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Riddell 'doing everything to help Smith'
Riddell said he and Brett Finch pleaded with Parramatta not to sack their troubled teammate because they feared he would be consumed by his personal demons and quit rugby league.
After hearing their heartfelt plea and learning Smith had booked himself into an interstate rehab clinic on Friday morning, the Eels granted the young halfback one last chance today.
Rather than tear up his contract, Parramatta suspended the 22-year-old repeat offender indefinitely for being caught drinking less than a week after agreeing to abstain from alcohol.
"Timmy and I are very close. I am going to do everything I can as is Finchy to get this bloke back because he is a terrific kid," Riddell told AAP.
"But you can't fix it overnight.
"Whether it takes a couple of months, it is up to him. We've just got to give him the support that he needs."
Riddell applauded the Eels' decision, saying Smith's problems would have "spiralled more" if he was sacked.
"What myself and Brett were alluding to was the fact that sacking him would help no one - it was just a quick fix," he said.
"We were more concerned about Tim Smith the person, rather than Tim Smith the player.
"Football is football. It's just a game. Let's get Timmy right first and we will go from there."
Riddell said talking with Smith this week led to deep concerns that the Queenslander would walk away from the game if sacked.
"I thought there was a real chance that we were going to lose one of the brightest young prospects in the game for good," he said.
"In a perfect world we would love to have him here but we know he is not right - he has got to be fixed.
"He has come to the realisation now that he does have a problem with alcohol, he is ready to admit that now.
"The decision by the club has been the right one. He has got to help himself."
Last Friday Smith was fined $1,000 by the club and ordered to avoid alcohol for a year following a drunken incident.
However, Smith reportedly went on a drinking binge on Wednesday just hours after donating the $1,000 to McDonald House.
As Smith's managers David Riolo and Isaac Moses met with Eels boss Denis Fitzgerald and coach Michael Hagan to decide the player's fate in Sydney on Friday morning, the Queenslander had already flown out for the interstate clinic.
"The Parramatta club gave strong consideration to terminating Tim's playing contract but... we have decided to suspend Tim indefinitely and hope that the rehabilitation centre will be able to resolve some of Tim's behavioural issues," Fitzgerald said.
The Eels have not decided on whether to fine or further sanction Smith, saying his health was their main priority.
"Tim has acted positively in checking into the rehabilitation centre and at 22 years of age, he deserves another chance to overcome his problems, with the assistance of 24 hour a day specialist treatment," Hagan said.
While the first to admit his mate had a problem, Riddell bristled at the way Smith had been portrayed in the media.
"The bloke has never broken the law. You compare it to what other rugby league players have done over the years," he said.
http://news.smh.com.au/riddell-doing-everything-to-help-smith/20071214-1h2l.html
- December 14, 2007 - 3:57PM
Riddell said he and Brett Finch pleaded with Parramatta not to sack their troubled teammate because they feared he would be consumed by his personal demons and quit rugby league.
After hearing their heartfelt plea and learning Smith had booked himself into an interstate rehab clinic on Friday morning, the Eels granted the young halfback one last chance today.
Rather than tear up his contract, Parramatta suspended the 22-year-old repeat offender indefinitely for being caught drinking less than a week after agreeing to abstain from alcohol.
"Timmy and I are very close. I am going to do everything I can as is Finchy to get this bloke back because he is a terrific kid," Riddell told AAP.
"But you can't fix it overnight.
"Whether it takes a couple of months, it is up to him. We've just got to give him the support that he needs."
Riddell applauded the Eels' decision, saying Smith's problems would have "spiralled more" if he was sacked.
"What myself and Brett were alluding to was the fact that sacking him would help no one - it was just a quick fix," he said.
"We were more concerned about Tim Smith the person, rather than Tim Smith the player.
"Football is football. It's just a game. Let's get Timmy right first and we will go from there."
Riddell said talking with Smith this week led to deep concerns that the Queenslander would walk away from the game if sacked.
"I thought there was a real chance that we were going to lose one of the brightest young prospects in the game for good," he said.
"In a perfect world we would love to have him here but we know he is not right - he has got to be fixed.
"He has come to the realisation now that he does have a problem with alcohol, he is ready to admit that now.
"The decision by the club has been the right one. He has got to help himself."
Last Friday Smith was fined $1,000 by the club and ordered to avoid alcohol for a year following a drunken incident.
However, Smith reportedly went on a drinking binge on Wednesday just hours after donating the $1,000 to McDonald House.
As Smith's managers David Riolo and Isaac Moses met with Eels boss Denis Fitzgerald and coach Michael Hagan to decide the player's fate in Sydney on Friday morning, the Queenslander had already flown out for the interstate clinic.
"The Parramatta club gave strong consideration to terminating Tim's playing contract but... we have decided to suspend Tim indefinitely and hope that the rehabilitation centre will be able to resolve some of Tim's behavioural issues," Fitzgerald said.
The Eels have not decided on whether to fine or further sanction Smith, saying his health was their main priority.
"Tim has acted positively in checking into the rehabilitation centre and at 22 years of age, he deserves another chance to overcome his problems, with the assistance of 24 hour a day specialist treatment," Hagan said.
While the first to admit his mate had a problem, Riddell bristled at the way Smith had been portrayed in the media.
"The bloke has never broken the law. You compare it to what other rugby league players have done over the years," he said.
http://news.smh.com.au/riddell-doing-everything-to-help-smith/20071214-1h2l.html
