Sheedy pay cut anger
20 March 2003 Herald Sun
By MICHAEL STEVENS
OUTSPOKEN Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy believes the AFL should get its own house in order before asking coaches to take a salary cut.
Sheedy said the AFL was on the one hand asking coaches to help promote the game and on the other talking about paying them less.
"I think the job's actually grown, and probably they (the AFL) may sound like they want to pay you less, but they're actually making you work harder because probably they stuffed up the TV contract.
"Clause Z (of the TV rights deal) - 'to the best of their abilities' - what's that mean to the people of New South Wales and Queensland that don't get AFL when they used to get it on a better time-slot?"
Sheedy's response, to a throwaway line by AFL football operations manager
Andrew Demetriou, has been echoed by fellow coaches.
Collingwood's Mick Malthouse said yesterday supporters didn't want their club to finish fifth, sixth or seventh 10 years in a row because it was concentrating on making money.
"They want to see the club employ the best, draft the best and when you draft as well as you possibly can - the number of coaches required to get those players above the average - they want to see winning," he said.
"So if you have to pay the extra dollar, extra coach or extra fitness adviser or extra masseur or extra yoga expert - they should have the capacity to do so."
Sheedy said restricting coaches' salaries would amount to a restraint of trade.
But he was keen to hear what the AFL had to say on the issue.
"I've never had a problem with my salary. I'm always about the fourth-best paid coach and never had a problem with it," he said.
"I actually only take what the club offers me, a very intelligent thing to do for 24 years.
"The only way you can work around the AFL rules in regard to having a last (draft) choice every time you win a premiership is to get intelligent coaches in, and the best quality coaches, and they actually cost a little bit more."
Demetriou said on Tuesday there were "legitimate arguments" for introducing a football department salary cap.
Hawthorn's Peter Schwab said last night an informal meeting with Demetriou at a city restaurant had put the coaches at ease on cuts.
"There is no thought to the AFL implementing any restrictions," said Schwab, who is president of the AFL Coaches Association.
"While football department costs at most clubs have risen by 9 per cent, coaches' salaries have only contributed 2 per cent, so we're in the clear."
AFL chief Wayne Jackson yesterday agreed with Demetriou that players would want to see a curb on football department costs.
But he added: "No one within the AFL has suggested or recommended or is of the view that there will be a cap on football operations."
Among other issues discussed by the coaches last night were the rules trialled in the Wizard Cup and the format of the pre-season competition.
"Most coaches (there were eight or nine at the meeting) were happy with the current format," Schwab said.
20 March 2003 Herald Sun
By MICHAEL STEVENS
OUTSPOKEN Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy believes the AFL should get its own house in order before asking coaches to take a salary cut.
Sheedy said the AFL was on the one hand asking coaches to help promote the game and on the other talking about paying them less.
"I think the job's actually grown, and probably they (the AFL) may sound like they want to pay you less, but they're actually making you work harder because probably they stuffed up the TV contract.
"Clause Z (of the TV rights deal) - 'to the best of their abilities' - what's that mean to the people of New South Wales and Queensland that don't get AFL when they used to get it on a better time-slot?"
Sheedy's response, to a throwaway line by AFL football operations manager
Andrew Demetriou, has been echoed by fellow coaches.
Collingwood's Mick Malthouse said yesterday supporters didn't want their club to finish fifth, sixth or seventh 10 years in a row because it was concentrating on making money.
"They want to see the club employ the best, draft the best and when you draft as well as you possibly can - the number of coaches required to get those players above the average - they want to see winning," he said.
"So if you have to pay the extra dollar, extra coach or extra fitness adviser or extra masseur or extra yoga expert - they should have the capacity to do so."
Sheedy said restricting coaches' salaries would amount to a restraint of trade.
But he was keen to hear what the AFL had to say on the issue.
"I've never had a problem with my salary. I'm always about the fourth-best paid coach and never had a problem with it," he said.
"I actually only take what the club offers me, a very intelligent thing to do for 24 years.
"The only way you can work around the AFL rules in regard to having a last (draft) choice every time you win a premiership is to get intelligent coaches in, and the best quality coaches, and they actually cost a little bit more."
Demetriou said on Tuesday there were "legitimate arguments" for introducing a football department salary cap.
Hawthorn's Peter Schwab said last night an informal meeting with Demetriou at a city restaurant had put the coaches at ease on cuts.
"There is no thought to the AFL implementing any restrictions," said Schwab, who is president of the AFL Coaches Association.
"While football department costs at most clubs have risen by 9 per cent, coaches' salaries have only contributed 2 per cent, so we're in the clear."
AFL chief Wayne Jackson yesterday agreed with Demetriou that players would want to see a curb on football department costs.
But he added: "No one within the AFL has suggested or recommended or is of the view that there will be a cap on football operations."
Among other issues discussed by the coaches last night were the rules trialled in the Wizard Cup and the format of the pre-season competition.
"Most coaches (there were eight or nine at the meeting) were happy with the current format," Schwab said.
