A disgrace to kick Akermanis out of the kennel | Thebigtip

Maybe Jason Akermanis is to blame for the Australian cricket team being all out for 88 on the first day of the second test against Pakistan.

Maybe Jason Akermanis is to blame for Paul Briggs being knocked out by Danny Green in the IBO cruiserweight fight last night, 29 seconds into the first round!!

Come to think of it, I seem to have misplaced the TV remote control, and yes, I think I’m going to blame Jason Akermanis for that.

The Western Bulldogs’ decision to terminate the contract of Akermanis yesterday was an embarrassing moment for the club and its players, turning their backs on a three-time premiership player and kicking him out of the kennel and onto the curb. But don’t worry about Akermanis, the Bulldogs are still going to pay him as an “Act of goodwill”, according to President David Smorgon. Although, wouldn’t they be required to do so by law?

Smorgon also said that the decision to end Akermanis’ time at the Western Bulldogs was, “unanimous,” from the board and that all players had backed the move.

All players?

So there was not one player who disagreed with this decision, or at least not one player who voiced an opinion to differ from the board, that sacking Akermanis six weeks out from the finals was a bad move?

In football clubs, players will form tight knit groups and develop friendships that extend away from the football base. So from Smorgon’s own admission, I’m left to believe that not even Akermanis’ closest teammates felt the need to stand up for a teammate/friend, and allowed him to be hung out in front of the media in what could only be described as a heartbreaking and shattering moment for Akermanis.

Rodney Eade, coach of the Bulldogs, said that, “It’s about team values, what we stand for, team first.” But hang on a second, if the team comes first, isn’t Akermanis part of the team? Aren’t the Bulldogs giving up on a team member? That doesn’t sound very “team first” to me. It sounds more like giving up on the one who is different. And I use the word ‘different’ loosely, because the Bulldogs knew exactly who they were getting when the signed Akermanis.

Yes, Akermanis is outspoken. He speaks the truth. Speaks what he feels. People complain when players give cliché answers, but do you blame them when the media will twist and turn everything into an event if you dare express yourself. But that was Akermanis with the Brisbane Lions before the move to the Bulldogs, this didn’t come out of fresh air.

The Bulldogs had no problems using Akermanis for his media attention when he joined the club, they loved him when he was up, but when things turned sour after the media blew out of proportion Akermanis’ story on gay footballers, the Bulldogs didn’t want to be there by Akermanis’ side when things got tough.

It has been said that Bulldogs players were scared of what Akermanis was going to write in his upcoming book, but why be scared unless you have something to hide?

It’s sound more like paranoia.

There comes a point when the Bulldogs need to take ownership of their problems and stop blaming Akermanis.

With the silky skilled footballer now out, who will the Bulldogs blame now when things don’t go as planned?