Ewen McKenzie labels the ARU contracting process as 'Frustrating, Difficult'

[Bowside]

Reds coaching director Ewen McKenzie says Queensland have held their end of the bargain in trying to keep Quade Cooper in rugby, but if the controversial No.10 walks ahead of the 2013 Super Rugby season, it will be a "major frustration".
McKenzie says he hasn’t spoken to Cooper since it emerged that he could leave the code after a paltry contract offer from the Australian Rugby Union.
The star playmaker inked a three-year deal with the Reds earlier this year, but his talks with the ARU have been protracted and problematic.
McKenzie, however, is planning for 2013 as if his star playmaker will be there.

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"We announced our intentions in good faith and we made plans around that," McKenzie said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"We’ll continue as if those plans are unchanged. If it changes, that will be disappointing. But at this point in time I’ve got nothing besides a few stories that were put out last night."

McKenzie said that Queensland has "done everything we can do for securing him for the long-haul for Australian rugby".
"There’s not a lot I can do … I don’t have any control over (the other) negotiations. We’ve done our bit.
"But I don’t have control over the thing that’s causing problems at the moment.
"I haven’t heard from Quade. If I do, that’ll give me some comfort. But he knows I have no influence over the ARU."

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It’s a drawn-out process that McKenzie finds ‘frustrating’ and fears it might jeopordise his side’s 2013 campaign.
"Theoretically, to have key, important players not signed going into December - if you don’t have someone signed now, where do you go?
"It makes it very difficult to look for players at this time of year. I’m not approaching it that way. From a process point of view, you wait. We’ve been doing that for five months.
"In the end, you want certainty. Contracting goes on 12 months a year; some take longer. Quade’s been doing year-to-year contracts, so the fact he put his hand up for three years was quite exciting, but at this stage we haven’t got the other stage of the deal done and that’s a major frustration."


Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/reds-coach-ewen-mckenzie-expects-to-see-quade-cooper-in-queensland-super-rugby-jersey-in-2013/story-e6frf4pu-1226520389209#ixzz2CjrLS3Xv

Important to note that Cooper is not the only player still in negotiations over next years contract.

 

[Slim 293]

Quade has received a legitimate (for ash), fair offer from the ARU, so he could just sign it and everything will be fine.........

 

[Ash]

Funny how different people have different concepts of "fair", not to mention "legitimately" as a verb.

The video of the Genia interview on the Foxsports page is worth watching.

 

[Slim 293]

Poor guys.

It's always a difficult and frustrating process when they want more money.

 

[Braveheart81]

Poor guys.

It's always a difficult and frustrating process when they want more money and a boxing career and the opportunity to moonlight in Japan for even more money.

FTFY.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The video of the Genia interview on the Foxsports page is worth watching.

It was. He was diplomatic, but backing his mate at the same time. I can understand that, I would too.

 

[fatprop]

Pretty sure there are offers on the table for everyone, but it does appear pretty clear the ARU aren't offering sheep stations at the moment.

 

[No4918]

Greedy bastards want there finger in everything even when there is no forseeable positive for the code.

Seems a lot of Brumby and Tahs fans don't think this could ever happen to there players. The system is a joke. Wonder what will happen when AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Robbo, TPN and Barnes all come off contract and decide to look at there options and the ARU are playing games. How about if the Brumbies do well this season and half there players realize they could get a lot more money elsewhere. Or is it just Reds players that want all the money??

 

[Slim 293]

If they have as many issues as Quade I'm sure they'd be deserving of the same kind of offer.........

 

[Braveheart81]

I think all players should be held to the same standards.

It is my understanding that all Wallaby contracts for 2013 are already on the table and have been for months. If players don't want to sign or spend too long trying to change the terms or increase the offer then they risk missing out.

I would be disappointed if the Tahs lost key players due to contracting problems but I will also accept it. It is a fact of life that some players are relying on the increased earnings from being a Wallaby and might go overseas when that opportunity dries up.

If the Brumbies do well next season then it is quite likely that they will have players increasing in value and potentially looking for more money elesewhere.

It is a fact of life in professional sport that successful teams struggle to retain all their players whether that is due to salary cap issues or just cash flow issues.

I think the contracting system should definitely move closer and closer to being payments for selection/service. If you are part of a squad and have to attend training you get paid something and when you go on tour or play tests for the Wallabies you earn a lot more.

I don't think anyone should be guaranteed payment from the Wallabies. You need to earn it by being selected. Trying to speculate who your best 32 players (or whatever the final number ends up being) a year or more in advance is always going to be riddled with errors.

 

[fatprop]

Greedy bastards want there finger in everything even when there is no forseeable positive for the code.

Seems a lot of Brumby and Tahs fans don't think this could ever happen to there players. The system is a joke. Wonder what will happen when AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Robbo, TPN and Barnes all come off contract and decide to look at there options and the ARU are playing games. How about if the Brumbies do well this season and half there players realize they could get a lot more money elsewhere. Or is it just Reds players that want all the money??

Disagree there, it is obvious under the current cost limitations some players will not get pay rises and others may get pay cuts whilst others may lose their contract places. They will all look at other options and do what is best for themselves - as they should.

I expect a blood bath at the end of 2013 with quite a few moving on/being moved on. There will be hand-wringing from some, tears from others, but nothing is going to stop the ARU trying to live within their means.

And I actually think they should be trying to manage costs

 

[gel]

Ewen McKenzie labels the ARU contracting process as 'Frustrating, Difficult'

In other news, "Pope is labelled a "Catholic" by local protestant group" and "Local bear seen to be relieving itself in nearby forest".

Honestly, the process just seems so convoluted.

 

[gel]

<snip>And I actually think they should be trying to manage costs

I totally agree.

It is no good splashing money around if the whole thing is going to go broke - totally understandable.

My lack of understanding comes from the actual state of the code though. There are threads on here by guys that I presume know more than me stating that the game is growing and not going through death throws, I don't hear or see anything stated about the ARU being in financial difficulty, yet the ARU are dropping the number of contracted players down from 50 odd to 30 odd, the stated salary caps for the franchises are set low now and to be decreased in subsequent years from now - both of which seem to indicate a shrinking of the game in Australia. If the game is growing then I would presume it would have more money in it, not less.

Are there other factors that I am missing? A top heavy management structure that is bleeding up the dollars? A relative shrinking compared to CPI and rise in running costs?

 

[No4918]

I think the contracting system should definitely move closer and closer to being payments for selection/service. If you are part of a squad and have to attend training you get paid something and when you go on tour or play tests for the Wallabies you earn a lot more.

I don't think anyone should be guaranteed payment from the Wallabies. You need to earn it by being selected. Trying to speculate who your best 32 players (or whatever the final number ends up being) a year or more in advance is always going to be riddled with errors.

Totally agree. This is the most transparent way to go about and could end up saving the ARU money. States and the ARU are doubling up on costs.

And I actually think they should be trying to manage costs

Of course. I'm not calling for them to bow to player demands. I just think the current system is very inefficient, expensive and isn't good for anyone but the ARU.

 

[Penguin]

Disagree there, it is obvious under the current cost limitations some players will not get pay rises and others may get pay cuts whilst others may lose their contract places. They will all look at other options and do what is best for themselves - as they should.

I expect a blood bath at the end of 2013 with quite a few moving on/being moved on. There will be hand-wringing from some, tears from others, but nothing is going to stop the ARU trying to live within their means.

And I actually think they should be trying to manage costs

This would be all fair and good. But I wonder, do the ARU boffins have to take a pay cut to? Are they cutting back on the long lunches & choosing the cheaper cab sav? Without players there is no game!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

So who hasn't been signed up for next year or two?

Cooper and Genia apparently.

What other Wobs haven't agreed terms with ARU for their top up deals?

I can agree that is is a little hard for Coaches to prepare squads for a season, when there is not any surety of who will be there, or who they need to get from the "market" to cover shortfalls.

The coaches can only do a Dingo and prepare with what is in front of them.

Surely the injuries must frustrate the bejesus out of the Coaches more than recalcitrant contract signers.

 

[fatprop]

This would be all fair and good. But I wonder, do the ARU boffins have to take a pay cut to? Are they cutting back on the long lunches & choosing the cheaper cab sav?

I understood there has been cuts at HQ as well

Without players there is no game!

agreed, but paying players more then can be afforded makes the game unsustainable

 

[It is what it is]

I think all players should be held to the same standards.

It is my understanding that all Wallaby contracts for 2013 are already on the table and have been for months. If players don't want to sign or spend too long trying to change the terms or increase the offer then they risk missing out.

snip

I don't think anyone should be guaranteed payment from the Wallabies. You need to earn it by being selected. Trying to speculate who your best 32 players (or whatever the final number ends up being) a year or more in advance is always going to be riddled with errors.

To retain our best Wallabies, the ARU are competing with European and Japanese Rugby, and in some instances other local sports, rugby league and to a lesser degree AFL.
To quote from a great Aussie movie, "You're dreaming" if you think we'll be competitive offering Wallaby stars a contract based on commission only with no retainer.
It's an impact sport with high risk and the best players will go where there is some assurance of income balanced with some incentive.
They won't go where there is all risk underpinned by no guarantees.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Funny how different people have different concepts of "fair", not to mention "legitimately" as a verb.

The video of the Genia interview on the Foxsports page is worth watching.

Not to mention parts of speech.
No4918 what payment/contracting system would work better?
You can't give the money to the provinces: the 2 biggest have shown zero capacity to manage it.

I am astounded that link has not spoken to him since the rumour started.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Braveheart81]

I am astounded that link has not spoken to him since the rumour started.

If Link wants to talk to QC (Quade Cooper), he needs to be hanging out in Randwick with SBW, QC (Quade Cooper) and Khoder Nasser.

(photo from smh.com.au)