Off-contract stars won't distract us: Malthouse
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday February 12, 2011
COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse will confront his off-contract players to clarify their intentions if he believes speculation about them is damaging the Magpies' premiership prospects.Malthouse said he would be surprised if any of his key players who have been subject to speculation regarding a switch to Greater Western Sydney - Dane Swan, Dale Thomas and Scott Pendlebury - left the club, but in 2011, his final year as coach, Malthouse would approach a player to "clear it up" if he felt rumours were distracting the team."But if the speculation is hurting the side I will go to the player and try and clear it up," he said. "If it's not hurting the side, it's his prerogative because it's his contract, it's his decision. Anything that hurts the side, I will be trying to influence."Malthouse's strong comments yesterday follow Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade's view that he would want to know if one of his players was leaving, but that he would continue to play him in the side. Paul Roos took the opposite view - he would cease selecting a player whom he knew was leaving.Malthouse said it was important that the club did not allow distractions - either GWS or the fact that he is handing over to Nathan Buckley - to interfere with the team's performance. "That's the very thing I've sat down with Gary Pert and Geoff Walsh about. I've always been about team. I don't think any individual deserves more accolades - because you're the front window you tend to get that at times as coach - but we try to spread it."But as I said to them as late as yesterday, whatever happens - and we can't stop speculation - but what I'm going to try to do, and Gary is going to try and do, and I know 'Walshy' will try and do, is minimise the distractions."We thought there might have been a few last year but we know they will intensify this year because it's the last year of my contract. We can't control the press but what we've got to do is ensure that the playing group don't let my situation interfere with their year. I don't know how we're going to do that."
© 2011 Sydney Morning Herald
