WELL, that's me done. If Clive Palmer ever wants me to write any more blogs for his club, he can pay me to do it.
Sorry, but I'm buggered if I am going to keep giving that man any more free advertising when he is too cheap to spend what's needed on marketing his own club.
I've spent the whole weekend thinking about things that I could say, but basically I just can't be bothered any more. Call me a quitter if you want. I don't care.
I've busted my ass for a year, I've written over 50 blogs for au.fourfourtwo.com. Clive Palmer should have bought my DNA and cloned me 10,000 times. Instead, he and Clive Mensink are now blaming fans like me for not bringing in more fans. That's what really hurts.
This blog was the first place where the name "Gold Coast United" was confirmed. I have brought countless other exciting snippets of news to fans and rivals alike. I have vigorously defended my club from critics on all sides, always trying to maintain a sense of humour and a thick skin. But this past week has been worse than an embarrassment, it's been a kick in the guts.
That's enough. The players have contracts to honour but I don't. The players get paid but (despite some nasty rumours) I don't. So I'm out of here.
I will still support the team. I will still go to games if I can. I still think the lads can turn things around, make the finals, and blaze a path into Asia. And I sincerely hope that they do. But I won't be writing any more blogs about it.
My thanks to all those (including a few players) who have told me that they have enjoyed reading my stuff. It has been fun, hasn't it? As you all know, I have been living the dream for more than a year. I have been fortunate to gain admission to select events like the club launch, the first training session, the arrival of key players, and the unveiling of the official strip. Those are memories I will cherish, whatever happens now.
I would especially like to thank Kevin Airs and FourFourTwo for giving me the opportunity and the public space to voice my thoughts, and for some educational words of wisdom along the way. I know "KA" has not always agreed with what I've written, and sometimes he's deleted huge chunks of text that he thought were ill-advised. But I respect his love of the game and his professional judgment, and I thank him and his colleagues for giving online fans an open space to air our diverse opinions. Please support them by buying the magazine!
I would also like to thank the few enlightened officials within the Gold Coast United club who could see the value in what I was doing, and who gave me their time and support. Yesterday I heard Archie Fraser saying that he thinks Clive Palmer needs a few more "football people" at the club. Well, bollocks to that. We all know that more staff won't make any difference if Clive won't listen to anybody.
Apparently Clive was too ill to join Anna Bligh on a helicopter flight over the Galileo Basin on Sunday morning. Indigestion or something. I guess that will happen when hard facts are shoved down your throat. I hope he went home, picked up the phone and had a long chat with Paul Okon. I'm sure there's nothing I could tell him that a guy like Okon cannot. Anyway, good luck to all those caring professionals at the club who are doing their best to sort things out.
Good luck in particular to Jason Culina. If it's any comfort, you are not the first person to have been scorched by a slick Gold Coast salesman. If you can get out of your contract, I humbly suggest it's time to go. Either way, I hope we see you and Joel Porter ripping up the turf in South Africa, mate. You are a legend and a hero to my kids.
I also hope the FFA have the courage to step in and sort out this farcical situation as soon as possible. But even if they do, I've made up my mind. I am out of here. I am going to spend more time with my family, and dedicate my abundant energies to more productive lines of thought. Who knows, I might even make some money.
So long, folks, and thanks for all the F#@%s!
(Yeah, even you ignorant teenagers with foul mouths. At least you care about the game, which is more than Clive Palmer does.)
