The obvious example is Boyd.
This is my speculation, but big money contracts aren’t for everyone. You get an added level of pressure as people view you differently. Not sure Ben was the sort of guy to handle that added expectation.
I raise this, as I heard Boyd speak at a work function saying similar things contributed to him leaving the game early.
Obviously very different circumstances (and no word on their payout) but you’d only have to go back a week to see 2 blokes with 3/4 years left being let go.
They weren’t let go, both parties wanted to depart their contract.
McKay is still committed, showing up each week to training and playing at whichever level he is selected. He isn’t going to retire and take a pay cut of his contract.
If you feel paying out $1.5mil to McKay so that he doesn’t play for us for 3 years is a good decision then I would question your decision making. Not saying that’s what you specifically are thinking but if anyone thinks that’s a good idea I’d say have a think about it again and remove your bias
Yeah it’s 2 weeks ago
I do kind of wonder where his manager was, the job isn’t just get the most money right now. While I’m sure very few people would thrive being the most scrutinized player at a club as, uh, volatile as Essendon, McKay seems particularly ill-suited to it. Six years is a long time to hope you can just sort of push through it.
He will play vfl for the rest of his career. Just turned it over 15 mtrs out from collingwoods goal …again
End of 2029.
I feel kind of sorry for him but also wish he’d just fark off.
Mate, he’s mentally finished.
Cooked beyond belief.
Best thing for the club and himself to agree to a Payout figure.
I dont feel that at all, but it looked like you were replying to the post directly above yours which spoke about him considering retirement.
All good if that wasn’t the case.
Always hits hard when someone mentions the length of his contract.
If he ever had a good coach who actually enjoyed spending time with his players the club wouldn’t be in the position.
multiple senior players looking absolutely dejected is a club failure not Mckay’s.
Keeping players motivated is pretty much the singular job of the senior coach.
This would be yet another Essendon case of hanging on to a list clogger in the vain hope that things will turn around.
This is part of the reason for Essendon’s mediocrity for nearly 20 years.
He isn’t even VFL level.
Just awful.
It’s sad and infuriating.
Shell of the player he was. I know he wasn’t the greatest player of all time but he was much better than this.
Sounds like there might be some legs to it then. Be good to see him under a proper coach next year as we need a big KPD to help the team whilst we hopefully find adequate long term replacements.
Players taking front ended contracts and looking to quit the club after taking all their licks of the ice cream is frustrating.
They are not “hanging on to him” he has a 3 year contract. I don’t know why people can’t grasp that.
sure if he wants to retire I wouldn’t stand in his way, but paying our a 3 year salary when there are plenty of others in the side that could be delisted makes no sense.
If the player doesn’t want to retire then he has a contract that needs to be honoured. Sure if he wants to retire go for it, but if anyone on here believes the best thing to do right now is pay out 3 years of salary then i think they should check themselves in somewhere
Whats his salary worth over the last 3 years? Most of it has been paid up front
Pay him out, and delist those others.
On your logic Brad Scott should be at Essendon in 2027.
It’s as simple as if he wants to retire you don’t get all your money ..losing interest is not grounds for a pay outn