James Hird

[dimelb]

I couldn't believe what I heard on the Footy Show. Is he getting old and cranky or what? I'm just pleased that Paul Roos took the approach he did: the AFL seemed to take it on board and there was a big cheer for Barry H's first free last Sunday.

[Rob-bloods]

Hird'y playing the Sheeds trick, trying to grind theaxes out in the media.....but apparently coming well unstuck.

Perhaps Demetriou is actually going to be tougher on the 'superpowers' Dons (and even the 'wobbles) than Jackson was? Perhaps they are pushing the envelope to test out the new head honcho?

Don't you love the Eddie statement last night 'James Hird, a great human being, footballer blah blah blah.....' let's stick to football eh?

Anyway, if we are going to slag off a top umpire (now that the poison dwarf Peter Carey has retired) it HAS to be Goldspink!

[anne]

Hird deserves to be suspended for his outburst. If the AFL lets him get away with it and the floodgates open eventually there will not be enough people umpiring and then we won't have a game.

[CureTheSane]

Perhaps Demetriou is actually going to be tougher on the 'superpowers' Dons (and even the 'wobbles) than Jackson was?

That's the impression I get.
That he will be a bit tougher in general, but especially with the outspoken Vic team 'powerhouses'

[taurus]

Hird lost my respect, while my respect for Roos has again increased, in respect to his diplomatic and EFFECTIVE complaint for Barry Hall.

[The Boot]

Originally posted Rob-bloods
Anyway, if we are going to slag off a top umpire (now that the poison dwarf Peter Carey has retired) it HAS to be Goldspink!

I've got to admit, this guy has been a thorn in the swans side for many a match. My heart sinks when I see we have drawn this short straw. Cripes, he was on duty during the '96 Prelim. Imagine how many more goals we would have won by if things had been different - but then ... we wouldn't have that inspirational game on tape to refer to when we need our spirits lifted.
And anne .. you are right. We all have to play by a set of rules both ON & OFF the paddock. When one steps outside them ya gotta cop it sweet.

It's funny Hirdy going off about Scott McLaren .. I've always thought he was OK.

Diff'rent strokes I guess ...

[Charlie]

Good on him for having his say.

The AFL Commission and associated officials (ie Demetriou and his posse) have far outgrown their original mandate. They were appointed by the clubs to run the competition on their behalf. The competition, remember, is and always has been nothing more than the clubs that compete in it. It is not what is important, it is the clubs that are important.

The AFL Commission was just a statutory authority set up to administer the league. The clubs were supposed to remain the legislative authorities. Hence, clubs have been called upon to vote on things like mergers, salary cap concessions and the make-up of the Commission itself.

Along the way, the AFL has forgotten that. Now, it thinks the clubs are supposed to answer to them, rather than the AFL answer to the clubs. If the AFL was ATSIC, it would have been shut down years ago.

Go on, AFL. Just try and suspend him for it.

BTW - the issue with the image of umpiring has FAR more to do with a) on field respect and b) respect in country leagues. In a competition as high-profile as the AFL, they should be accountable not to their own department, but to the clubs. And yes, as captain and on-field leader of his club, James Hird is synonymous with the Essendon Football Club and should be entitled to speak on their behalf.

[Nico]

Anyone on this site tried umpiring. It is bloody hard. On Jimmy, I would hate to have backed him for the Brownlow. He has just stuffed his chances.

Mail in Melbourne is that the umps are seething.

I saw his little outburst and nearly choaked on my supper.

I suspect that wee Jimmy is starting to disappear up his own orafice. One of the dumbest things I have heard for some time, and coming from the man on the pedastal. Maybe he is not so bright after all, just a good footballer.
JUdging by the calls to SEN on Friday I suspect James Hird is now largely seen as nothing but a whinger.

Most callers we scathing of his outburst.

The umpires should be treated like they are in Soccer - untouchable.
Hirds comments almost implied that McLaren was a cheat. Bloody outrageous for mine.

[robbieando]

Look, Hird is in the wrong here no matter what the truth is. He knows the rules about talking about the standard of umpiring and he decided to ignore them in a pre planned attack on McLaren. What really bugs me about these comments is that Essendon have the nerve to complain about the free kick counts against them when they are one of the most undisplined teams at the moment. The way the played on Saturday Night was asking for trouble. The set out to target the younger St Kilda players in an attempt to unsettle them, knowing full well, that

a) they had no other chance of winning
b) that such tactics are playing with fire when umpires see such insidents arise.

All these comments are, are an attempt by Sheedy and co to hide their bad form and to be honest poor list by blaming the umpires, that way their fans don't start turning on them.

However I don't believe Hird should be suspended over his comments because at the end of the day it will only make matters worse. He should be fined and not a small $10,000 fine, because frankly Hird has to be pulled into line by the AFL considering this isn't the first time Hird has made such comments. I believe a $50,000 to be fitting.

[Bear]

Originally posted by Charlie
Good on him for having his say.

The AFL Commission and associated officials (ie Demetriou and his posse) have far outgrown their original mandate. They were appointed by the clubs to run the competition on their behalf. The competition, remember, is and always has been nothing more than the clubs that compete in it. It is not what is important, it is the clubs that are important.

The AFL Commission was just a statutory authority set up to administer the league. The clubs were supposed to remain the legislative authorities. Hence, clubs have been called upon to vote on things like mergers, salary cap concessions and the make-up of the Commission itself.

Along the way, the AFL has forgotten that. Now, it thinks the clubs are supposed to answer to them, rather than the AFL answer to the clubs. If the AFL was ATSIC, it would have been shut down years ago.

Go on, AFL. Just try and suspend him for it.

BTW - the issue with the image of umpiring has FAR more to do with a) on field respect and b) respect in country leagues. In a competition as high-profile as the AFL, they should be accountable not to their own department, but to the clubs. And yes, as captain and on-field leader of his club, James Hird is synonymous with the Essendon Football Club and should be entitled to speak on their behalf.

You're entitled to your say, but I couldn't disagree with you more - on every point.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by Bear
You're entitled to your say, but I couldn't disagree with you more - on every point.

I had every expectation that the majority here would disagree with me.

Can I just ask though, why is the image of the AFL more important than the actual role it is intended to have? Why is the AFL now in charge of the administration of the entire sport, rather than just the specific league whose name it bears? Why do they own the intellectual property of the clubs, such as names, logos and jumpers? Why has football become so bureaucratic?

Does anyone truly believe that James Hird criticising an umpire is going to lead to 10,000 umpires quitting? What will cause people to quit umpiring is if the culture of going to the footy to heckle the umpire doesn't change. But if a club believes an umpire is giving them a raw deal, if theres an issue with how the competition is being run, what the hell is the problem with saying so?

Why can there be no criticism of the raging stallion that has broken from its stable?

I'm not anti-AFL, and I'm not anti-umpiring. But this whole farce shows just how much the AFL has lost its focus. The AFL exists for the clubs. The clubs don't exist for the AFL.

[penga]

what specifically is he complaining about? what incident is Jimmy referring to?

i believe it was centred around the rioli-almost-spear-tackle-decision... which IMO wasnt outside the rules but the intent was for damage, thereby deserving of a free, which lead to a goal

[j s]

Originally posted by Charlie
BTW - the issue with the image of umpiring has FAR more to do with a) on field respect and b) respect in country leagues. In a competition as high-profile as the AFL, they should be accountable not to their own department, but to the clubs. And yes, as captain and on-field leader of his club, James Hird is synonymous with the Essendon Football Club and should be entitled to speak on their behalf.

You are totally wrong Charlie. You won't get respect at lower levels unless it is also seen at the highest.

By your logic Charlie the captain of the Woop Woop U13 team should be able to say what he like about the umpires. That is just ludicrous. The rules protecting the umps from PUBLIC criticism must be applied at ALL levels. Hird should NOT be exempt.

Yes, the umps should be accountable, but via the appropriate channels NOT on the footy show.

[j s]

Originally posted by robbieando
However I don't believe Hird should be suspended over his comments because at the end of the day it will only make matters worse. He should be fined and not a small $10,000 fine, because frankly Hird has to be pulled into line by the AFL considering this isn't the first time Hird has made such comments. I believe a $50,000 to be fitting.

Yes!! Relate the fine to the player's salary because their salary indicates their prominence and therefore the impact of their statements (but give them a choice of suspension if they think the fine too large).

[liz]

Originally posted by Charlie


Why can there be no criticism of the raging stallion that has broken from its stable?

I think that the AFL has become a bit precious about some things and its ongoing refusal to acknowledge that umpiring is not always perfect and needs to continue to improve as do many other aspects of the game.

But, what Hird said on TFS was not about the overall standard of umpiring nor even about the umpiring in just that game. He pretty much accused the umpires - and one, named umpire in particular - of deliberately having it in for Essendon. He may not have used the word "cheat" but that was the impression I got from his comments.

Even if players and officials were allowed to make some comments on umpiring in the media, I think Hird's comments would have been unacceptable. As it is, they were in flagrant breach of the AFL rules as well as highly discourteous.