Tarrant Article

[Lach72]

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/tarrant-finds-time-to-open-up/2008/06/19/1213770827305.html

Tarrant finds time to open up
Samantha Lane | June 20, 2008

A REMARKABLE thing happened in Perth this week. Chris Tarrant agreed to be the talking head at Fremantle's weekly Monday media conference — a no-frills, stand-up affair. He spoke for 10 minutes and was expansive throughout. The local media was agog.

An even more remarkable thing happened yesterday. Tarrant, in Melbourne ahead of tonight's Fremantle and St Kilda game, agreed to be interviewed by The Age. A 15-minute window was granted, 20 minutes were gladly taken, and an hour could easily have been filled — not just by interrogator, but seemingly by the willing subject who visibly considered each of his answers.

At Collingwood, there was a standing understanding that Tarrant simply didn't do such things. The man once rated among the Magpies' most prized possessions didn't like to talk, and so he didn't have to.

His old club was almost always at pains to keep him happy for fear that he might walk away from the game, and Tarrant openly admitted yesterday that footy has never been the top priority in his life.

Listening to former Collingwood skipper Nathan Buckley speak about Tarrant leads one to surmise that media duties were one of many aspects of being a professional footballer that the forward refused to embrace. But not this week. And, seemingly, not any more.

Much has changed in Tarrant's life since he began playing in purple in 2007. Dockers insiders say, unselfconsciously, that he is still the "lad" that many knew and loved him for. But at 27, Tarrant is engaged (he proposed to Lauren while on a gondola in Venice), studying (a real estate course), and he says the wildest night he and old pal Dean Solomon have had this season was at their quiet, local pub over a couple of beers.

Contrary to the footy grapevine, Tarrant's manager and close friend Paul Connors says he is happier than he has ever been. After an underwhelming start to this season on-field, he has put together an impressive month doing what he does best — leading long, hard and fast beyond his team's attacking 50-metre zone. To top it off, the man himself is talking about it.

"With a bit of bad press you sort of go into your shell a little bit and then you just sort of stay away from it," Tarrant said yesterday, shivering in the Melbourne cold to which he has quickly become unaccustomed, while perched in an empty grandstand at Princes Park after a brief training run. "I'm a little bit misunderstood, I think, which can be frustrating at times when you're reading stuff about you which is completely untrue.

"I thought maybe it was time that I started doing a little bit more and helping out the football club. I was taken aback by how much WA people really only care about WA teams, so you have to share the load a bit more.

"My manager Paul has always been in my ear over the years. He keeps saying to me, 'The only press you seem to get is when it's bad press.' He's been really good on advice, he's probably the biggest person in my life in terms of things like that."

There has been bad press. Bust-ups in and outside of bars mid-season will do that, as will fruitless days on the football field when you are a big name in the biggest team in Victoria.

But while at Collingwood Tarrant might have been able to choose whether he did, or did not, open his mouth, he had no say in the expediency with which he was hailed a goalkicking miracle for the Magpies.

Buckley said this week that Tarrant could have been Lance Franklin 10 years before Franklin came along.

"He had that speed, the aerobic capacity and the strength … he had all of those natural attributes and he had a high work rate capacity within him," he surmised. Tarrant scoffed at the statement yesterday.

"That's a ridiculous call!" he laughed — but he also accepted that he has not lived up to the standard he set for himself in 2003.

"I think expectations were realistic, I was an early draft choice and then I had a really good All-Australian year (in 2003). I suppose I didn't really kick on from that year, to be honest."

There were factors beyond Tarrant's control — he cites the battered state of his body in 2006 — and other things which, he says now, he could have handled better.

Namely his diligence in applying himself totally and consistently.

"You think you're out there doing your best and doing the right thing. But then you look back on it now, after being through it, and you think, 'Was I giving myself every chance of playing good footy?', and I wasn't, no."

The uber-professional Buckley was frustrated by the place footy held in Tarrant's life but the full-forward unashamedly says that things haven't changed on his priority list.

"Footy's never been my number one thing, I'll always admit that," he said. "My family, friends and especially my fiancee are the most important things … footy's after that."

This year, more than any other, Tarrant has been managing several personal family issues. Because of this, around the time he was dropped (round five), he returned to Victoria.

Preferring to keep his private life private, and loathe to be seen to be making excuses for a severe form slump that landed him in the WAFL in round six, Tarrant did not detail the circumstances yesterday, but did say: "This year's been tough, just outside footy, and that can affect you … but then I know when I'm playing footy it brings enjoyment to my family and friends, so I just want to get out there."

Tarrant's dive in form coincided with a report in the local press that his manager had been in contact with a Melbourne club about the possibility of him returning home. That, and claims he has been homesick, Tarrant says are "100% untrue".

"My main aim is to get Fremantle playing some good footy and back into the finals, and I want to be there when we are playing finals," he said.

There are things about Melbourne he misses — he tuned into Collingwood and Essendon's Anzac Day clash, chiefly to watch Ben Johnson, Dane Swan and Alan Didak, who he counts as "friends for life" — and he says he and Lauren will return. But life for Tarrant as a footballer — and he's only banking on being one until his contract expires in 2010 — is easier in Perth.

"Melbourne, when you're out, you have to be very careful. In Perth, people are very respectful. They might come up and have a chat but then they let you go," he said.

He also has ex-Bomber Dean Solomon, a former teammate at Bendigo who he considers "a brother". Over summer they go to the beach every day and, contrary to predictions, have not been tearing up the town.

"We've got a couple of quiet, but really good pubs near us and we'll just go down after a game and have a couple and then just go home. I suppose we're getting older as well. We're very boring, actually."

In an unexpected interview, he saved his most surprising line until last.

 

[Belnakor]

Sounds like Tarrant is enjoying hitting the beach down at Freo. Interesting he says he isn't looking beyond 2010.

 

[FreoAzz]

When you look at it, it's the responsible thing to say and do.
He is 27 and in 2010 he will be 29, pushing 30.
You would hope he would take stock and make the decision then.

If his body is holding up and he's not stopping and up and comer getting a regular gig you'd think he'd play on.

 

[SupersonicDocker]

Think that just shows how much a dumbass Samantha Lane is. Most insipid person in the media.

He was probably trying to answer a question along the lines of how long do you plan to stay in perth or how long do you intend on playing for and his answer would have been the regulation "well im contracted to 2010, at least that long"

But in the same sense Taz's shins are just about shot so it wouldn't be suprising if he only has another 2 seasons left in him after this.

Oddly enough 2010 is the year we should be planning to give the cup a real tilt.

 

[Dave The Man]

Sounds Like Living in a Place where there not as Much Pressure on him.

While he was at Collingwood he had so much pressure on him and Where he did not respond well espically after 2003

 

[estibador]

Sounds Like Living in a Place where there not as Much Pressure on him.

Trust me, the WA media make it their duty to ensure there is a shiteload of pressure on footballers over here. Especially those playing for Freo - and even more especially on those who are high profile recruits.

 

[The Night Shift]

Sounds Like Living in a Place where there not as Much Pressure on him.

While he was at Collingwood he had so much pressure on him and Where he did not respond well espically after 2003

The sports media here are awful...
They create pressure out of nothing......

 

[dominguez]

Good article, he's fast becoming my favourite player.

 

[Juddism]

The sports media here are awful...
They create pressure out of nothing......

the media here in general are awful...give em an inch and they'll run 10mi.

he's got great taste in women too!