Thoughts on the McLeod Interview on 5AA

[Stiffy_18]

Poor old Macca - he struggled his arse off with the issue of whether he had any rift with Ayres. He fumbled, stuttered, and was totally unconvincing. With good reason too - it's very hard for an essentially honest person to bullsh*t on radio.

Yes, he was adamant that he had never spoken to Eddie, and there's no doubt that he was telling the truth there - that came across loud and clear. An interesting follow up question though would have been whether there had been any dialogue between his manager and Collingwood - or any other clubs.

The positive though was that he clearly has set himself for a good season, and as others have said, that's all we reallly need to worry about

Go Macca!! Win that Brownlow and bring home the cash for me and Stiffy etc

Couldn't have said it better myself, especially the last bit

 

[outback jack]

i didnt think he squirmed when asked about ayres, he just said he had frustrations like he did with all his coaches. But obvioulsy he wasnt going to come out and bag him.

he didnt say he didnt contact collingwood, just said that he hadnt spoken to eddie, but KG and cornsey were keen to quickly go over that one.

 

[Toots Hibbert]

Yep, I heard it and thought pretty similarly. Wasnt convincing on the Ayres issue, but very convinced he didnt speak to Eddiewood.



I can relate to that MD. I thought the interview was OK but Craham Corpes has become an absolute tosser. I can now understand the way Port people used to think of him, and his lads are definately a chip off the old block, speach impared toss bags.




No chance. With Ayres gone, someone else is going to cop the endless barage of bull$hyte from the Cockrucci and his poor excuse for a newspaper. Seems it might be Macca this year.

Sorry Crowked the people you were responding to didn't come through when I quoted you, however I hope what you were saying is still clear. In light of your and other posters comments here I've posted Rucci's article which is a report of the interview with KG and Cornes which you folks have been referring to. (In case you misuderstand where I'm coming from I should repeat what I've said before, I don't respect Rucci, I think he is a poor writer and has pretensions to being a serious journalist which I feel he is well short of)

I didn't hear the radio interview and am interested to hear what you think of Rucci's apparent acceptance at face value of McLeods statement that he had no problem with Ayres and had in fact laughed with Ayres about these claims of a rift.

With regard to Rucci himself it seems to me that in this article he has portrayed Andrews prospects this year in a very positive light and I feel his piece on him after the Rachael allegations came out was also positive. I have not read Rucci's articles over the last few years from a Crows mindset so cannot comment on his overall approach to AFC. However it seems to me that you are not recognising in these two instances that he is in fact being positive towards you.

Interested in your comments.

McLEOD PUTS THE RECORD STRAIGHT:
'I had no beef with Gary Ayres at all'
By MICHELANGELO RUCCI
15feb05

ANDREW McLeod is adamant he will not be weighed down by his past - in particular his relationship with former coach Gary Ayres - as his body is prepared to deliver his best AFL season in five years.

Aiming to put the past five years under Ayres well behind him, McLeod last night went public to declare any rift with Ayres, as made public by his estranged wife Rachael, was myth. "I had no beef with Gary at all," said McLeod in an interview he arranged with Radio5AA sportscasters Ken Cunningham and former Crows coach Graham Cornes last night.
Hoping the public denial of a personality clash with Ayres ends any risk of derailing his vibrant new expectations at Adelaide, 28-year-old McLeod last night issued an ominous warning to any opponent thinking the dual Norm Smith Medallist is physically limited by his well-known knee injuries and mentally exhausted by off-field controversy. "At this time of the year, guys say they are fitter, stronger and faster," said McLeod who would not discuss his bitter split with his wife. "But I know I've done the work."

Continued Page 76 From Page 80 "I've not been able to do (a full pre-season) for a number of years because of injury. Body: "Apart from a couple of weeks ago, when I stepped on a sprinkler at training and turned my ankle, I've done everything asked and required of me by the fitness guys. "I've had a lot more time outside (for training). I've done the kilometres and I have the work under my belt. Now I know what I want to do. I really love football and the thought of playing for this football club. I know what I have to do for us to go forward." Describing Ayres as being "very professional" as a coach, McLeod did confirm he was frustrated at times when Ayres played him at half-back or in a forward pocket rather than as a midfielder. "As a player," said McLeod, who had five stitches to an eyebrow from Friday night's trial game at The Parade, "you do get frustrated when a coach plays you in a different position. But that was no different than when Blighty (premiership coach Malcolm Blight) was coaching, or at Port Adelaide with Jack (Cahill) or in my junior days." McLeod suggested it was his challenge to appreciate it may be in the team's interest - rather than his - to play outside the midfield. And at the same time his fans, McLeod added, need to appreciate their expectations need to be tempered to considered how he can best perform for the team rather than the statisticians. "What's best for the team is best for the team," McLeod said. "And if I have to play at half-back or in a forward pocket, that's it. "You do get frustrated but I can't expect to be the one guy who goes in there (in the midfield) to fix the problem all the time. That's not going to happen." McLeod as a condition of the radio interview would not take questions on his estranged wife. But he expressed disappointment in her public statements including claims he almost quit football last season in frustration with Ayres. "I've spoken to Gary and we've had a bit of a chuckle about it. I do find it upsetting it has come out like that," McLeod said. "When Gary left here (midway through last season), I rang him and thanked him for his time (as coach at Adelaide). He is a very great guy." Amid the denials, McLeod dismissed a long-standing account that his frustration at Adelaide led to him seeking late in 2003 a move to Collingwood "to finish my career happy". McLeod did not deny approaches were made to Collingwood, which at the time rated Nathan Brown from the Western Bulldogs and Nick Stevens from Port Adelaide as priorities ahead of him. But he did dismiss the approach led to a telephone call to Magpies president Eddie McGuire. "I swear on a Bible that I've never spoken to Eddie McGuire in my life," McLeod said.

 

[macca23]

I didn't hear the radio interview and am interested to hear what you think of Rucci's apparent acceptance at face value of McLeods statement that he had no problem with Ayres and had in fact laughed with Ayres about these claims of a rift.

With regard to Rucci himself it seems to me that in this article he has portrayed Andrews prospects this year in a very positive light and I feel his piece on him after the Rachael allegations came out was also positive. I have not read Rucci's articles over the last few years from a Crows mindset so cannot comment on his overall approach to AFC. However it seems to me that you are not recognising in these two instances that he is in fact being positive towards you.

I'm on your side Toots. I think Rucci has been very kind to Andrew in this and recent articles, particularly as he knows the truth irrespective to what was said on radio.

There's no secret that Rooch and Ayres had a huge ongoing personality clash, and as a result the Crows suffered badly at Rooch's hands while Ayres was in charge. Mind you, there was plenty for Rucci to justly criticize. That has eased massively since the departure of Ayres IMO.

 

[johnnypanther]

i didnt think he squirmed when asked about ayres, he just said he had frustrations like he did with all his coaches. But obvioulsy he wasnt going to come out and bag him.

i agree - i think that some people have been reading too much into Macca's stumbling during the interview - as Arrowman said - Macca's very uncomfortable in public speaking

having said that - sure there probably was frustration between Ayres & Macca and other players just as there is at any club at any time - its the coach's prerogative to use players in the best role for the team. In the end the coach pays the price or receives the rewards. Whatever else one may think of Ayres, he has acted as a true professional since leaving the AFC and has not bagged anyone or the club despite what i consider an overly unfair campaign against him and many blaming him for most of the AFC's problems.

Macca just seemed to drop his bundle a bit on the field - but i dont think that the major reason for that was Ayres - i think it was a combination of his personal problems & his resultant mental state, his injury, his inability to cope with the type of tagging he received and of course not being played where he may have preferred to play

But the answer is to produce the goods and show how good you really are - not to drop your bundle

Roo has shown how to do it by almost singlehandedly carrying the club on and off the field.
Roo's on field performances and his leadership during these difficult times has been exemplary - and in my almost 50 years of following aussie rules i must say that IMO he ranks as the best captain (alongside Kerley) that i have seen. The speech he made and his captain's report in our annual magazine shows his temperament - he did not beat around the bush as to where we are and what we need.

Lets hope Macca follows his example and 2005 gives Macca a Brownlow (in a tie with Roo of course)

 

[afc9798]

i agree - i think that some people have been reading too much into Macca's stumbling during the interview - as Arrowman said - Macca's very uncomfortable in public speaking
Why then was he able to give an unequivocal and immediate response to other direct questions without stuttering and fumbling around the question. It was quite clear that he was uncomfortable at not being able to tell the truth.

having said that - sure there probably was frustration between Ayres & Macca and other players just as there is at any club at any time - its the coach's prerogative to use players in the best role for the team. In the end the coach pays the price or receives the rewards. Whatever else one may think of Ayres, he has acted as a true professional since leaving the AFC and has not bagged anyone or the club despite what i consider an overly unfair campaign against him and many blaming him for most of the AFC's problems.
I agree that Ayres has been professional since leaving the club and this is in his best interests, otherwise which other club would want a whinger as their senior coach? It doesn't help that his win/loss ratio is not spectacular and he has a record of taking lists backwards. I agree the problems were by no means only his doing, but he is directly responsible for some of the worst decisions that were implemented and he was also responsible for a gameplan that was clearly not going to win us enough games.

Macca just seemed to drop his bundle a bit on the field - but i dont think that the major reason for that was Ayres - i think it was a combination of his personal problems & his resultant mental state, his injury, his inability to cope with the type of tagging he received and of course not being played where he may have preferred to play

But the answer is to produce the goods and show how good you really are - not to drop your bundle
Valid point, I think Macca needs to show a bit more resolve as every champion player is put under the pump and has to cope. It'll be inbteresting to see how Judd copes with the added attentions. Ayres as coach, should have recognised these problems as it is his job to get the best out of his list.

Roo has shown how to do it by almost singlehandedly carrying the club on and off the field.
Roo's on field performances and his leadership during these difficult times has been exemplary - and in my almost 50 years of following aussie rules i must say that IMO he ranks as the best captain (alongside Kerley) that i have seen. The speech he made and his captain's report in our annual magazine shows his temperament - he did not beat around the bush as to where we are and what we need.
Spot on and what a great example he is to those who drop their heads when the going gets tough. He is a prime example of mental and physical strength, directed in the right manner and with telling effect.

Lets hope Macca follows his example and 2005 gives Macca a Brownlow (in a tie with Roo of course)

I'll be happy to see macca playing consistently great football for the Crows out of the midfield. The Brownlow would be a possibility, but those things only come when you are enjoying your football.

 

[macca23]

What afc9798 said. Couldn't agree more with all of his responses.