Kosi can't remember the last time he enjoyed playing football

[TassieSaint]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...njoying-football/story-fni5f9q3-1226694551230

ST KILDA forward Justin Koschitzke has made the startling admission that he has not enjoyed playing a game of football in years.
In a claim that will raise fears about players’ mental wellbeing, the maligned goalkicker said the AFL lifestyle had become so demanding and restrictive that it had stamped out all fun from the game.

Couldn't find a thread on this anywhere. Very interesting albeit sad news. I actually remember reading an article years ago where Kosi admitted to being relieved when we were knocked out of finals in 2006, so it seems he's definitely had this problem for a while.

Two things I'd take from this.

One is it shows how tough modern football really is. Apart from the ever shortening off-season, players don't really get any time off and they're constantly either training, preparing or as Kosi said thinking about the net session. Combined with the extensive injuries Kosi has had and you can see how he'd get demoralised and frustrated. The fact that even when we were winning and pushing for a flag he wasn't happy is pretty eye opening.

Second, and I am by no means blaming Kosi for continuing to earn a living in a job he doesn't like (how many of us do the same?) but I think it sheds a bit of light on his disappointing career after being such a talented junior player. He still obviously played some good footy and was competitive, but when you're in a mindset of not enjoying what you're doing I don't think you can be at your best. I don't reckon Ablett would say he doesn't enjoy playing.

 

[saintkildaman]

Yeah disappointing. Interesting that he said he wondered if he player the game 10 or 20 years too late as well, I wonder how we would have compared against the likes of Lockett and that era where the man handling full forward was in its prime.

 

[35Saints35]

And hasn't he played like it too . Would have been nice if he was that unhappy going back to 2006 that he declined his last two contracts giving us the opportunity to get someone who was interested at probably far less money. I'd be pretty pissed if I was his team mate over those comments. Give him the 200th then we can reflect on the career of the promising big man who never quite made it .

 

[VDS66]

He can probably trace it back to when he was forced to play with a crook back under GT and his parents had to intervene. As far as not remembering... that probably started just after Gianimaloser bumped him.

Kosi is agreat warrior despite not living up to his potential. Could have been every bit as good as Roo if not for injuries.

 

[Bull3tblitz]

Thats cause Gia sniped him

 

[SaintsSeptember]

And hasn't he played like it too . Would have been nice if he was that unhappy going back to 2006 that he declined his last two contracts giving us the opportunity to get someone who was interested at probably far less money. I'd be pretty pissed if I was his team mate over those comments. Give him the 200th then we can reflect on the career of the promising big man who never quite made it .

a) not enjoying it doesn't mean he isn't trying or has no ability.
b) we should have got someone else anyway. Kosi was never a good replacement for Gehrig, and we never had any backup, so if one of them ( Kos or Nick )was injured the game was unbearable for the other.

 

[sauce_head]

I would not be surprised if this attitude was very widespread through the while AFL. Unfortunately for them being an AFL player is a 24 hour a day job where the public think they have a right to know every detail of your life. I certainly would not like that scrutiny. Being attacked at bars for no reason, comments in the street from idiots, invasive media trying to get a cheap story.

The few people I know who have made AFL lists have all said that it quickly becomes a job and the fun dies. I am certain they still want to win but its a far cry from a junior trying to become the best player he can, who would not doubt pursue that even if there was little to no money available.

It is sad but its part of the increasing divergence of professional football from sport to a mega industry in itself.

 

[Plugger35]

I'm not surprised, I doubt Kosi can remember yesterday let alone previous years with all his head knocks.

Still love the big fella though, hopefully we can get him to 200 before the season's over.

 

[mysainters]

Honest until the end.

Probably articulated a lot of what many of them are thinking.

That's why the AFLPA is investigating clubs pushing players too hard, wasn't Ross notorious for not even letting guys have their RDO?

 

[Squizz]

The BTG team (and Kosi) were very funny again.

They showed how his lap of honour will be done (old footage of him prostrate on a stretcher).

Mick Molloy mixed a drink for him, with the bottles of "Hexarelin", "Pigs Brains" and "AOD-9604" crossed out and re-labeled with "fruit juice" and the like. Kosi has a swig and puts the glass down. After a couple of minutes it starts bubbling - and then froths all over the desk.

They asked him what he thought about BJ crying after the game "that's cause he knows he lost all his mates".

But I think he felt he got misquoted with the not enjoying footy thing. Not enjoying it as much as he did when he was a kid (when he was excited just to get to training).

Then was affronted when Hughesy had suggested he would retire at the end of the year "I'll sit down and talk to the right people".





















"Yeah, I'm cooked"

 

[Radius]

A shame, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it raises fears about players mental well-being. I think it's largely a personality thing.

Dane Swan is widely known to hate training, and had considered/is considering an early retirement.

I think Cotchin said something similar: If he wins a premiership with the Tigers, he might just hang up the boots because being an elite athlete is so rigorous.

Some people thrive on the routine + challenge of it, others get sick of not being able to have fun and being injured half the time.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

On the sunday footy show Crawford and Lloyd also said that they did not like footy at times when they were playing and Crawford said he hated it for Half of his AFL career.

 

[Noidenous]

Hird was another who stated they lost all enjoyment simply being a part of the elite level.

Was refreshing to hear Koschitzke admit that he didn't really have the build to be either a ruck or a stay-at-home forward. When you're battling people's expectations and not able to live up to them because you can't put on the required bulk or build the required endurance, it's not hard to imagine his footy life would have become rather cumbersome. You could tell he wanted to elaborate on the matter, although there's never enough time on radio for such things.

Unfortunately, the game these days requires X physical attributes coupled with Y endurance in order to simply be considered for a position on ground, let alone a starting one.

 

[SaintLex]

Pretty sure even Roo has said that at times, he's found football frustrating and wasn't enjoying it that much. The fact is that these guys are professionals and when it's their turn to go, they go. No half-assed efforts because they simply don't any other way, no matter what they're off-field grievances are.

I'd love to think that footballers enjoy the experience, but a lot of effort goes into their job both physically and mentally and you'd be naive to think that it doesn't get to them at some point in their career, especially if the've been around for a while.

 

[Baldur]

invasive media trying to get a cheap story.

My advice to a young AFL player would be to create some image that the media can get stories from on a human intrest angle so hopefully they leave you alone otherwise.

Bad haircuts, odd hats, something to feed the beast.

 

[TheCryingGame]

Not surprising. Always been an interoverted who shies away from the limelight. Players like Franklin love the big-stage - thats just not Kosi's persona. He's that has carried a weight of expectation to be champion, coupled by playing for a team that was expected to win a premiership.

Unfortunately niether have eventuated. Kosi has been a champion of the club but not of the competition. His career has been injury-riddled. Now at the twilight of his career the Saints are back at their lowest ebb just as when he started in 2000/2001. Not achieving that premiership has got to be deflating on Kosi, Roo, Milney, Lenny, Dal, Joey in particularly who will never get another shot at it. Hopefully he gets the 200 games though as he deserves AFL life memberships.

 

[Squizz]

Hopefully he gets the 200 games though as he deserves AFL life memberships.

I think it's 300 games (including pre-season matches etc) for the AFL. Club life membership is normally 200 games (Swans is 150?), but Kosi is already a life member at St Kilda.

 

[Rors]

I cant blame Kosi for not remembering the last time he enjoyed playing footy. He's had a career with absolutely everything including all the negatives that go with the high profile player that doesn't really live up to the expectation of where he was taken in the draft...

1. Rising Star winner
2. Debilitating back injury
3. Absolute purple patch of form & looked the next league superstar
4. Shocking head injury - fractured skull (thanks Gia... you f*^#er)
5. Fainting on live Television (thanks Schwarz for not catching him)
6. Being knocked out by an umpire in the reserves (thanks umpire for being in the way)
7. Became our whipping boy
8. Is arguably our most maligned player of the last 5 years

I applaud Kosi for all of his valuable service over the last 12-13 years, but will always wonder how good he really could have been if Cornflakes Thomas hadn't persisted playing him during 2002 at CHB/Ruck with a back injury that was arguably as bad as Tom Hawkins' is at present. IMO it completely wrecked him

 

[Strawbs]

Would love to be on AFL player wages and hate it as opposed to a teacher's salary and hate it.

 

[SaintLex]

Would love to be on AFL player wages and hate it as opposed to a teacher's salary and hate it.

True, but i'd rather be a teacher than cop the hits Kosi has over his career

 

[Jewbacca]

True, but i'd rather be a teacher than cop the hits Kosi has over his career

I really don't get how people choose to become teachers. Putting up with obnoxious kids for a living? no thanks!

 

[Nutsngum]

I really don't get how people choose to become teachers. Putting up with obnoxious kids for a living? no thanks!

Thats the worthwhile part. Its the administration/government that are the truly s**t parts of teaching.

 

[mcuzzy]

I like his honesty.

Cotchin said something similar not too long ago, he said he'd retire after a premiership. He then said it was a tongue in cheek comment but I can't help but think he meant what he said at the time, injury and the energy output required is very tough.

I can't admire athletes at this level enough, good on him for pushing through.

 

[Riccardo11]

I have had the good fortune to meet and chat to Kosi a few times, he always came off like a good old country boy, kind of shy and quiet, so I'm not surprised he doesn't enjoy the limelight, especially when injuries have hurt him so badly and opposition supporters and the media were laughing at his concussions and making jokes about him fainting on live TV.

I really, really hope Watters does something right for once this season and lets him play in the last 2 home games Vs Gold Coast and Freo, so the supporters can show our appreciation for him. I for one love the big guy.

 

[L_W_P]

I rekon he would've pulled the pin if we got up in 2009.