Real reason why Albert quit
By James Phelps
11jan07
ANGRY Sharks officials are moving to end Darren Albert's career amid allegations the 32-year-old has been secretly negotiating a return to the English Super League.
The Daily Telegraph has learned that Albert was planning to link with English Super League powerhouse Huddersfield after dramatically walking out on the Sharks on Tuesday.
The former Newcastle flyer told coach Ricky Stuart he was quitting the club to move to England to be with his UK-based girlfriend and had no intentions of playing football.
But just hours before the meeting, Albert told teammates he was planning to join the Giants in 2007.
An irate Sharks chief executive officer Greg Pierce last night said the Sharks would blackball Albert from playing in the UK.
The move could leave Albert in a similar position to that which Jamie Lyon found himself in when he quit the Eels in 2004, with Lyon eventually turning out for Group 4 bush side Wee Waa.
"We will stop (Albert) playing in the UK," said Pierce. "He doesn't have a release from us so he won't be playing.
"I can give him a release but put conditions on where he won't be able to play - like in the NRL or the English Super League in season 2007.
"He can go over there and play second division if he wants, but he can't play in the Super League.
"If I gave him a clearance to play over there there would be nothing from stopping him coming back to play in the NRL.
"I like Darren but he told us he wasn't playing two months before kickoff.
"If he would have come to us in September and said he was going, we might have looked at it differently.
"We might have had a chance to pick up someone else then."
Albert has been avoiding the media but coach Ricky Stuart said he was disappointed with the wing flyer's shock resignation.
"It will be very difficult for him to play in Huddersfield because he is not going to get a release," Stuart said.
"I would have liked to have known about his departure before this.
"He didn't hint it to me or anyone else in the club, but it didn't seem to surprise the players. They knew something we didn't."
Stuart said he would fill the void left by Albert's departure with a player from within his squad.
"It is very late in the season and there are not a lot of players available," he said.
"We will use the money wisely and it doesn't need to be spent. We lose experience and pace with Albert leaving, but it does create an opportunity for a young player to grab a first-grade spot.
"At the end of the day it won't be a big loss to the side because someone else will come through."
Albert is expected to depart for the UK early next week. He spent time in England with his girlfriend before the pre-season and asked her to move to Australia with him.
ricky seems as though he has the board exactly where he wants them, i like it!
