I’ve written many times before about the shambles that is the Newcastle Knights, club whom it seems only exists for the enjoyment of the playing roster.
We’ve seen in the past player revolts because certain players have not been retained. Its amazing to think that only a few years ago the playing roster went berserk because then coach Brian Smith didn’t want to retain the services of Kirk Reynoldson!
Eventually the players managed to get Brian Smith out, and got their way when the club appointed one of their lower grade coaches in Rick Stone as their first grade coach.
See, as long as your mates have a job, who cares about performance…
So it came as no surprise to me when today I read that Newcastle Knight captain Kurt Gidley said he would love to have the NRL’s biggest train wreck, Timana Tahu, join the club. he told reporters that he’s love to have Taho on board and that “I’d have no worries in taking him on board. I’ll speak to Stoney [about recruiting Tahu] a bit and that sort of thing.”.
Well thanks Kurt, just as long as you tell the coach who to recruit, that should all work out well.
This all comes in the same year in which Timana Tahu has been nothing short of a walking, talking disaster. Having come back from rugby union, playing terrible football where, even in a poor Parramatta side, he was such a defensive liability that he was easy money for opposition teams!
A year in which he supposedly made a stand against racism in the NSW State Of Origin camp by running and hiding. He then made sure he went the full distance with his racism claim against Andrew Johns, and yet, when the same process was turned around on him he refused to even acknowledge it!
A year in which he stated he was devastated to not be able to turn out for the Aboriginal All Stars team, and then played for the New Zealand Maori!
A year in which he was suspended for a night of chaos against the Newcastle Knights, and then asked for some time away from his own team, mid season, to get his head on straight.
A year in which he turned up for a couple of weeks of off season training, asked for a few days off, and then asked for a few more weeks off, and THEN asked to have no part in the Parramatta Eels training until February, before asking for a release all together!
This all begs the question….
What the fuck does Kurt Gidley see in Timana Tahu that would be beneficial for the Newcastle Knights!
It is absolutely unbelievable that a professional, at the level that Kurt Gidley is supposed to be playing at, would want to even associate themselves with Timana Tahu, let alone have him join the club you play for!
The sooner the Newcastle Knights are taken over by mining magnate Nathan Tinkler, the better.
The club needs a brush put right through it. It needs a professional outlook and everyone at the club needs to become accountable.
Its a lot easier for players to act up when they have to answer to a football club board than it is to have to front up to a bloke who is paying your wages out of his own pocket.
