Smith 'damaging the code' & Worst in 60 years: Kenny

[yy_cheng]

Smith 'damaging the code'
By Dean Ritchie
June 22, 2006

FED-up NRL chief executive David Gallop yesterday admitted Parramatta halfback Tim Smith was "damaging" rugby league as new Eels coach Jason Taylor ordered his players off the booze this weekend.

Kenny: Worst in 60 years
Gallop was talking after Smith last weekend was involved in his third alcohol-related incident this year.
Last year's Dally M rookie of the year, Smith was in a drunken scuffle with Test cricketer Michael Clarke at Northies hotel at Cronulla.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday tracked Smith down at a Parramatta training camp at Shelly Beach on the New South Wales Central Coast.
In a day of drama yesterday, it was revealed:

• Eels chief executive Denis Fitzgerald will complete a report to Gallop over Smith's latest drama by tomorrow.
• Fitzgerald will next week call a players meeting to discuss the club's recent problems with booze-related misbehaviour.
• Taylor told his players to have a "quiet" weekend with Parramatta having the bye.

"I've spoken to Denis and he's advised me a report will be to us by Friday and that a players meeting has been planned," Gallop said.
"No doubt given the repeated incidents the meeting with their players will be critical.
"We are sure Parramatta will deal with the situation appropriately."
Asked about Smith's misdemeanours, Gallop said: "To succeed as a star of our game, there are expectations from our sponsors and fans as to the way players behave off the field.
"Repeated incidents like this damage the player, club and the game. Clearly Tim needs to understand that."
The Parramatta coaching staff, including Taylor, were angry The Daily Telegraph photographed Smith yesterday.
The Eels are away for two days at Shelly Beach's Blue Water Resort at Bateau Bay, and they spent yesterday afternoon tenpin bowling at Forresters Beach.
"I have no comment until I speak with Tim," Fitzgerald said.
Asked would Smith be sacked, Fitzgerald said: "No comment."
Was he disappointed?
"No comment," replied Fitzgerald.
Did Smith have a responsibility to the game to behave?
"No comment," repeated Fitzgerald.
The Eels boss did, however, confirm that Taylor had spoken to the players about drinking this weekend.
"The coach has spoken to them about having a quiet weekend," Fitzgerald said.
Parramatta have already held a booze summit between management and the coaching staff.
The Eels have been involved in four drunken dramas in the past six weeks. Smith has fought his way back into first grade after being dropped for turning up to training drunk.


The Daily Telegraph

Worst in 60 years: Kenny
By James Hooper
June 22, 2006

PARRAMATTA rugby league icon Brett Kenny last night labelled the current spate of alcohol-fuelled incidents surrounding the Eels as the worst period in the 60-year history of the club.

And Kenny questioned what happened to the alcohol summit chief executive Denis Fitzgerald called three weeks ago to address the perils of their players binge-drinking.
The comments from the retired Eels five-eighth come after halfback Tim Smith was again involved in a late-night indiscretion.
"Something's got to be done," Kenny said.
"They were supposed to have this summit on alcohol a fortnight ago and now apparently it's going to be next week," Kenny said.
"Maybe it was put off because they were just waiting for everything to die down but unfortunately Tim Smith hasn't let that happen, and not for the first time, either.
"You just can't afford to keep getting your name dragged through the mud.

"What the hell is going on? This is the worst period ever at Parramatta. Where's the leadership?"

The Daily Telegraph

http://sport.news.com.au/story/0,8659,19546639-32463,00.html
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,19543951-23214,00.html

 

[Pricey]

Timmy is now the biggest spoiled brat in the NRL. What a lemon he is turning out to be. Sounds like such an arrogant pr!ck

 

[eelsta]

Is this the new fitzgerald no comment, no comment,:x idiot

 

[Stagger eel]

thanks Dean Ritchie and James Hooper...

you're both morons who obviously don't have much else to write about.

 

[MarkInTheStands]

Eela,

Most probably getting the egg on from P Rothfeild.

 

[Gronk]

Fitzy is happy to give the Herald a quote. Just not the Daily Telegraph. Don't blame him really. Why add fuel to the DT fire against us ?

 

[Stagger eel]

Eela,

Most probably getting the egg on from P Rothfeild.

you're probably right I'm off the belief that relationship between Fitzy and News Limited, aint that rosey at the moment and haven't been for a while.

 

[Stagger eel]

Fitzy is happy to give the Herald a quote. Just not the Daily Telegraph. Don't blame him really. Why add fuel to the DT fire against us ?

you're right..but unfortunately we need someone at the club who could relate all the media organisations, to clash with some or not get on with some is down right suicidal for the clubs image.

for that I blame Dennis.

 

[Jake the snake]

I can't believe the Hysteria :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: and the calamity :crazy: :crazy: that getting asked to leave a pub has caused with our own supporters.

I would not want to be standing in the trenches beside some people from this site as they would probably crumble.

Some people on here have obviously have never seen a push and shove in a pub. FFS some of you should grow some balls. The Media have wound some of you up and most have you have followed the Media and their agenda. When the Media ( NewsLtd) want to bring a player or a club down they will. They did it with the Dogs and we are now the flavour of the Month. ONLY THING IS THE BULLDOGS AND THE SUPPORTERS DID NOT CRUMBLE UNLIKE OUR SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE CRUMBLED WITHOUT KNOWING ALL FACTS.

 

[jayjayselmes]

timmy is a goos as gone no commen on the sacking


seeyyyyyyaaaaa ttttttiiiimmmmmmmyyyyyyy

 

[Stagger eel]

I can't believe the Hysteria :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: and the calamity :crazy: :crazy: that getting asked to leave a pub has caused with our own supporters.

I would not want to be standing in the trenches beside some people from this site as they would probably crumble.

Some people on here have obviously have never seen a push and shove in a pub. FFS some of you should grow some balls. The Media have wound some of you up and most have you have followed the Media and their agenda. When the Media ( NewsLtd) want to bring a player or a club down they will. They did it with the Dogs and we are now the flavour of the Month. ONLY THING IS THE BULLDOGS AND THE SUPPORTERS DID NOT CRUMBLE UNLIKE OUR SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE CRUMBLED WITHOUT KNOWING ALL FACTS.

you may be right to an extent but please don't under estimate the power of the media and the damage they can do to our club no matter how trivial the incident was. Corporate sponsors won't have a bar of any club that is continually attracting bad publicity.

 

[Stagger eel]

timmy is a goos as gone no commen on the sacking


seeyyyyyyaaaaa ttttttiiiimmmmmmmyyyyyyy

can you translate that in English please?

 

[James_Hardie]

thanks Dean Ritchie and James Hooper...

you're both morons who obviously don't have much else to write about.

They aren't the one's out on the turps all the time! It's that siege mentality where it is "all the newspapers fault" and the "players do nothing wrong" that is why we are going so crap this year. If everything is blown out of proportion, then why is the kid still getting his head in the paper? Why are we coming second last?

We have a small section of players that are more interested in partying than playing foootball and we have a management that is turning a blind eye to it and hoping it will go away.

I agree with everything written in both those articles. Even Kenny's quotes!

 

[Twizzle]

thanks Dean Ritchie and James Hooper...

you're both morons who obviously don't have much else to write about.

ever notice how when these incidents happen on a weekend, they are not published till about Tuesday, when its a slow news day

 

[Stagger eel]

They aren't the one's out on the turps all the time! It's that siege mentality where it is "all the newspapers fault" and the "players do nothing wrong" that is why we are going so crap this year. If everything is blown out of proportion, then why is the kid still getting his head in the paper? Why are we coming second last?

We have a small section of players that are more interested in partying than playing foootball and we have a management that is turning a blind eye to it and hoping it will go away.

I agree with everything written in both those articles. Even Kenny's quotes!

well I'm not asking you to believe what to read but obviously you do and that's fine by me but atleast Parramatta as a club and company has a better reputation than your name sake.;-)

 

[James_Hardie]

Well as "Professional" sporting organistations go in this country, if our club doesn't address the issues currently presented seriously, then the Eels reputation won't be much chop either.

 

[Kornstar]

I can't believe the Hysteria :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: and the calamity :crazy: :crazy: that getting asked to leave a pub has caused with our own supporters.

I would not want to be standing in the trenches beside some people from this site as they would probably crumble.

Some people on here have obviously have never seen a push and shove in a pub. FFS some of you should grow some balls. The Media have wound some of you up and most have you have followed the Media and their agenda. When the Media ( NewsLtd) want to bring a player or a club down they will. They did it with the Dogs and we are now the flavour of the Month. ONLY THING IS THE BULLDOGS AND THE SUPPORTERS DID NOT CRUMBLE UNLIKE OUR SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE CRUMBLED WITHOUT KNOWING ALL FACTS.

Jake, i am still a massive Tim Smith supporter, i believe he is our future, however he has really dissapointed me, i woke up yesterday to reports that Timmy was in the paper again and i have to face all the people, who over the last 7 months (since the santa incident) have told me that he is crap and whatever ever else they want to have a dig about him for, i have had to face them again and defend him and say "he's only young", "it was anothing incident"!! Which is very true, however i look like and idiot for defending the kid and supporting him.

I will continue to support him, but i think he needs help, i think Hellsy said that it should not be someone in the club and i 100% agree. He needs someone who is not a footballer and not involved with the club, so he can voice whetever his feelings are without any fear of it biting him in the a$$.

The club need to make an example of him and really bring him down a notch or 2, at this point in time he is too cocky for a 21 year old in his second year of NRL. Confidence is a great thing, however it can also get you into big trouble if you think that confidence alone will make you a great player......he needs to work harder than he ever has before if he wants to be known as a great player!!!

I just hope the next time we see Timmy's face in the paper it is because of his skills!!!

 

[eeelectroshooting?]

Jake, i am still a massive Tim Smith supporter, i believe he is our future, however he has really dissapointed me, i woke up yesterday to reports that Timmy was in the paper again and i have to face all the people, who over the last 7 months (since the santa incident) have told me that he is crap and whatever ever else they want to have a dig about him for, i have had to face them again and defend him and say "he's only young", "it was anothing incident"!! Which is very true, however i look like and idiot for defending the kid and supporting him.

I will continue to support him, but i think he needs help, i think Hellsy said that it should not be someone in the club and i 100% agree. He needs someone who is not a footballer and not involved with the club, so he can voice whetever his feelings are without any fear of it biting him in the a$$.

The club need to make an example of him and really bring him down a notch or 2, at this point in time he is too cocky for a 21 year old in his second year of NRL. Confidence is a great thing, however it can also get you into big trouble if you think that confidence alone will make you a great player......he needs to work harder than he ever has before if he wants to be known as a great player!!!

I just hope the next time we see Timmy's face in the paper it is because of his skills!!!

oh boo-f'n-hoo. you gotta go and defend tim to your friends again....that must be tough. and lets knock tim down a notch, he's definitely WAY to confident.

ever occured to you that this is all happening because he isnt confident at the moment? do you have any consideration for this promising young mans reputation which is being tarnished by some media agenda?! he got kicked out of a pub. so what? he turned up drunk to training late. so what? these are things that happen when you're young and hopefully he'll sort these issues out...and soon.

however, he is repeatedly and publically getting kicked when he's down, and the first thing the majority of eels fans do is lay the boot in as well. unbelievable.

admittedly he shouldnt be in situations like these, but its not all that serious. lets show him some support and not give rise to the fickle fan reputation that we all have.

 

[Stagger eel]

Well as "Professional" sporting organistations go in this country, if our club doesn't address the issues currently presented seriously, then the Eels reputation won't be much chop either.

well absalutely, if it means that heads have to roll, than so be it, but at the end of the day we have to address the problem in two fronts, educate the players and get rid of the crap at the club and have a more media friendly enviroment.

 

[The Colonel]

I think it is the social issue that has to be addressed but it isn't just football where binge drinking is a problem. Dumping the kid doesn't help anyone. Standing him down, getting him professional counselling and dealing with the issue rather than sending it on to someone else would be a lot more positive in the current environment.

I think the NRL made a big mistake by voiding Tevita Latu's contract when the would have been better off providing a better example in helping him.