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Why I couldn't quit booze at Raiders: Todd Carney
Reborn ... Todd Carney. Source: The Daily Telegraph
FROM the moment reborn Rooster Todd Carney swore off alcohol in January, outraged Raiders fans sprang up in unison and asked: Why now?
Why now ... and not midway through 2008, when Carney refused the same prohibition clause that the Raiders pushed as a condition for him to avoid the axe?
Now - just five days ahead of the most emotional 80 minutes of his career - Carney has finally revealed why Roosters coach Brian Smith succeeded where Canberra officials did not.
"I understand why Raiders fans would be bitter because I've read things where they've wondered why I gave up the grog for another club," Carney said last night. "What I'd like to say is that the Roosters went about it the right way.
"There's two sides to every story and I was actually going to accept Canberra's guidelines. But I wasn't given enough time."
According to Carney, he only had an hour to consider Canberra's behavioural guidelines when the board met to discuss his future after a string of drunken incidents.
"My manager [David Riolo] and I never had time to discuss them properly," he said.
"We met with the board and they told us to go away for lunch for an hour to think about the guidelines.
"But when we came back their decision was made and that was it.
"I would have accepted, because I was going to be suspended for a while anyway and would have had time to work through everything, but we weren't given a chance to talk to them properly."
Asked why Smith had managed to persuade him to make the life-changing sacrifice that is re-igniting his career, Carney said: "He didn't rant and rave and tell me what to do.
"Smithy just sat me down after Airlie Beach [where he singed a friend's buttocks with a lighter on New Years Eve] and said, 'I suggest you give-up the drink'. It was like we were two men looking each other in the eye. He didn't say giving up was the be all and end all - but he said he wouldn't support me if I kept drinking. And at this stage of my career, I just can't afford that."
Until he was sacked, the Goulburn junior never imagined himself lining up against the Green Machine. And that's why Carney scanned the 2010 draw as soon as it was released last year, and found himself staring at this Saturday night's Round Six clash at the SFS. Why a large proportion of Carney's friends and family from Goulburn will be at Moore Park, along with Mick Nasser - the North Queensland publican who adopted the troubled footballer last year.
And while he was "bitter and disappointed" upon splitting with Canberra at first, Carney quickly realised the buck stopped with him. The only lingering resentment is Canberra's refusal to allow him to play NSW Cup last year, a ban that forced him to live and work at Nasser's pub in Atherton.
"But in some ways it's been a blessing in disguise because I've grown up and I'm in a really good place now," Carney said.
"I've now got the mindset that it all happened for a reason.
"This game has always been in the back of my head and I've been thinking about it a lot in the past few weeks.
"Obviously there is a bit of emotion because I never saw myself playing against Canberra. I captained the club and had a lot of great memories.
"Mum's still got my debut jersey and the Aboriginal heritage jersey we wore.
"When I get my house I'll have them put up, because I'm proud of having played for the club.
"I was bitter and disappointed when they first sacked me, but I sat down and realised that I'd made the mistakes and brought the club bad publicity. The only thing I'm still disappointed in is the Raiders wouldn't let me play for a feeder team (NSW Cup) last year."
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Every time I think I can't hate this ratbastard any more than I already do, something pops up which makes me go the extra mile.
There are so many things in that article that just... The club didn't do it the right way? You wanted more time?
You said no you little snot, this 'but but but I was gonna say yes eventually! I swear' routine won't wash. Fmd.
Reborn ... Todd Carney. Source: The Daily Telegraph
FROM the moment reborn Rooster Todd Carney swore off alcohol in January, outraged Raiders fans sprang up in unison and asked: Why now?
Why now ... and not midway through 2008, when Carney refused the same prohibition clause that the Raiders pushed as a condition for him to avoid the axe?
Now - just five days ahead of the most emotional 80 minutes of his career - Carney has finally revealed why Roosters coach Brian Smith succeeded where Canberra officials did not.
"I understand why Raiders fans would be bitter because I've read things where they've wondered why I gave up the grog for another club," Carney said last night. "What I'd like to say is that the Roosters went about it the right way.
"There's two sides to every story and I was actually going to accept Canberra's guidelines. But I wasn't given enough time."
According to Carney, he only had an hour to consider Canberra's behavioural guidelines when the board met to discuss his future after a string of drunken incidents.
"My manager [David Riolo] and I never had time to discuss them properly," he said.
"We met with the board and they told us to go away for lunch for an hour to think about the guidelines.
"But when we came back their decision was made and that was it.
"I would have accepted, because I was going to be suspended for a while anyway and would have had time to work through everything, but we weren't given a chance to talk to them properly."
Asked why Smith had managed to persuade him to make the life-changing sacrifice that is re-igniting his career, Carney said: "He didn't rant and rave and tell me what to do.
"Smithy just sat me down after Airlie Beach [where he singed a friend's buttocks with a lighter on New Years Eve] and said, 'I suggest you give-up the drink'. It was like we were two men looking each other in the eye. He didn't say giving up was the be all and end all - but he said he wouldn't support me if I kept drinking. And at this stage of my career, I just can't afford that."
Until he was sacked, the Goulburn junior never imagined himself lining up against the Green Machine. And that's why Carney scanned the 2010 draw as soon as it was released last year, and found himself staring at this Saturday night's Round Six clash at the SFS. Why a large proportion of Carney's friends and family from Goulburn will be at Moore Park, along with Mick Nasser - the North Queensland publican who adopted the troubled footballer last year.
And while he was "bitter and disappointed" upon splitting with Canberra at first, Carney quickly realised the buck stopped with him. The only lingering resentment is Canberra's refusal to allow him to play NSW Cup last year, a ban that forced him to live and work at Nasser's pub in Atherton.
"But in some ways it's been a blessing in disguise because I've grown up and I'm in a really good place now," Carney said.
"I've now got the mindset that it all happened for a reason.
"This game has always been in the back of my head and I've been thinking about it a lot in the past few weeks.
"Obviously there is a bit of emotion because I never saw myself playing against Canberra. I captained the club and had a lot of great memories.
"Mum's still got my debut jersey and the Aboriginal heritage jersey we wore.
"When I get my house I'll have them put up, because I'm proud of having played for the club.
"I was bitter and disappointed when they first sacked me, but I sat down and realised that I'd made the mistakes and brought the club bad publicity. The only thing I'm still disappointed in is the Raiders wouldn't let me play for a feeder team (NSW Cup) last year."
-----------------------------------------------
Every time I think I can't hate this ratbastard any more than I already do, something pops up which makes me go the extra mile.
There are so many things in that article that just... The club didn't do it the right way? You wanted more time?
You said no you little snot, this 'but but but I was gonna say yes eventually! I swear' routine won't wash. Fmd.
