Millers,
Your opinion i believe is correct, and that Bird has been a continual problem to the club and to particular club officials that seem to have to put up with ongoing problems that he has caused, some reported, some not. And i also believe that the club should get rid of him if he indeed is proved guilty or if the situation seems to just disappear due to a lack of statements and proper judicial actions.
However, i don't believe that you could say that the club hasn't acted in the correct manner, to protect the club, the player, the sponsors and all associated parties involved. I'm quite sure the club would have solid legal advice on the issue at hand which would be aiding them in the way they are approaching the handling of this situation.
As has been highlighted here by other individuals, competing clubs have not stood their players down when allegations have been made, some of these allegations are as damaging and serious as Birds, some are not .I think it's fair to say, Birds reputation precedes him and is the main reason that the media has dramatized his situation.
Irrespective of whether you believe that he should go and the club should have nothing to do with a player that continually gets himself into trouble, you have to go through the appropriate motions and ensure that you conduct the situation in a reputable and lawful manner.
The sponsors i suppose have an investment in the club and i think it's not necessarily an unfair reaction that they have had to this incident, however, the opinion of the sponsors should not weigh into the debate as to whether they should sack or back Bird.
Ultimately Zappia and the rest of the club officials are responsible for handling the manner in a reputable and professional manner, and if they are seen to do that, then sponsorship recruitment and retainment should not be an issue for the club.
So far, i can't see that they have done anything wrong.
They've contacted Bird and asked for the official events, he has mislead them, and they have published them.
Once the story has broken that he has lied to them, they have changed their media statement, they have dropped him indefinitely and continually made the statement that they have to uphold the communities expectations, and that the matter is now a legal one.
They have maintained that sacking the player is more than likely a result that will occur.
How could you fault the club?
