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Roos rues his remark on cash
By Jessica Halloran, Mat Murphy
May 6, 2004
"The Sundance Kid" called Kevin Sheedy this week to apologise for taking the focus off the Bombers' 10-point win over the Swans.
In particular, he wanted to say he was sorry for his "money well spent" comment in relation to Bombers skipper James Hird's fine for criticising umpires, and the perceived bias he felt his side got in the game.
Yesterday, Paul Roos - or the Sundance Kid, as he is known to Sheedy - said the comment was one of many answers to many questions.
"I actually rang Kevin Sheedy yesterday and apologised to him because I didn't want to take the focus off their win," Roos said. "That wasn't the purpose (of the comments). I answered a lot questions. I certainly didn't want to be disrespectful to the Essendon Football Club because they won the game. They were clearly the better team and they deserved to win."
Sheedy accepted Roos' apology and said the comment was "all part of the game".
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"I think it was a brilliant line, only written by a person who has lived in California for some time lately and he has done very, very well," said Sheedy. Roos is married to an American.
"We have three lucky free kicks and it's on the back page."
Roos has avoided a fine after discussing the issue with AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson and yesterday, league chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the AFL accepted the remark was a throwaway line and the coach would not be fined for criticising the umpires.
"I heard Paul interviewed yesterday. Paul did explain the situation quite properly," said Demetriou.
"In his 15,000th question about (the umpires), somebody has asked him in the media, 'Do you think that $20,000 was well spent?,' to which he replied: 'It's $20,000 well spent.' "
Demetriou rejected suggestions that Essendon's higher free kick count in recent weeks could be linked to Hird's comments last month in relation to Scott McLaren, in which he complained about the umpire's treatment of Essendon.
He said the Bombers were winning more free kicks because they were winning more of the ball.
"With my football hat on, I would say ever since that particular day, the Essendon Football Club has been playing good football and they have been doing a lot of attacking inside 50 and that is why they have been winning."
Roos also reversed an original plan to complain to AFL umpiring chief Jeff Gieschen about the umpiring in the round-six game.
"On the Monday, you look through (the match tape), and you get more frustrated watching the tape, and then . . . you've just got to let it go because there is nothing you can do about it . . .," Roos said.
"As hard as it is, you can't just keep hitting your head against the wall. You've just got to move on."
- with Karen Lyon
By Jessica Halloran, Mat Murphy
May 6, 2004
"The Sundance Kid" called Kevin Sheedy this week to apologise for taking the focus off the Bombers' 10-point win over the Swans.
In particular, he wanted to say he was sorry for his "money well spent" comment in relation to Bombers skipper James Hird's fine for criticising umpires, and the perceived bias he felt his side got in the game.
Yesterday, Paul Roos - or the Sundance Kid, as he is known to Sheedy - said the comment was one of many answers to many questions.
"I actually rang Kevin Sheedy yesterday and apologised to him because I didn't want to take the focus off their win," Roos said. "That wasn't the purpose (of the comments). I answered a lot questions. I certainly didn't want to be disrespectful to the Essendon Football Club because they won the game. They were clearly the better team and they deserved to win."
Sheedy accepted Roos' apology and said the comment was "all part of the game".
advertisement
advertisement
"I think it was a brilliant line, only written by a person who has lived in California for some time lately and he has done very, very well," said Sheedy. Roos is married to an American.
"We have three lucky free kicks and it's on the back page."
Roos has avoided a fine after discussing the issue with AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson and yesterday, league chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the AFL accepted the remark was a throwaway line and the coach would not be fined for criticising the umpires.
"I heard Paul interviewed yesterday. Paul did explain the situation quite properly," said Demetriou.
"In his 15,000th question about (the umpires), somebody has asked him in the media, 'Do you think that $20,000 was well spent?,' to which he replied: 'It's $20,000 well spent.' "
Demetriou rejected suggestions that Essendon's higher free kick count in recent weeks could be linked to Hird's comments last month in relation to Scott McLaren, in which he complained about the umpire's treatment of Essendon.
He said the Bombers were winning more free kicks because they were winning more of the ball.
"With my football hat on, I would say ever since that particular day, the Essendon Football Club has been playing good football and they have been doing a lot of attacking inside 50 and that is why they have been winning."
Roos also reversed an original plan to complain to AFL umpiring chief Jeff Gieschen about the umpiring in the round-six game.
"On the Monday, you look through (the match tape), and you get more frustrated watching the tape, and then . . . you've just got to let it go because there is nothing you can do about it . . .," Roos said.
"As hard as it is, you can't just keep hitting your head against the wall. You've just got to move on."
- with Karen Lyon
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