He shouldn't be on a team, he really shouldn't. Not because he brings more and more scandal to the game, not because he should be punished, but because he needs help.
Todd Carney is out of control, he isn't emotionally stable to deal with his illness and be the man everyone hangs their hope on. Sure, he might be able to win the Roosters a premiership, but what is going to happen when the NRL, the courts and the fans run out of second chances to give? Because there is no way anyone can tell me they honestly think giving him a second chance again is the way to go. He's shown he can't utilize it. When an addict say that you can trust him, that he will not do it again, you can't trust them. It doesn't matter how many times he bows his head in shame, some day he's going to be out in the real world. The real world where you get fired, for good, if you mess up to the extent he has. The real world where you don't get two or even three "last chances" from the courts. The real world where actions have nasty consequences aside from stepping down to second grade for a year.
I don't think you can deal with these issues AND have all that pressure on you at the same time. The question is if his team is going to step in and help him before it's too late, in the right way. Which means take him off the field for a year, or longer. Get him professional help. Put him on Antabuse... anything it takes to help him get his head wrapped around everything.
He's an alcoholic. Stress, sadness, happiness, pressure, frustration and confusion are all reasons to drink, and with the stress, pressure, frustration, sadness and happiness this game brings, how can you really think he'll be able to deal with all of that and at the same time cope with a physical and psychological addiction?
He needs time off, time spent in learning how to deal without turning to the bottle, time off learning how not to drink, getting used to not drink. That's my take on it.
Reason I am bringing this up? Because it's something that reflects on the attitude of a lot of clubs. Win, even if it hurts your players, even if it hurts the game. Blokes are tough, they can take it.
These are not machines, these are human beings. These are not pawns in a game, they're people like everyone else. No human is an island, and yes, everybody needs some help sometimes. We're not built to deal with our issue by ourselves.
The culture we've created around these individuals seems to breed issues, because we won't help them with it. We'll laugh at them, we'll admonish them, we'll criticize them and then cheer them on, inflate their egos the next week, as long as they're winning us games. And when they mess up again? Well, we'll toss them aside, unless they win us games, of coarse. Then we'll shake our finger at them and try to ignore the issue.
Maybe I am wrong. Maybe these players do have psychological help, therapists available, help supplied if they need it. But it doesn't seem that way... I guess it can be a case of "you can lead a horse to the water but you can't make him drink". BUT, if he doesn't drink the water but heads for the bar, maybe you shouldn't race him.
These boys are role-models for our children, for our husbands... what happens in the footy culture happens in the rest of our culture. What happens to these boys happens to other boys. Now... here's the real question. What do we want to portray to our sons? That these things are okay? That you deal with it on your own?
I don't know... it seems very odd to me.
I hope someone wise up. Rumor has it Todd hasn't been feeling "well" for quite some time, and what do they do? Out of sight, out of mind? Give him a few days off to do whatever? Let him sit there, bored, psychologically unsound and just wait for someone to give him an excuse?
Wise up! Act! Take care of the boy!
ETA:
So, he has been suspended indefensibly, and they are wanting to see the level of professional help being stepped up. Good. Hope it sticks that way now.
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