Todd Carney watches on from the bench during the NRL trial match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Toyota Stadium on February 3, 2012. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
ON a cold winter's day I took to the streets to hear what the locals of Goulburn had to say about Todd Carney's antics over the weekend.
The idea that his career had gone down the toilet crossed my mind but I wanted to know what others had to say.
I first approached two men sitting outside Gloria Jeans, when asked their opinion and if they thought Carney was rightly sacked by Cronulla their response was "I don't really want to give my opinion, but..." and they rattled off how they thought Carney had enough chances in the NRL and that he should be booted, but realised that he will probably be snatched up by another team before too long.
"We all do silly things on the drink no doubt, but as a role model for young kids it just shouldn't happen," one man said.
Both agreed that even if you didn’t know Todd personally, his actions speak louder than words. But maybe people just need some time to digest it before his reputation gets sent down the drain.
The issue that football players get paid too much for what they do was raised, and that with that kind of money they are able to go a little silly - and Carney is pretty much flushing his $3.5 million down the toilet.
It was suggested by another local that Carney needs to wake up to himself, and that if his attitude isn’t changed it will affect him for the rest of his life, not just his footy career.
"You can't stereotype all footy players," he said. Young kids who play football look up to players on the television, seeing them as their role models, but Carney doesn't really help matters when pictures of him doing the wrong thing are splashed all over the papers and social media.
The question that is left to ask is which Club will now take him on? And knowing his history of bad behaviour, will other clubs run the risk? It's been said that this incident hasn't tarnished the reputation of Cronulla or the NRL but is another against Carney's name.
- Emily is a work experience student, currently studying Year 12 at TAFE.