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Paul Gallen Cronulla I love the place
BY: AUSTRALIAN SPORT - YAHOO!7 SPORT | DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2011 | CATEGORIES: UNCATEGORIZED
Earlier this week I was very pleased to sign a two-year extension with the Cronulla Sharks, a deal that should keep me at the club for the rest of my career.
At the press conference I was asked what it meant to become a Shark For Life,' and for me that's a difficult question to answer.
There are a lot of things to like about Cronulla, the club and the area. Good facilities, sound management, a healthy squad of players, great fans and an ideal lifestyle, both for young guys and older blokes with families.
I've been around Cronulla long enough to know the club inside out, warts and all.
I'm not silly enough to trumpet the Sharks as a club without its share of problems, but I have always made an effort to resist the temptation of other clubs, or to get sucked in by the mantra that the grass is always greener somewhere else. At the risk of sounding over the top, I love the place, everything about it, and have done so since the moment I arrived in the Shire back over a decade ago.
Shane Flanagan has put me in a leadership position at the club which has given me the opportunity to provide a good example to younger players and lead from the front, a role I believe has taken my game to a new level.
No one knows what the future holds and I suspect a lot of people are sceptical about our chances to win that elusive Premiership, but that's my goal, and I'm going to do everything I can over the next four seasons to make it happen.
THE CARNEY CIRCUS
Throughout this year I have been fairly outspoken about my thoughts on Todd Carney.
Let it be said that I like Todd Carney, as a person first and a player second. He is a young kid who has ridden the rollercoaster countless times, experiencing tremendous highs and devastating lows.
Through it all he has remained a very likeable guy who is well respected by his peers.
Kids? They love the bloke, always lining up the longest to get his signature and cheering the loudest to get his attention. He gives an immeasurable amount of time and energy back to the people who support him and the fans who come in droves to see him, without fuss, and has never let that adulation affect the way he goes about his day-to-day life.
Then there's the side to Todd Carney that everyone has an opinion on. The late nights, the partying, the broken promises, and the incredible attention that surrounds it.
In my opinion, the media have gone way over the top with the way they have hounded Todd, and unfortunately, public perception has largely been shaped by the circus they have created.
I have watched in amazement in the way things are being reported, and now find myself constantly shaking my head at the rabid obsession with details of his personal life. Then, there's the members of the public who think it's appropriate or somehow acceptable to rile him up for a reaction, or take intrusive photos and videos to sell to hungry media outlets. Disgusting!
David Riolo, my manager, also looks after Todd, and I have spoken to him a number of times about how things have played out over the past 12 months.
While Dave hasn't given too much away, it came as no surprise that more than a handful of NRL clubs are interested in his services, or that he is taking his time with Todd to make the right decision. It's an important one, but Dave is the best in the business, so I have no doubt things will work out in due course.
From a selfish perspective, I hope Todd comes to the Sharks. He is a fantastic talent and a player I believe can take us to that next level. Whether I can help him or not, I'm not sure, but I do know I would do everything in my power to try.
Most of all, I just hope that Todd gets another chance in the NRL and that people make a conscious effort to lay off the bloke. The way he polarises opinion is quite astounding, but the majority of that has been created by a media machine solely focussed on selling newspapers and increasing ratings.
What this does to the kid and where it leaves him is of little concern, something I find sad and very concerning.
TOURING WITH THE KANGAROOS
By the time you read this I'll be in the air on my way to the UK for the Four Nations tournament.
Last weekend we put in a terrific performance against the Kiwis, scoring a bucket-load of points and picking up a lot of confidence.
All the boys are getting along famously and long may it continue we're going to need to be on our game for the whole time we're overseas to win this tournament and reclaim our place as the world's best team.
Until next week,
Gal
http://fromthebeanbag.com/2011/10/21/paul-gallen-cronulla-i-love-the-place/
BY: AUSTRALIAN SPORT - YAHOO!7 SPORT | DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2011 | CATEGORIES: UNCATEGORIZED
Earlier this week I was very pleased to sign a two-year extension with the Cronulla Sharks, a deal that should keep me at the club for the rest of my career.
At the press conference I was asked what it meant to become a Shark For Life,' and for me that's a difficult question to answer.
There are a lot of things to like about Cronulla, the club and the area. Good facilities, sound management, a healthy squad of players, great fans and an ideal lifestyle, both for young guys and older blokes with families.
I've been around Cronulla long enough to know the club inside out, warts and all.
I'm not silly enough to trumpet the Sharks as a club without its share of problems, but I have always made an effort to resist the temptation of other clubs, or to get sucked in by the mantra that the grass is always greener somewhere else. At the risk of sounding over the top, I love the place, everything about it, and have done so since the moment I arrived in the Shire back over a decade ago.
Shane Flanagan has put me in a leadership position at the club which has given me the opportunity to provide a good example to younger players and lead from the front, a role I believe has taken my game to a new level.
No one knows what the future holds and I suspect a lot of people are sceptical about our chances to win that elusive Premiership, but that's my goal, and I'm going to do everything I can over the next four seasons to make it happen.
THE CARNEY CIRCUS
Throughout this year I have been fairly outspoken about my thoughts on Todd Carney.
Let it be said that I like Todd Carney, as a person first and a player second. He is a young kid who has ridden the rollercoaster countless times, experiencing tremendous highs and devastating lows.
Through it all he has remained a very likeable guy who is well respected by his peers.
Kids? They love the bloke, always lining up the longest to get his signature and cheering the loudest to get his attention. He gives an immeasurable amount of time and energy back to the people who support him and the fans who come in droves to see him, without fuss, and has never let that adulation affect the way he goes about his day-to-day life.
Then there's the side to Todd Carney that everyone has an opinion on. The late nights, the partying, the broken promises, and the incredible attention that surrounds it.
In my opinion, the media have gone way over the top with the way they have hounded Todd, and unfortunately, public perception has largely been shaped by the circus they have created.
I have watched in amazement in the way things are being reported, and now find myself constantly shaking my head at the rabid obsession with details of his personal life. Then, there's the members of the public who think it's appropriate or somehow acceptable to rile him up for a reaction, or take intrusive photos and videos to sell to hungry media outlets. Disgusting!
David Riolo, my manager, also looks after Todd, and I have spoken to him a number of times about how things have played out over the past 12 months.
While Dave hasn't given too much away, it came as no surprise that more than a handful of NRL clubs are interested in his services, or that he is taking his time with Todd to make the right decision. It's an important one, but Dave is the best in the business, so I have no doubt things will work out in due course.
From a selfish perspective, I hope Todd comes to the Sharks. He is a fantastic talent and a player I believe can take us to that next level. Whether I can help him or not, I'm not sure, but I do know I would do everything in my power to try.
Most of all, I just hope that Todd gets another chance in the NRL and that people make a conscious effort to lay off the bloke. The way he polarises opinion is quite astounding, but the majority of that has been created by a media machine solely focussed on selling newspapers and increasing ratings.
What this does to the kid and where it leaves him is of little concern, something I find sad and very concerning.
TOURING WITH THE KANGAROOS
By the time you read this I'll be in the air on my way to the UK for the Four Nations tournament.
Last weekend we put in a terrific performance against the Kiwis, scoring a bucket-load of points and picking up a lot of confidence.
All the boys are getting along famously and long may it continue we're going to need to be on our game for the whole time we're overseas to win this tournament and reclaim our place as the world's best team.
Until next week,
Gal
http://fromthebeanbag.com/2011/10/21/paul-gallen-cronulla-i-love-the-place/
