In my opinion this may just be another problem on Paul Gallen's plate and I say Paul Gallen because he is the Cronulla Sharks, don't get me wrong I personally like Todd Carney and if I were a coach or CEO of a club I'd be the first one bouncing up and down with a six pack of Coronas in hand attempting to lure the services of the embattled half. However on a serious note I feel Carney will play well, but he will still have the same problems he has had over the years, Todd has a problem no amount of playing time can fix, he needs help, professional help. Another solution I could find, is if he played under a mentor coach who would look after him, a top quality one like Wayne Bennett, but it seems Wayne wants no part of Carney. I'm not sure if Stuart Flanagan can cope with a character like Carney after all Flanagan is only young himself.
There is no doubt he has the ability but I can see the stance from other clubs, Carney has wronged people who have been more than helpful to him. He has taken their trust and thrown it in the bin like an empty long neck bottle on a Tuesday morning and what's to stop him from doing it again? Well at Cronulla you have Paul Gallen, and if you haven't seen Paul Gallen he is not a man you would want upset at you so there may be a slight glimmer of hope that he wont relapse. But why the Cronulla Sharks? It's simple, they're struggling, they need something and they're taking a gamble on Carney.
Today I'm feeling proactive, usually I'll tell you the problem but rarely will I provide a solution, but I do have one for Todd and the Sharks and all our troubled NRL stars. Seeing as Cronulla Own Toyota Park this idea should not be a major issue for them. My proposition is this, Cronulla builds a small Nightclub/Pub (which ever Carney's preference is) with a mattress in the bathroom for when he needs an early night (....), and all this inside Shark Park. Now if they can get a sponsorship with Toohey's, Carlton Draught or if they're really desperate VB, they can sustain Todd in this pub/club. Now here is the beauty of it you would attract all sorts of troubled stars to your team and you could hire them to work at the pub. Nate Myles on the door with big Frank Paul, Matthew Johns can do some sort of stand up every Thursday night, Andrew Johns can help Todd out personally. You could even go as far to get Ryan Tandy to form his own type of TAB inside, everyone wins. Cronulla gets a major sponsor after losing all of their own for being terrible, you attract amazing players to your club and with the Pub/Club on the ground, besides you know they will turn up to training and at least the home games.. you might have to get a courtesy bus to the away ones.
