Son of a gun delisted

[Dee Fan 3,247]

I get the feeling that the send of he was given by Bailey was as much for the benefit of the other players as it was for CJ and it was purely to stress that if you don't want to be here then we don't want you. It seems to me as if CJ summed up the situation and decided that he was going to struggle to get a game at Melbourne and he decided to look elsewhere, which as a professional footballer, is his right. In another era Chris would probably have been a very good player for us but unfortunately his style of play has passed its use by date.

Alan, his father was a great players for the Demons and was very active in the anti merger movement so I would hope that the club extends the Olive Branch to both Father and Son and welcome them back to the club, it would be great to see Chris and Alan sitting in the stands supporting the Dees on a Saturday afternoon.

[stranga 328]

Some of these posts are excessively harsh. Why all the hatred? Just another player who wasn't good enough, there have been thousands of those before him. I felt we lost nothing at all when he left, so I don't get why people are still so emotional about it.

I think anytime a player walks out on our club we are justufied in being resentful or at least able to express vindication when it doesnt work out better for that player. Particularly given the fact he was the son of a Melbourne champion and seemed to show no respect for the direction of the club and the opportunity he was being given considering his limited talents. I for one am ecstatic to see that it didnt work out for him and im not ashamed of that.

[e25 5]

He thought he was better than what he actually was. He left thinking he'd walk straight into the Blues 22.

But that's Karma for you isn't it?

It's catching up to Brock too. Fast.

Karma for what though?

Leaving a team where their chances to play were getting slimmer by the day?

They left only to find better opportunities.

Unfortunately for them those have dried up elsewhere too.

It's not just from the outside that you can recognize the dees are rapidly improving.

[GolfBoyPro 43]

I thought just before he left us, he was starting to play some good footy! Not sure why he couldnt keep developing at Carlton, but its always a shame when ties are broken by things like this with a club champion. I hope to see them both back supporting the Deesto. Brock is another kettle of fish though, cant wait to see how that will unfold, too slow for mine!!!

[old55 23,573]

I think anytime a player walks out on our club we are justufied in being resentful or at least able to express vindication when it doesnt work out better for that player. Particularly given the fact he was the son of a Melbourne champion and seemed to show no respect for the direction of the club and the opportunity he was being given considering his limited talents. I for one am ecstatic to see that it didnt work out for him and im not ashamed of that.

Completely [censored] thread.

I was excited when CJ arrived because he looked the goods and every summer I felt it could be next year.

CJ left because he correctly perceived he'd get more opportunity on a longer contract at Carlton. If he was still with us he'd be delisted by now. As Nasher says - another player who was not quite good enough.

Do you feel remorse when we cut a player? You can't have it both ways.

Good luck CJ.

[H_T 3,047]

His old man could play though...... B)

Bloody oath he could.

All the best CJ.

[stranga 328]

Completely [censored] thread.

I was excited when CJ arrived because he looked the goods and every summer I felt it could be next year.

CJ left because he correctly perceived he'd get more opportunity on a longer contract at Carlton. If he was still with us he'd be delisted by now. As Nasher says - another player who was not quite good enough.

Do you feel remorse when we cut a player? You can't have it both ways.

Good luck CJ.

If i was a psychic like you and knew at the time for certain that Chris Johnson wasnt going to make it and be delisted 2 years later then i would be happy for him to try his luck elswhere. The fact is he walked out on the club when he had a contract offer on the table. To me thats disloyal and selfish, the opposite traits of what i want our players to possess. Why should i feel remorse for him. I feel remorse for cut players because it is part of the game that is unavoidable.

Rather than worry so much about a nobody like Johnson you should feel remorse for people like David Neitz and Jim stynes who gave their all for the club and couldnt have the success they deserved. Or are you still too busy feeling sorry for Jeff Farmer, Powell and scott Thompson?

[jayceebee31 761]

Bloody oath he could.

All the best CJ.

HT - I agree.Sometimes things do not work out- however I do sincerely wish CJ all the best with life after AFL.

[Guest hangon007]

Alan, his father was a great players for the Demons and was very active in the anti merger movement so I would hope that the club extends the Olive Branch to both Father and Son and welcome them back to the club, it would be great to see Chris and Alan sitting in the stands supporting the Dees on a Saturday afternoon.

^^^ I agree. I will never forget that number 9 guernsey till the day I die, thanks to AJ. I too hope both can be welcomed back.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

As others have commented, the saddest thing about this episode is the bad blood formed between the club and a past great player and his family. Perhaps the family's expectations were too high for Chris. I always thought he was a marginal player at best and I wondered if he ever would have been drafted at all if his father was not Allan Johnson.

[sylvinator 96]

Karma for what though?

Leaving a team where their chances to play were getting slimmer by the day?

They left only to find better opportunities.

Unfortunately for them those have dried up elsewhere too.

It's not just from the outside that you can recognize the dees are rapidly improving.

This doesn't just relate to Chris, but is really riles me the trend of fringe players in recent seasons.

It used to be that if you were on the cusp of the best 22 in your team, you'd spend the pre-season working your butt off and forcing your way into the senior team.

Nowadays, if you're not gueranteed a starting 22 spot, you just ask to be traded to a crap team where you hope you'll walk into the senior team. It's pretty weak if you ask me since you would never see a guy like Shaun Grigg or Houli ask to be traded to Collingwood or StKilda, bc they wouldn't make the team there either. They ask to be traded to the Richmonds of the world, or in Chris' case, a struggling Carlton, looking for the easy way to get game time.

Like Chris, most of these players will soon realise that it wasn't that the coach 'had it in for him', it was that he didn't work hard enough to push into the 22. Nothing, not even swapping to a crap club where u should get game time, will replace hard work and determination.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

This doesn't just relate to Chris, but is really riles me the trend of fringe players in recent seasons.

It used to be that if you were on the cusp of the best 22 in your team, you'd spend the pre-season working your butt off and forcing your way into the senior team.

Nowadays, if you're not gueranteed a starting 22 spot, you just ask to be traded to a crap team where you hope you'll walk into the senior team. It's pretty weak if you ask me since you would never see a guy like Shaun Grigg or Houli ask to be traded to Collingwood or StKilda, bc they wouldn't make the team there either. They ask to be traded to the Richmonds of the world, or in Chris' case, a struggling Carlton, looking for the easy way to get game time.

Like Chris, most of these players will soon realise that it wasn't that the coach 'had it in for him', it was that he didn't work hard enough to push into the 22. Nothing, not even swapping to a crap club where u should get game time, will replace hard work and determination.

A good point. These father/son guys get far more opportunities and leeway than the usual draftee. A good example is Jobe Watson. He would have been one of the first players scratched at draft camps if he didn't have the famous pedigree. Would have been perceived as too slow, average skills and questionable decision making. But to his credit he worked damn hard and made himself into a footballer. Chris had the same opportunity and didn't make the best of it.

Edited October 20, 2010 by america de cali

[e25 5]

Yes & no.

What if you've already spent multiple seasons working your butt off and you still aren't getting a look in from the FD?

What if you can't possibly work any harder? What is another preseason going to achieve?

I think you'll find that football clubs missing pieces & looking to add to their list (such as Richmond or Carlton) will target these players to fill a hole, knowing an unhappy player starved of chances is more likely to come across.

Not necessarily the other way around.

[e25 5]

A good point. These father/son guys get far more opportunities and leeway than the usual draftee. A good example is Jobe Watson. He would have been one of the first players scratched at draft camps if he didn't have the famous pedigree. Would have been perceived as too slow, average skills and questionable decision making. But to his credit he worked damn hard and made himself into a footballer. Chris had the same opportunity and didn't make the best of it.

Jobe could easily have ended up like Barlow:

Plying his trade in the VFL as he masters the game and then finally a team takes a punt on him and he's hailed as a great success story.

[John Crow Batty 8,863]

Jobe could easily have ended up like Barlow:

Plying his trade in the VFL as he masters the game and then finally a team takes a punt on him and he's hailed as a great success story.

The tragedy is that there must be a lot of players around with "character" and work ethic that never get the opportunity. With Barlow, it amazes me how none of the Victorian clubs could find him in their own backyard.

[old55 23,573]

I don't feel sorry for Chris Johnson but I don't feel mad at him either. It's not whether I thought he was going to make, it's whether he thought he was. I don't have remorse about cutting Daniel Bell and I wouldn't have minded if he had tried to make it at a different club a couple of years ago - in fact it would've been good if he did. I'm guessing none of you guys have any time for Joel Macdonald?

[e25 5]

The tragedy is that there must be a lot of players around with "character" and work ethic that never get the opportunity. With Barlow, it amazes me how none of the Victorian clubs could find him in their own backyard.

Same could be said about Silvagni.

Not sure location matters, ie. it being "their own backyard".

Freo have recruiters based in melb, just like MFC do.

In fact, I'd bet both teams have approx the same number of recruiters watching the Victorian talent pool, and the WA pool for that matter.

It's not like Bailey spends his free time on weekends disappearing to watch VFL matches.

The FD gets their info fed to them by recruiters in the exact same manner.

[H_T 3,047]

The tragedy is that there must be a lot of players around with "character" and work ethic that never get the opportunity. With Barlow, it amazes me how none of the Victorian clubs could find him in their own backyard.

Werribee certainly did. Freo took the punt and kicked a goal.

[rpfc 28,431]

I have little sympathy for him but no animosity.

I do love the story of his exit though, Bailey used him to stamp his authority on the group.

Always good to hear those stories.

[daisycutter 29,616]

Some of these posts are excessively harsh. Why all the hatred? Just another player who wasn't good enough, there have been thousands of those before him. I felt we lost nothing at all when he left, so I don't get why people are still so emotional about it.

Totally agree Nasher. I can't understand the angst. Its un-australian to put the boot in because CJ got delisted by Carlton. Karma my arze!

Criticizing his football ability is fair enough but to criticize his character on a couple of one-sided reputed hear-says says more about the poster than than the player

All the best PJ wherever you end up. Hope to see you and Alan supporting the Dees.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Some of these posts are excessively harsh. Why all the hatred? Just another player who wasn't good enough, there have been thousands of those before him. I felt we lost nothing at all when he left, so I don't get why people are still so emotional about it.

Well said Nasher.

I have little sympathy for him but no animosity.

I do love the story of his exit though, Bailey used him to stamp his authority on the group.

Always good to hear those stories.

X2

[The Big Ticket 94]

Karma for what though?

Leaving a team where their chances to play were getting slimmer by the day?

They left only to find better opportunities.

Unfortunately for them those have dried up elsewhere too.

It's not just from the outside that you can recognize the dees are rapidly improving.

We were a absolute basket-case back then. There was plenty of opportunity for him to find a spot in the side.

Brock was fair enough, he would have been well and truly forced out of the side this year.

[DeeM 42]

i know a bloke who is close friends with alan for years and he was telling mid year this year chris had told his dad of regretting leaving the club because apperently carlton had told him mid year that he is pretty much finished..

karma's a [censored] chris!

i love the "inside" scoops we get once the event has happened.

the day we hear a story like this before it actually happens, well.........

[Guest Thomo]

This doesn't just relate to Chris, but is really riles me the trend of fringe players in recent seasons.

It used to be that if you were on the cusp of the best 22 in your team, you'd spend the pre-season working your butt off and forcing your way into the senior team.

Nowadays, if you're not gueranteed a starting 22 spot, you just ask to be traded to a crap team where you hope you'll walk into the senior team. It's pretty weak if you ask me since you would never see a guy like Shaun Grigg or Houli ask to be traded to Collingwood or StKilda, bc they wouldn't make the team there either. They ask to be traded to the Richmonds of the world, or in Chris' case, a struggling Carlton, looking for the easy way to get game time.

Like Chris, most of these players will soon realise that it wasn't that the coach 'had it in for him', it was that he didn't work hard enough to push into the 22. Nothing, not even swapping to a crap club where u should get game time, will replace hard work and determination.

It's a different world these days. Players had other jobs to set themselves up for life. Football is now a profession, and players often need to make hard decisions to secure their financial future.

One year at Melbourne and others in front of you and not improvement in 3 years, or two years at Carlton and maybe a different coach/system that will help you secure a future?

I think Chris made the right choice, and I don't think the Dees would have been too disappointed.

[dazzledavey36 54,942]

Karma for what though?

Leaving a team where their chances to play were getting slimmer by the day?

They left only to find better opportunities.

Unfortunately for them those have dried up elsewhere too.

It's not just from the outside that you can recognize the dees are rapidly improving.

gosh.. its karma coz he left the club because he had a cry the club didn't offer him 3 years or two but only offerd one so he walked out of the club thinking he is [censored] king.. 2 years later nothing has changed about his ability and he is still dud! and now he pays for it by getting delisted.. now he has possibly missed out on an amazing journey with the melbourne football club. chris still had to prove him self and the dees were willing to make sure that happens coz they rated him highly.