QUADE Cooper will remain at the Queensland Reds for the next three years, after a heart-to-heart meeting with Reds chief executive Jim Carmichael.
Cooper and Carmichael had coffee in Brisbane yesterday afternoon and the star flyhalf confirmed he did not want to leave the Reds and was "100 per cent committed" to seeing out his contract.
"I go on the record as saying Quade Cooper has no interest in leaving the Reds," Carmichael said last night. "He loves playing for Queensland and his country and he has reaffirmed his commitment on several occasions.
"Call me old-fashioned but I take him at his word.
"It is no secret that Quade is disillusioned at the moment.
"He's a highly competitive rugby union player who wants to help his province, and his country to be the best, and I can understand this. We are working closely with him to deal with his frustrations."
Carmichael said he was frustrated with speculation linking Cooper to NRL clubs.
"Frankly as an organisation and as a code we are tired of reading the speculation about him leaving to join the NRL," he said. "This is an old story that has no merit and is up there with the nonsense that Ewen McKenzie would join the Waratahs as head coach a few weeks back.
"I'm tired of reading about those from outside our game."
Cooper earlier this week labelled the Wallabies set up a "toxic environment" and disparaged the "boring" game plans of coach Robbie Deans.
However his discontent with the Australian Rugby Union is not enough to force him out of the code. Cooper wants to stay in the game so he can fix its problems from the inside and return it to the attractive spectacle it once was.
"Quade is aware that we as a governing body are working on a range of issues relating to this (discontent)," Carmichael said.
"From our part we are working with all of the stake-holders in the game, including the ARU for a good outcome for rugby."
Cooper's anti-ARU comments have seemingly made it impossible for Deans to select him.
Two player managers with clients across both codes said Cooper was unlikely to leave the Reds anyway as his base wage in Super Rugby was worth more than any NRL club could offer next season.
Yet NRL club Sydney Roosters, which will house Cooper's good friend Sonny Bill Williams next season, are still very interested in making Cooper an offer.[/
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