The Secret Footballer

[btdemon 482]

Have a read of this. You would swear the author was from the MFC until you read that he experienced only one coach sacking. The article says so much about where have been.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/how-losing-creates-culture-of-misery-and-selfishness-20140513-zrbcu.html#ixzz31jADwWka

"Our replies were well rehearsed: "We’re 100 per cent supportive of the coach. We believe in the structure and game plan. We understand it’s a rebuilding process that will take time and we believe it’s actually the players that need to lift and show more effort on field." - Sound familiar? Melbourne under Neeld? Apparently not.

These "Secret Footballer" articles have all been really interesting.

[Guest]

Have a read of this. You would swear the author was from the MFC until you read that he experienced only one coach sacking. The article says so much about where have been.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/how-losing-creates-culture-of-misery-and-selfishness-20140513-zrbcu.html#ixzz31jADwWka

"Our replies were well rehearsed: "We’re 100 per cent supportive of the coach. We believe in the structure and game plan. We understand it’s a rebuilding process that will take time and we believe it’s actually the players that need to lift and show more effort on field." - Sound familiar? Melbourne under Neeld? Apparently not.

These "Secret Footballer" articles have all been really interesting.

I'm thinking Carlton and Denis Pagan. He mentions that the coach was sacked through a run of losing form. Ratten was sacked but it wasn't because the Blues were abysmal. It was because they were seen not to be living up to their potential.

[Forest Demon 4,681]

The group sex article he did was a bit of a [censored] I thought, but this is interesting. So much would have applied to the MFC under Neeld and Bailey. Factions within the group, people playing for themselves, bad mouthing your own teammates up field, the handling of the media, and so on. Very interesting.

[Undeeterred 3,033]

It clearly isn't us. He talks about his team having success.

I reckon he's from Hawthorn, to be honest.

[binman 41,906]

I reckon its boomer harvey

[dazzledavey36 52,641]

Chris Dawes.

[FarNorthernD 5,861]

I reckon its boomer harvey

You could be on to something here and it would explain why he wants to keep his identity a secret

[whatwhat say what 22,031]

Luke Ball.

[binman 41,906]

Luke Ball.

maybe. He said in his first article that he is a senior player with more than 10 years experience. Hasn't mentioned a gf win but said had seen success. Was the saints ever right down the bottom in his time there?

[chook fowler 19,248]

The secret footballer is obviously very smart and articulate. The writing is really very good. The names that come to mind that could do this are Bob Murphy, Luke Ball, Brad Sewell, Chris Dawes, Daniel Jackson, Chris Newman, Jobe Watson, Harry Taylor.

No disrespect to Boomer but I'm sure it's not him.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,642]

maybe. He said in his first article that he is a senior player with more than 10 years experience. Hasn't mentioned a gf win but said had seen success. Was the saints ever right down the bottom in his time there?

He was pick 2 in the 2001 draft which may suggest St Kilda was near the bottom when he joined.

Note: I've not read any of the articles, so I have no idea whether he's the player concerned. But having heard him speak many times on radio the only question I have about him is whether he'll be a Senior Coach or the CEO of a club (or even the AFL). He's far too articulate to be playing for Collingwood.

[daisycutter 29,259]

The secret footballer is obviously very smart and articulate. The writing is really very good. The names that come to mind that could do this are Bob Murphy, Luke Ball, Brad Sewell, Chris Dawes, Daniel Jackson, Chris Newman, Jobe Watson, Harry Taylor.

No disrespect to Boomer but I'm sure it's not him.

it could be heavily ghost-written so i wouldn't put too much into how articulate it is

[John Crow Batty 8,763]

My thinking too is that he is a Hawthorn player and speaking of around the time Peter Schwab was sacked in the later part of the 2004 season. Interesting this mystery footballer is talking of the misery in past tense in contrast to regular winning now. Worth also remembering that some eyebrows were raised at their heavy culling of senior players the following season.

Edited May 15, 2014 by america de cali

[Breggsy 123]

Kane cornes?

[CityDee 738]

Hawthorn player imo. Lewis- Sewell.

[Machsy 2,858]

I'm pretty sure he has said that he has played for more than one club in Melbourne, has been at a wooden spooner and has played in a grand final, or at least alluded to these things.

Currently I think it's between Luke Ball, Brendon Goddard, and Nick Dal Santo.

My money is on Dal Santo.

[Machsy 2,858]

He did say he was the victim of a kinghit by a stranger at a suburban pub early in his career.

Doesn't say if it made news or not.

[chookrat 4,200]

Brock McLean - lol

[GM11 740]

it could be heavily ghost-written so i wouldn't put too much into how articulate it is

Style reminds me a bit of Bob Murphy's columns, but as you say, could be ghost written.

[chook fowler 19,248]

Colin Sylvia?

[chook fowler 19,248]

it could be heavily ghost-written so i wouldn't put too much into how articulate it is

It's not so much the articulation as the astute observation that makes me think the writer has a brain.

[titan_uranus 24,548]

There's a thread on BigFooty about his identity. Someone's gone through the facts he's provided through his articles and you can rule out a bunch of clubs, Melbourne being one of them (he says his club's tide's turned and they're now a regularly winning side).

Someone has suggested Kane Cornes, who seems to fit all the 'clues'.

[Bitter but optimistic 22,053]

it could be heavily ghost-written so i wouldn't put too much into how articulate it is

Boomer would need the whole graveyard working for him to come up with that.

[Gipsy Danger 1,067]

There's a thread on BigFooty about his identity. Someone's gone through the facts he's provided through his articles and you can rule out a bunch of clubs, Melbourne being one of them (he says his club's tide's turned and they're now a regularly winning side).

Someone has suggested Kane Cornes, who seems to fit all the 'clues'.

I thought it might be a port player too but I would think being a melbourne news paper the writer would likely be from a local club

[Machsy 2,858]

I'm sure I read an "introductory" paragraph somewhere in The Age that I now can't find, that detailed the "secret footballer's" credentials.

Pretty sure it said he had played for more than one club, and in Melbourne.

Definitely rules out Cornes.