Sterling, Fitzgerald at war after public slanging match
By Danny Weidler
May 4 2003
The Sun-Herald
Parramatta legend Peter Sterling and club boss Denis Fitzgerald are at war following an ugly slanging match in front of guests at a corporate box.
The pair traded personal insults and expletives for 45 minutes after Fitzgerald allegedly took offence at a fans' suggestion that Sterling should be coaching the Eels.
During the course of the argument, Fitzgerald lampooned the tight relationship between Sterling and club president Alan Overton and questioned the former halfback's ability to apply himself to a job.
Sterling defended himself by saying he had matured since his playing days and then he launched into Fitzgerald about his own past behaviour.
The incident occurred in front of a mixed group of invited guests in the Parramatta Trust box after the Eels lost 20-14 to the Broncos on April 25.
Other media identities were brought into the argument by both parties as they traded words.
Sterling has no desire to coach the Eels and is happy in his position as a leading Channel Nine commentator and a member of The Footy Show.
He is also a strong supporter of Eels coach Brian Smith.
Sterling and Fitzgerald have had their differences in the past, but the contempt Fitzgerald displayed for Sterling's relationship with Overton was an eye-opener which suggests that there may be problems at the top for the Eels.
"The first thing that I want to say is that the only reason I am making comment about this is because I know that Denis went and spoke to a mate of his in the media and made it somewhat public," Sterling said.
"I thought that when I left the ground the argument would be kept in-house, but it hasn't been.
"Unfortunately Denis and I did have what I would describe as an ugly confrontation in a corporate box.
"I took particular offence at an expletive-filled verbal barrage directed at a couple of female guests. One who had innocently and somewhat naively made the comment that 'Peter Sterling should be coaching the Eels'.
"Instead of letting it pass it became a personal slanging match between Denis and myself.
"He raised my irresponsibility as a young player at the club many years ago to which I pleaded guilty. But he became very irate when I questioned his and his best mate's actions at that time as well.
"Other insults were aimed at certain individuals who had been in the box earlier including club president Alan Overton. Ovo and I are very close and I found Denis's words in this regard absolutely disgraceful."
Fitzgerald described what took place as a "discussion".
"We had a discussion," he said. "I wouldn't call it a stink. We went over some things that we have been over before and I'm not worried about it."
