the Carney matter. I’d be surprised if Johns’ employer didn’t pull him aside and sternly tell him the facts about corporate business. Johns has been around a while.

It’s surprising he’s not learned some basic business acumen. Maybe some players past and present need to be informed of what the job as a modern sporting entertainer is.

Carney and his ilk are bad for business, pure and simple. It’s just basic economics. The Sharks want a return on investment in Carney. His ability to pull in revenue via his on the field skills is dwarfed by his consistent ability to repulse fans and corporate sponsors alike.

Sometimes there is only one opportunity to seal a lucrative, long-term sponsorship deal with a corporate. What Carney’s actions have potentially cost the Sharks and the NRL in monetary terms can not be quantified.

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If this was any other industry, a guy like Carney would have had his contract revoked and never seen again, should he have jeopardised a major sponsor or other business venture.

He is one of the minority who are born with the ability to play sport at an elite level and is handsomely for it. People like Carney have their body on the line, so no one can begrudge their pay packet, but as I’ve written previously, with increased rights comes great responsibility.

Carney and his ilk are happy to accept the reward, yet struggle to keep their end of the bargain. He is paid to be a supreme athlete. How can one get so drunk on a Saturday night to think that urinating in one’s own mouth in front of others is a good idea.

How can he be able to back up in less than 48 hours and give 100 per cent to training. He should be sacked for that alone. He is not fulfilling his contract.

You want to act like a tool on the beers every Saturday night and not have your face in the paper, Todd? No problem. No one is standing in your way. Simply accept a $600,000 pay cut, get a job as a labourer with no corporate responsibility and gargle until your heart’s content.

Your workmates might even think you a living legend. The young, single, impressionable ones might, anyway – for a while. All the while you can play park footy to keep the passion alive.

Players like Carney are managed, educated to deal with media, and have a very fortunate life at great expenses to the clubs, yet there is a minority still decide to help to destroy the game they supposedly love. It does not cut it to say that the same percentage of people in society do the same stupid things. The difference is that sports people are paid to be elite in every way, shape and form.

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Cut them loose after their second strike. Once is a mistake, twice shows contempt for everyone who loves the game.

The next star always comes along. And with less bad press by letting these miscreants go early, we might just see more mums and dads allowing their children to play the game. Now that can only be a good thing.

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