I like Damian, both personally and for what he has done for the club, but one of his mates should tap him on the shoulder and give him a quiet word about pulling back, and getting his head out of the papers and social media.. It is starting to get a David Brent feeling about it all..
Apologetic: Ex-Cronulla boss Damian Irvine intends to say sorry to the Sharks players. Photo: Getty Images
Former Cronulla chairman Damian Irvine intends to personally apologise to players and staff affected by the ''misplaced words'' that cost him the job, regardless of whether he is successful at the board elections.
Irvine stood down from the post after claiming players were injected with ''equine substances'', prompting a furious response from staff and players and opening himself up to legal action. However, he is confident he can work with all parties if successful at the polling booths, which close on Sunday.
His hasty resignation and commitments overseas prevented him from contacting the affected parties, but Irvine vowed to sit down with them face-to-face to clear the air. ''There will certainly be an opportunity to catch up with them,'' Irvine said from the US. ''I'm not shy in terms of acknowledging and looking people in the eye and offering an apology, saying that things could have been done better.
''I would do that to any bloke at that club still, even the guys that left. I'd sit down directly with them one-on-one. I've got no problem with that, I've always done that and I would do it in the future. In regards to relationships, a lot of people have been hurt and disillusioned by this whole ASADA investigation on a lot of levels. There's going to be a lot of soul-searching and a lot of honesty in the future coming out of the club in terms of people's relationships.
Advertisement
''I don't just mean my relationships. The whole place, because it's been so rapid and everyone is under the pump, I haven't even had a chance to say goodbye to the team. On and off the field, even with the commercial side, it was also very quick. There was so much going on.''
Irvine, who was confident he could work with coach Shane Flanagan and the players if he was elected, said he paid a heavy personal and professional toll over his comment. ''It has been [tough]. A lot of work has gone into the last four years and I was disappointed in myself for letting the pressure get to me,'' he said. ''I was more down on myself than anything. You can't dwell on these things and there has been great support as well as the knockers. You have your ups and downs but it's been tough. I've put so much time into the club and I just hope I haven't messed that up with a couple of misplaced words.
''It was a disappointing thing that happened in regards to the comments I made. But four years is a longer time than those shorter comments and I just hope they look at the big picture.''
Sports scientist Stephen Dank has filed a statement of claim in the NSW Supreme Court, which says Irvine made defamatory statements about him ''to the effect that he injected Sharks players with horse drugs''. Four sacked Cronulla employees are also considering whether to sue.
Asked if he was concerned about legal actions against him, Irvine said: ''As far as my concern with that, you've got to deal with what you've got to deal with. I've dealt with things before and will do it again if need be.''
Irvine said the club's strong financial position - underpinned by the $300 million property development - meant it would survive regardless of the outcome of ASADA's investigation because of the ''financial solidarity and security''. ''If it had happened at times during the past three or four years, there is no way we could have stomached it,'' he said.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...laced-words-20130420-2i6yz.html#ixzz2R2eeZBZE
