Giteau affair overshadows Force preparations

[travelling_gerry]

Giteau affair overshadows Force preparations




9th December 2008, 8:00 WST

The thing that puzzles most about this Matt Giteau shermozzle is his rejection in Hong Kong of a deal apparently made in heaven, just like the game he plays.

When you knock back a guaranteed $1.6 million at a time the world economy is plummeting faster than Eddie the Eagle on cast-iron skis, you must have the sweetest of sweetheart deals waiting in the wings.

So let’s see it. Why keep the Western Force out of the loop, just two months before they kick off the new Super 14 season against the Auckland Blues at Subiaco Oval?

Pssst! This just in. The original monetary offer to Giteau from Firepower was $400k per year, supplemented by a last-minute sweetener of $350k of Firepower scrip from company chief Tim Johnston, who would have known at the time that, barring a miracle, the chance of Gits getting a buck per share ranged somewhere between zero and 30 below.

The replacement offer was also for $400k per year in the bank, compensating Giteau for the money he lost this year when Firepower fizzled, plus the next three seasons.


the rest from Dave Hughes at the West,....

[laura]

Its not puzzling. The contract was for 3 years, common sense would say he didn't want to stay for 3 years hence he knocked back the offer.

That doesn't suggest his intentions are to dishonour his contract, just not to extend it for the extra 2.

[MI5_Dog]

I think that Mr Hughes was puzzled as to why Matt didn't take the Hong Kong offer.
It seemed like a good offer, so good in fact that, in this time of financial crisis, it's unlikely to be bettered or even matched.

[Swee_82]

Its not puzzling. The contract was for 3 years, common sense would say he didn't want to stay for 3 years hence he knocked back the offer.

That doesn't suggest his intentions are to dishonour his contract, just not to extend it for the extra 2.

Hughesey has a point- it was a pretty sweet deal, in an economic environment where spare cash is going to dry up pretty quickly (there's an article in todays' Australian about what effect the financial crisis will have on philanthropy and sponsorship for sports/arts/charity etc).

Presumably, he's knocked it back on the premise that something sweeter will come along, be it more financially attractive, or better development opportunities or geographically amenable, or whatever it is that would make it a better deal. What is that belief based on? Erksine's still schlepping around Canberra trying to put together something comparable.

As for the 2009 season, surely everyone's life would be about 1000% easier if the parties concerned could stand in front of a camera somewhere are say eight very simple monosybllic words: "I will play at the Force next year".

The coaching staff could start planning with some more certainty, without wondering if they need to conjure a variation on the old magician's trick and pull a fly-half out of a Rabbit. The corporate arm could stop wasting it's PR time, money and expertise on managing this issue and go back to promoting the club and the code in what is a hugely important season for rugby in WA. Not to mention that Gits could have a quiet break and go back to training in Jan with a clear view for at least the next 6 months.


Dave Hughes summed it up with the headline "Giteau affair overshadows Force preparations " and has correctly identified things as a 'shemozzle'.

[MI5_Dog]

The coaching staff could start planning with some more certainty, without wondering if they need to conjure a variation on the old magician's trick and pull a fly-half out of a Rabbit.

Brilliant pun Swee!

[Swee_82]

Brilliant pun Swee!

I'm secretly trying to get a job writing Pie-Man's material

[MI5_Dog]

I'm secretly trying to get a job writing Pie-Man's material

Well with a pun that good I think you've already shown yourself to be over qualified!

[laura]

Sure its a great deal and worth a lot of money but to me, him rejecting it can say two things..
1. He doesn't want to stay for 3 years, as was the agreement, if he signed or
2. Money isn't that important to him and he's happy to stay with what he has got.

I dont see why he needs to come out and say anything if he's staying. If he was leaving then yes he would need to say something but all the other players who come off contract at the end of season 09 don't have to confirm that they are staying, so why should he.

[Happy]

Its not puzzling. The contract was for 3 years, common sense would say he didn't want to stay for 3 years hence he knocked back the offer.

That doesn't suggest his intentions are to dishonour his contract, just not to extend it for the extra 2.

it is quite puzzling actually.. Hughsey has a very good point.. You think there are Canberra dollars waiting in the shadow's ? No-one from Canberra has come up with an alternative offer publically.

I think, Gits wants to move, but he HASN"T got another offer, so now he's a bit stuffed.

It has blown a little bigger than he probably would have liked, he doesn't have another offer from the Brumbies which is bigger than what he has been offered by the Force.

He is risking pissing off Emirates and the other major Force sponsors.

His teams mates are starting to get a little tired of it all, especially his refusal to confirm if he will line up next to them or against them next season.

I'll bet Mitchell and Deans have had a few quiet words together?

I think the only clever people here are the Force - keep quiet, don't inflame anything and assume that in a few weeks he will line up for the Members Equity warm up game.

My opinion is his manager read the situation wrong and young Matt is running out of time!

[Swee_82]

I dont see why he needs to come out and say anything if he's staying.

I'm only talking about openly making a committment to 2009.

And not saying 'I'm contracted", actually saying "I will play"

I think the only clever people here are the Force - keep quiet, don't inflame anything and assume that in a few weeks he will line up for the Members Equity warm up game.

Too right Happy

[.X.]

I believe that the "Hong Kong Deadline" was insisted upon by the 3rd party sponors. RugbyWA wanted no part of that.

[jargan83]

2. Money isn't that important to him and he's happy to stay with what he has got.

You give him to much credit, after all he is a professional sportman

[mudskipper]

I have not heard Mitchell say he wants JOC to play flyhalf next year...only the journos...Force shouldn’t put to much pressure on the kid. Look at what happened to Beale at the Tahs last year. It media hype wasn't reasonable and effect his confidence…He's cleary a talent but care needs to be taken with his professional development..

[TOCC]

I would put Daruda at 5/8 before JOC..

JOC may be more talented, but Daruda has being serving his apprenticeship for a few years now and is ready to step up. You dont want to harm JOC's development by exposing him to much to early.

[brokendown gunfighter]

I would put Daruda at 5/8 before JOC..

JOC may be more talented, but Daruda has being serving his apprenticeship for a few years now and is ready to step up. You dont want to harm JOC's development by exposing him to much to early.

Judging by the one club game I saw O,Connor play at 5/8 last season,he has a long way to go if he wants to play there