View Full Version : James Hird is full of ****
Pornstar
3 Oct 2003, 10:20
This bloke cracks me up. Been on $600k now for the last 6-7 years, countless corporate sponsorships, multi-millionaire. I doubt there would be many players that have made more money from football than Hird. Signs up again recently for another $600k per year deal and the guy gets up at the best and fairest and says he hopes the out of contract players can accept less than they are worth because he wants them all to stay together. This club means just SOOOOO much to him, says James.
Play for $200k per year then James. That ought to cover the bills and still pay for the occasional family outing to the movies.
No?
Apparently the club doesn't mean that much to him.
If this guy is going to get up in front of everyone and plead for self sacrifice then he has to make the example. Wouldn't hurt for him to perform in a final either, i think with the money he is on he owes the club that much.
Harsh......but i couldnt agree more. His teamates know what he would be on roughly. They would have to be thinking who is this guy kidding. Give up 50k and give it to solly and he stays end of story. Go on do it jimmy, lead the way mate
essnickess
3 Oct 2003, 12:43
just wondering, do you know he is on 600k or is that just the reported amount? probably shouldn't criticise until the full story's known?
Cupido13
3 Oct 2003, 12:45
Originally posted by essnickess
just wondering, do you know he is on 600k or is that just the reported amount? probably shouldn't criticise until the full story's known?
Let's be realistic, the full story will never be known and there will always be speculation about player's salaries and you will never be able to stop people bagging players who make statements like this.
Hird did take a pay cut in this last contract...
But it's all speculation as to firstly how much he was earning, and secondly how much the pay cut was worth.
Very harsh to bag one of the greatest and most courageous players to ever play for the mighty bombers. To criticise him for all he has done and the numerous comebacks he has made from horrific injuries.
He has been a great skipper and has carried our team on a few occasions.
I will never forget the courage of the bloke in Round 14 last year against the bulldogs when he dived head first into a pack for the footy in the first quarter after those terrible face injuries. With all the injuries he has had lesser men would be sitting at home with their feet up not putting himself on the line again.
Also saying he doesnt produce in finals you must not have been watching too many over the years. He might have played a bad one against Port but did you watch the previous week when he probably won the game by himself the week before. He fires generally in the big games. Did you see the 200 GF or any of the '96 finals especially the West Coast one. I think he did all right in them.
IceTemple
3 Oct 2003, 12:55
Well he is supposedly our highest paid player (pls excuse Mercs in all this) & also supposedly he has taken some sort of pay cuts over the last couple of yrs.
Still He needs to learn to be quiet about this stuff. He said similar things after our loss in 01 and ppl laughed at him. I have no doubt that he loves the Dons and wants the best for them BUT James pls do not talk about what YOU expect other to do.
Let Sheeds & those guys do it and not let the media & other clubs know exactly where we are at. Loyalty is not a big thing anymore from either clubs or players so let's not go down that path.
Players have short chances to get big bucks so good luck to them because I would probably do the same thing if I was in their shoes!!
Pornstar
3 Oct 2003, 13:15
Originally posted by mikeula
Very harsh to bag one of the greatest and most courageous players to ever play for the mighty bombers. To criticise him for all he has done and the numerous comebacks he has made from horrific injuries.
He has been a great skipper and has carried our team on a few occasions.
I will never forget the courage of the bloke in Round 14 last year against the bulldogs when he dived head first into a pack for the footy in the first quarter after those terrible face injuries. With all the injuries he has had lesser men would be sitting at home with their feet up not putting himself on the line again.
Also saying he doesnt produce in finals you must not have been watching too many over the years. He might have played a bad one against Port but did you watch the previous week when he probably won the game by himself the week before. He fires generally in the big games. Did you see the 200 GF or any of the '96 finals especially the West Coast one. I think he did all right in them. Hird's last 5 finals for Essendon:
11 disposals
10 disposals
13 disposals
28 disposals, 2 goals
12 disposals
That's pathetic. Especially when you consider the money he is paid.
BTW if Hird was taking any SUBSTANTIAL pay cuts we would have heard about the amounts in great detail, his manager and EssendonFC would make sure of that.
Originally posted by Pornstar
Hird's last 5 finals for Essendon:
11 disposals
10 disposals
13 disposals
28 disposals, 2 goals
12 disposals
That's pathetic. Especially when you consider the money he is paid.
BTW if Hird was taking any SUBSTANTIAL pay cuts we would have heard about the amounts in great detail, his manager and EssendonFC would make sure of that.
For the first three on your list James was carrying an injury. No excuses, of course, if he was fit enough to play then he should have done better. But in hindsight, perhaps he wasn't fit enough to play.
Originally posted by Pornstar
Hird's last 5 finals for Essendon:
11 disposals
10 disposals
13 disposals
28 disposals, 2 goals
12 disposals
That's pathetic. Especially when you consider the money he is paid.
BTW if Hird was taking any SUBSTANTIAL pay cuts we would have heard about the amounts in great detail, his manager and EssendonFC would make sure of that.
but see, you dont understand hird at all then.
Yes he was carrying injury ect ect, but hird isnt scott west as far as getting 50 touches a game, i would rather say its the effectiveness of those disposals to create play that makes him sucha good footballer, those are pretty bad numbers but still, i dont think that mans had an easy touch in his life.
Pornstar
3 Oct 2003, 14:20
Originally posted by Lloydy!
but see, you dont understand hird at all then.
Yes he was carrying injury ect ect, but hird isnt scott west as far as getting 50 touches a game, i would rather say its the effectiveness of those disposals to create play that makes him sucha good footballer, those are pretty bad numbers but still, i dont think that mans had an easy touch in his life. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where the term "clutching at straws" originated from.
ahah good one ;)
ok james, since you havent had the best form in finals we will give you $400,000 less ahh kk.. seriously think about what your saying, hird has taken 2 paycuts that have been reported, i seriously doubt youd know his exact pay package and sponsorship money, WAIT i know, lets trade him ?!
i think he is just saying it as a captain of a club, maybe its not wise for him to say IF he is that pay package... its not just an issue of hirdy giving up money tho...i think alot of people expect too much from hird sometimes
Instead of always expecting so much of Hird maybe people should have a proper look at another highly paid player that continuiosly lets the bombers down when he is needed most with his indiscretions .......... Dustin Fletcher.
Dont get me wrong he has been a fantastic player but he has really let the team down very badly the last 2 years. I think we would have beaten Port in 2002 if he had of played and we would have been more confident this year if he hadnt got suspended. The two players that had a big say in Ports wins in those games were Chad Cornes (2002) and Tredrea this year. Fletcher would have taken Tredrea and could have been an options for Cornes.
Fletcher is Essendon's most important player not best because he is able to take the best forward and holds our defence together which gives everyone more confidence. He is one player that cannot be covered as he also is one of the best kicks after a behind in the game.
Cupestar
3 Oct 2003, 15:01
****ing hell
If anything, James Hird is grossly underpaid. There are far worse players in the league making much more. Don't even begin to question his salary. The only thing stopping the man from being a hall of fame legend is injury, and he still might overcome it.
TheMightyDons
3 Oct 2003, 15:09
Very harsh Pornstar, but very true. The man is set for life, having earner millions of dollars over his time as a footballer. He is a successful stockbroker and if he chooses can go into the media when done playing and earn even more.
Come on James, play for peanuts and keep the list together.
Originally posted by Cupestar
****ing hell
If anything, James Hird is grossly underpaid. There are far worse players in the league making much more. Don't even begin to question his salary. The only thing stopping the man from being a hall of fame legend is injury, and he still might overcome it.
That wont stop him Cupestar. He's one of the great Bomber greats and will be remembered so - the only question that will lurk is how much better he might have been had injury not plagued him.
People forget the value Hird brings as a leader and captain. They forget that he took a paycut this year after the club was forced to delist/trade 4 premiership players. They also forget that he took a pay cut in the late 90s when he was struggling to get on the paddock through injury - he told the club to keep his match payments.
He also works in a real job in a bid to secure his future instead of relying on his club to finance his retirement - unlike most players these days who play football, train and play playstation. Players who, I might add, are significantly less talented footballers than James Hird. I have no doubt that James Hird could have had his pick of clubs and named his price in recent years - yet there has never been any talk of him being anything other than red and black, through and through.
The salary cap is a good thing and is in place to help ensure that footballers earn excellent money without becoming stupid (like $20M a season like soccer players get - what, are they curing cancer or something in their downtime??) Unfortunately that means that sometimes clubs cant afford to keep players. But by comparison, if Hird was playing soccer or in the NBA he'd be earning MILLIONS.
Oh for the days when players played football because they loved the sport and not because it was their ticket to wealth and prosperity. A first year footballer earns more than most workers in this country who actually work 40 hours a week and not usually in a job they love either. They are footballers, they are not astronauts, they haven't cured cancer or solved the problem of world poverty. They play sport. Yes they do it well but for crying out loud......
I think the problem here is that most people resent him for being the package deal - good looking, great footballer, family orientated, nice bloke. Instead of hating him a few people should try being more like him.
i love the guy but i couldn't help seeing the irony there.
Having said this i think he deserves every penny he earns.
He's on about 500-600k a year so you say, Next season he is on the Veterans list which means only half of his contract is counted to the salary cap. So I guess he did his part to help his team mates....He gave the about 100-300k more room in the salary cap. He could of easily gotten more from other clubs if it was the money he was interested in. His last few contracts have all been very much below what he should be on. Now he's on a performance based contract. Champions deserve bigger bucks.
Compare Hirds contract to all the champions in the other clubs, you'll find Hird has been playing for less.
eastaugh36
3 Oct 2003, 19:47
Originally posted by Cupestar
****ing hell
If anything, James Hird is grossly underpaid. There are far worse players in the league making much more. Don't even begin to question his salary. The only thing stopping the man from being a hall of fame legend is injury, and he still might overcome it.
Exactly. The guy should have won another brownlow, A vote off the win after missing 5 games thru injury. When he is gone maybe some idiot bomber supporters will fully realise how great he is.
An interesting one. I posted something like this a few months back on BT, needless to say, it was deleted.
I'd give my kindeys to play for Essendon. Infact, I'd pay them to let me play.
I cannot believe this James Hird is one of the greatest player in the leagues history and you are saying he is full of **** let alone he is our captain and does his job week in week out he deserves to be on that money and saying to take a contract of 250k thats just f@ckin funny if the club asked him to take a pay he would hes a champion and you are a w@nker mate
The press you say half the stuff they write is crap and for porn star to come out and say that it wouldnt hurt him to perform in a final well f@ck me what does the man have to do if porn star can come out and play better than James Hird then I'll be a monkeys uncle
Darealrath
3 Oct 2003, 21:57
Hird isn't full of ****, he deserves every cent he is paid. He's taken his pay cuts too. He has a long life after footy to worry about, kids to look after, and his body will be ****ed with arthritis at a relatively young age because of what he has gone through.
Nice use of stats too. I suppose he should have just not played those finals in 2001 and 2002 when he knew he was not fit, just to preserve his pretty stats.
I find it a bit hard to rationalise how you can be so critical of someone like Hird who has given us fans so much.
The Dutchman!
4 Oct 2003, 00:13
What's Kouta on at Carlton - close to double Hird's take home?
In all seriousness, the guy at 600K a year is dirt cheap. Without him, this year we would have finished no higher than 12th.
One other thing, he's on the veteran's list now guys - so only half the salary counts towards the cap...
bombergirl
4 Oct 2003, 00:39
Harsh......but i couldnt agree more. His teamates know what he would be on roughly. They would have to be thinking who is this guy kidding. Give up 50k and give it to solly and he stays end of story. Go on do it jimmy, lead the way mate
Why should James Hird, who gives everything he's got every time he takes the field for the EFC, give up one cent of his salary to Dean Solomon who the club has virtually carried for the past two years, and now looks like he might jump ship for the money. Essendon fans who bag James Hird make me sick. As for what he earns, he's arguably in the top ten people in his field in the country. Good luck to him. Not to mention the money he'd be generating and has generated in the past for the club by the way he conducts himself on and off the field. And the fact that he just tied for the best and fairest.
Disposal counts in his last 5 finals
11 disposals
10 disposals
13 disposals
28 disposals, 2 goals
12 disposals
Originally posted by Lloydy!
but see, you dont understand hird at all then.
Yes he was carrying injury ect ect, but hird isnt scott west as far as getting 50 touches a game, i would rather say its the effectiveness of those disposals to create play that makes him sucha good footballer, those are pretty bad numbers but still, i dont think that mans had an easy touch in his life.
When he got 12 disposals against Port I could count at least 6 that were a wild kick in a pack that went back into the pack or to a Port player. Apart from the Freo final where he got 28 disposals he would have been under some pressure and unlikely to have used more than 50% of his disposals correctly.
Cupestar
4 Oct 2003, 02:20
Originally posted by mic59
Disposal counts in his last 5 finals
11 disposals
10 disposals
13 disposals
28 disposals, 2 goals
12 disposals
When he got 12 disposals against Port I could count at least 6 that were a wild kick in a pack that went back into the pack or to a Port player. Apart from the Freo final where he got 28 disposals he would have been under some pressure and unlikely to have used more than 50% of his disposals correctly.
You think Hird crumbles under finals pressure? Watch the 96 finals series, or the 2000 GF. Think that Hird doesn't do the job in big games? Look at your own team, choker!
Originally posted by carringbush
It has been commonly reported in the press as well and never has there been a denial or threat of action as it is fact.
Hahaha. No one has ever denied that John Wren handed around some $ to umpires etc in the early days, so it must be true. LOL...
Stegelator
4 Oct 2003, 20:39
Hird is listed as a veteran next year so dosen't that mean that half his pay is paid by the AFL?
Darealrath
4 Oct 2003, 20:44
Originally posted by Stegelator
Hird is listed as a veteran next year so dosen't that mean that half his pay is paid by the AFL?
No, but only half his pay counts towards the salary cap.
Could someone explain something to me? If you do a shampoo commercial or a anti drink driving commercial or a eye wear commercial does that go against the players income, and if so is it included in the clubs salary cap?
Originally posted by motumbo
Could someone explain something to me? If you do a shampoo commercial or a anti drink driving commercial or a eye wear commercial does that go against the players income, and if so is it included in the clubs salary cap?
The club doesn't pay the player for doing those ads.
Bit harsh on Hird but typical of what happens when players reach superstar status.Like Lloyd,nobody is going to be satisfied unless he kicks 100 each year.
Yet both are two of our best ever players.
But it does raise the question: should players salarys be disclosed.
I mean we have a total cap,we know that,we have a minimum for first year players,we know that.But for everyone from there on can only be a guess.Nobody really knows.
Should there be a maximum amount for the best paid player{s}
I think it should happen.The AFL is essentially a socialist framework but the clubs are doing their best circumvent it.
Either make it a freeforall and let market forces take over and risk the competition or go all the way and regulate maximim as well as minimum payments.
Either way people like Hird wouldn't suffer comments like that which started this thread
TheMightyDons
6 Oct 2003, 19:38
Players salaries shouldn't be disclosed. No other profession has that and there's no point doing it just to satisfy a few people who like to think they're important within the club yet would have no clue how to manage a list.