The new board has revealed we are 1.2 million dollars over the salary cap for 2003 figures that the AFL have demanded by December 6.  The AFL have said that if we are over the 2003 proposed cap by December 6, we can be fined 3 million dollars.  Well so much for the transparency of our issues having any effect and thanks very much for the solution AFL.

As far as I'm concerned you can't break the salary cap before you actually break it ... if you get my drift.  This AFL regime is content to keep heaping more and more penalties on to the Blues until we are forced out of existence.  There are some serious personal issues being displayed here and it is the height of unprofessional behaviour at the expense of a traditional club and thousands of hurting supporters.

As for the players, most are on base salaries and can not be touched pay cuts wise.  Several high profile players are on far more than they can command anywhere else and don't want to give it up if they can help it.  I realise that many players were just about to taste the cream on heavily backloaded contracts but the question has to be asked ... if Carlton's very existence hinges on their decision and they have to think about it, how much do they think of the club?

Supporters are asked to dig deep and buy memberships and come out to each and every function and game to show their support to the players.  Well, without the players there would be nothing to watch but without the supporters, there would be no game period!  In these most trying of times when all Blues fans should be buying memberships and giving back to the club that they love, the club that has given so much to all of us, perhaps it is prudent for the players to be leading by example.  They are in a privileged position and should acknowledge the fact.

It has been suggested that we can sack the players and they can go to another club in the preseason draft for minimum wage and the Blues would be obligated to pay out the balance of the agreed contract amount.  This also would see us fold as not only would we exceed the cap, we would have an extremely uncompetitive list.

The mark of a man or a player is all important and the time to present yourself is now.  I eagerly await whether players that have accepted the money and accolades in the past will now be responsible for biting the hand that feeds them.  For years I reveled in the fact that Carlton retained their players better than most clubs.  I put it down to a deep respect for the history and traditions of one of the most successful clubs in the competition.  Recent events suggest that I may have been naive on this point.  Maybe they only stayed because they were waiting for their turn on the John Elliott gravy train?

I pray that the outcome is favourable for the Carlton Football Club but more than anything I pray that the players move forward in a unified fashion and recognise that they have to give their all for the club to keep us afloat for the next couple of years where the AFL sanctions will try to hold us back.  The Carlton people that put us in this predicament have gone and the current board has our best interests at heart.  We are getting no sympathy from the AFL despite our most honourable of efforts to right the ship, only more threats of further sanctions.  They know our club is hurting and further action could destroy us but there is no crack in their exterior.  Is there an alterior motive?  It seems this could be the case.  Whatever is happening, we can not afford to rely on the all controlling AFL empire, we have to maintain our rage and do it ourselves.  The board, the players, the fans .... the club.

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Editorial

For Crying Out Loud

by Old Dark Navys.net

SEASON 2002

Old Dark Navys.net
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