They don't like footy: Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews

[Geoffa32]

Andrew Hamilton
July 14, 2008 11:30pm
LIONS coach Leigh Matthews says a major obstacle he encounters while preparing his side each week is that not enough players are "footy fans".
The four-time premiership coach said too many players had to be forced to watch the bare minimum of footy on TV needed to adequately prepare as AFL footballers because they didn't really love the game.
"We find that we have got to almost force-feed them as a group to make them watch footy," Matthews said.

"You'd think watching the opposition game at some stage during the week as part of your preparation would almost be mandatory. You'd be surprised how many wouldn't do it unless you made them."
Matthews did not subscribe to the theory the players' reluctance may be driven by a need to get away from the footy environment.
"A lot of them are just professional footballers. They only play footy because they are good at it, they don't care about the game much," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24020614-5016212,00.html

Interesting last comment by Leigh Matthews. With the advent of turning Basketballers Gaelic Footballers and Rugby fans into Aussie Rules players will thise become more common place? This could also be a driving force in the evolution in our game.

Makes you wonder how many actually play the sport for the love and how many are good athletes who have found a way to use their natural ability to make a lot of money and Aussie Rules is easier for them to excel at than other sports.

 

[Dynamics]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24020614-5016212,00.html

Interesting last comment by Leigh Matthews. With the advent of turning Basketballers Gaelic Footballers and Rugby fans into Aussie Rules players will thise become more common place? This could also be a driving force in the evolution in our game.

Makes you wonder how many actually play the sport for the love and how many are good athletes who have found a way to use their natural ability to make a lot of money and Aussie Rules is easier for them to excel at than other sports.

Oh well, not everyone loves their job, even footballers!

What I found more interesting is how amateurish this quote makes some footballers sound:

"You'd be surprised how many wouldn't do it unless you made them."

Some footballers really are just incredibly dumb young blokes who happen to be good at chasing the pill. I'd be embarrassed if I were paid what they are and have to be "made" to do any kind of preparation. Makes them sound like naughty children being made to do their homework.

Not exactly a newsflash though, is it?

 

[rancidpants13]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24020614-5016212,00.html

Interesting last comment by Leigh Matthews. With the advent of turning Basketballers Gaelic Footballers and Rugby fans into Aussie Rules players will thise become more common place? This could also be a driving force in the evolution in our game.

Makes you wonder how many actually play the sport for the love and how many are good athletes who have found a way to use their natural ability to make a lot of money and Aussie Rules is easier for them to excel at than other sports.

may also have something to do with the absolute saturation coverage these days on the internet and in the media, and not just the sport media
so much of footy is tabloid fodder, and we're all guilty here on BF of beating up the most ridiculous non-stories and rumours
it's not hard to understand why not every kid is in love with the game, even if they can play it well
there's other things in life, maybe an old footy head like matthews needs to open his eyes and look around
the way i read that, it seemed like he was saying it in a sneering, condescending way

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

"You'd be surprised how many wouldn't do it unless you made them."

Lethal, you'd be surprised at how little surprised I am by that comment. I can't remember the Geelong player being interviewed recently, but when asked how many times he'd watched the replay of the 2007 GF, he said he hadn't seen it. I thought that was remarkable.

I would think the lack of "interest" in the game may be generated by the fact they are at it 7 days a week, and any chance to escape footy to do something else would be welcome.

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

Whilst I find it quite suprising its not that different to the many top cricketers who refer to themselves as very bad spectators of the sport.
Funnily enough they find it boring, but they dont mind being the one to do the boring!!

 

[bigdroppunt]

i remember early this year i was in a pub along the Victorain coast, and to my surprise was sitting next to Barry Hall and with him some very tasty arm candy, i had to pretty much look across him to see the TV in this pub, And not once did he look at the screen, cant say i blame him, the entertainment he BYO'ed was much better looking, But still I would of thought he would be atleast interested in who won .........

 

[SirRooke]

this is one of the reasons that the Cats are on top...

if you run through our team most of the players love their footy and are highly professional...

 

[JeffDunne]

This is news?

As far as I'm aware this has always been the case.

 

[shotta]

This is very very freakish to hear. The part about not loving footy and only playing the game because they were good at it. To this day it has stuck in my mind something I heard when I was very young (I am 37). Lethal supposedly was quoted or heard to say the very same thing" I don't really love footy, I play because im good at it". Don't know where or when I heard it and I love the guy, but could he be speaking from experience?

 

[stugots]

& cue entry for lethal's prime exhibit No1 (who no doubt he was referring to in a round about way) - FEV!

 

[IllBeTheJudge]

this is one of the reasons that the Cats are on top...

if you run through our team most of the players love their footy and are highly professional...

18 months ago Geelong were labelled in the media as being pretty much a rabble, and well and truly underachieved in the 06 season.

Did they dislike their footy and were unprofessional back then?

I don't think it's all that suprising that some players treat their jobs as jobs.

I also think that if you ran through any team, most players love their footy and are highly professional.

I also think if you ran through the Geelong footy team, you'd be labelled as trying to rough them up