An 80's horror story in the year 2000

[skins]

I have a storey to tell...in the late 1980's we had a favourite son called Denis Banks...who was a very good player at all times. I used to sit in the stands and listen to loyal supportes (????) unmercifully bag the crap out of him one minute and then hail him as a god and champion 5 minutes later when he did something good.These people were fickle, unknowledable people who the club could have done without. He deserved better from the "back slappers".

Now 10 years on we seem to have the same problem. It really realy really annoys me how players like Brad Smith, Patterson, McKee, Ukovic etc are held up as some sort of saviour one minute and then have the crapped picked out of them 5 minutes later. Sometimes it seems that the support and loyalty of Collingwood Supportes changes and blows with the wind.

All players make some mistakes...these guys..for beter or for worse are the guys that OUR club have assessed as being the most appropriate to play for the club. They DESERVE AND NEED our support....yes they do make mistakes and yes I CAN ASSURE YOU...they will at times this year win games for us. The fickle back slappers will be out then......no doubt hailing them as gods.

Instead of unmercifully bagging the crap out of them...why not send them a fax or email telling them that they have our support and that we are following them with interest and loyalty. This would be the greatest spur to a player who is struggling and would be a positive step...not a negative one. If eveyone did this..maybe we would see a huge improvement in our players. I know I thrive on feeling worthwhile...at sport or at work. Why not change our attitude and help our players be the best they can be.

Please don't be one of those knockers who I hated in the late 80's for what they did to Denis Banks.

Enough said...YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE ! AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO FIX THE ATTITUDE.

[rash]

Well said Skins

I for one can't believe that people are bagging the likes of Smith and McKee when they haven't even played a seniors home and away game for the club yet. I must admit that I do bag some players from time to time (Wild and Patto) but I should take a leaf from your book. I did Email three players about a month ago (Brad Smith being one of them) from this site and haven't seen a reply at this stage.

Keep up the morale building Skins

Cheers

Richard

[Neil Appleby]

Yep,
I agree too....except for Patto.
Now I generally support all our boys.
I think I was Jason Wild's only supporter here or anywhere else for that matter.
I do have every right to bag 2 players...I can't help it....as soon as they get near the ball I keep thinking...these guys are being paid $200 grand a year, we should be critical of them. I earn a fraction of that and I'd love to be on that salary.
Unfair bagging and foul language is another matter however.
But let's get real.
These guys are paid very, very, well by our membership dollars and if they don't put in then criticised they WILL be by this member.
Patto and Paul Williams and Saverio Rocca you have been named.
For you three,nothing short of terrific efforts will satisfy me or, hopefully, our new coach. I still believe we should have traded these three at the end of last season.
They don't get the hard ball...not like the whole team did the other night.

[rash]

Hi d'Pie

I am a big fan of Willo and Sav (can't say the same about Patto) but I do think they need to be a lot more consistent. Willo did'nt have a good year last year. He goes missing at vital stages of the game. I really hope he hits some good form this season and same goes for Sav. I think Patto may be a good goal sneek in the forward pocket but I don't think he should be played on the ball as was the case a few times last year. He is a bit like Kevin Bartlet was as he seems to have a ping at goals where ever he is, which is good if we play him in the forward pocket.

Cheers

Richard