Rare talent, special man
Caroline Wilson
January 6, 2008
WHEN I first knew Clinton Grybas I felt his work ethic and professionalism summed him up. And when he showed me where he lived, in a streamlined modern apartment in City Road next door to Fox Footy's studios, we made a great joke of the fact that he was married to his job. It was in that apartment that he was found dead on the floor of his bedroom yesterday at the tragically young age of 32.
But now I believe it was his body language that best symbolised him. The big firm handshake and his famous big smile, the manner in which he was warm and engaging, sometimes caustic and always bright, even amid the coldest, darkest weeks of the long AFL seasons that defined his working years and which he loved.
His loss will be a sore one for 3AW where he had so many friends and where he had worked with his beloved Lorena after leaving the ABC early this decade.
Clinton's impeccable behaviour during the Rex Hunt scandal of 2006, his ability to rise above his own professional disappointments and a grace with which he accepted his own media good times said much about his character.
After being removed from the Saturday pre-game hosting slot several years ago - the flagship of AW's footy coverage - he was hurt but accepted the decision and never looked back. Clinton was later reinstated after the ratings crash in the middle of last season. When AW's ratings responded and climbed back he took no credit but was touched at the end of 2007 upon receiving a heartfelt letter of thanks from Rex for his role in AW's resurgence. Rex wrote to all of us but I suspect his letter to Clinton was unique and both dramatic and poignant in its emotion. I bet he's glad he wrote it now.
In fact, Clinton's long-time and more famous co-caller Rex spent yesterday at the wedding of Lauren Stewart, the daughter of his close friend and former teammate Ian, and must have felt torn at being at such a happy occasion after learning of Clinton's death.
Speaking of comebacks, it was Clinton who became the public face of the resurrection of the Australian Football Media Association's legendary (to us) awards night and annual dinner last September, which returned with a bang after a lamented one-year hiatus. Veteran football journalist Stephen Phillips insisted back in April that for the dinner to succeed as a function and to win back credibility, Clinton must be the host.
And he was superb, far racier than he ever was on Foxtel or 3AW and very, very funny. He had already been booked for next year.
As I write this, the faint air of mystery that Clinton kept around himself has accompanied him in death just one month before his 33rd birthday and not long after another overseas post-season jaunt which he always so looked forward to. We do not know how he died, only that the dark-haired friend who introduced a generation of football fans to the pay television revolution where he burst onto the Fox football channel with that Wayne Carey interview in 2002 and who called football as purely as I have ever heard it called has gone and I, among so many, am shattered.
Clinton was not a close friend but he was the closest of colleagues; my gossip mate at 3AW, my champion during one happy and eventful year at Fox Footy's White Line Fever.
Like all print journalists who worked with Clinton I liked the way he had read every word I had written each week of the season and how he always got it. I love the way he remembered my children's names and how much my husband, too, enjoyed his company.
How Fox Sports will recover from his loss is beyond me. Only weeks ago the network had lured him from AW's Saturday afternoon football coverage to head its afternoon football telecasts - although not away from AW altogether - and if anyone was the face of Fox Sports' AFL coverage it was Clinton.
When he called shortly before Christmas to tell me of his decision he thanked me for my advice - which he had not taken. It was one of those pleasant, quite meaningful pre-Christmas conversations, and indescribably sad now to realise it was our last.
The only negative thing I heard about Clinton - and it was said in jest and with affection - was that he had long pockets, and yet he was always one of the most generous broadcasters in the business. This was demonstrated in the early hours of the morning after a long night covering the diving at the 2004 Athens Olympics, when he waited more than an hour for me to finish filing my story to walk me home in the searing heat.
Two years later I kept him waiting again in the Melbourne mid-winter for a big edition of White Line Fever on the night that 'Sirengate' was resolved. That night Clinton rolled his eyes, flashed that famous smile and, as always, like he did with everyone he worked with, made me feel that I was the most important person in the studio. That is a rare talent indeed.
Football people from all over Melbourne, all over Australia, will be grieving this morning because they will all have their own stories and memories of Clinton. From Andrew Demetriou to the countless callers who would ring in to White Line Fever.
Clinton Grybas was a wonderful talent and a special man. He will be oh so sorely missed.
Copyright (c) 2008. The Age Company Ltd.
Verbeek wouldn't have been my pick but he'll do
Craig Foster
December 9, 2007
The decision to choose Pim Verbeek over Philippe Troussier would not have been mine, but he is at a level of expertise above any local candidates, has qualification experience through Asia and should be successful.
In the end the decision was seemingly about whether to appoint a Dutchman to work alongside FFA technical director Rob Baan and continue plans to import their methodology, or go for the Frenchman with more experience and success.
Given the short timeframe, I would have chosen success over direction, but Verbeek was a strong second candidate.
I am concerned that both candidates were not afforded the same interview process, since I cannot understand how Troussier is in Sydney, yet never met FFA chairman Frank Lowy, who flew to Singapore to meet Verbeek.
Two weeks ago, when Troussier had reportedly signed with Benin, Verbeek was the standout, but as soon as Troussier became available after contractual problems with the African nation, his success across two continental championships was a telling factor, as well as his knowledge of Qatar and his dual World Cup experience.
Having had the benefit of spending time with Philippe this week, it was clear he had an outstanding insight into the preparation and quality of our opponents, the selection of our players, a clear understanding of the preparation and tactical plans to succeed home and away, and was prepared to turn down more money in Iran to coach here.
But assuming Verbeek interviewed extremely well and was similarly professional, it is a reasonable decision to continue down the Dutch path. As an advanced culture and one light years ahead of the British system, the Dutch methodology suits us at this time.
But to arrive at this decision I would have needed to gather information from former captains and people close to the Korean Asian Cup team, review all the games and ask about the style and decision making.
Verbeek has beneficial Asian experience, but one would want to be satisfied he has the answers to the many questions raised in the wake of the Asian Cup.
There remains an issue on the assistant's role, and it is difficult to see how Graham Arnold is to remain involved, since he both failed at the helm and has publicly questioned the appointment of a foreign coach.
The FFA should be unconcerned by all the ranting about Verbeek's appointment, since this is the same crowd who argued for Frank Farina not to be sacked and said Guus Hiddink was the wrong choice.
This is the beauty of Australian football: you can be consistently wrong on every issue, yet still get a guernsey in the name of expertise. No wonder it's taken us 50 years to move forward.
So let's hope Verbeek was convincing in his views and plans. Unfortunately, the brief process and lack of football people involved raises questions over whether the right questions were raised, let alone answered.
The reality is that Verbeek must work in a more difficult situation than even Hiddink faced. Verbeek now has virtually no time, perhaps one friendly to prepare, and must use predominantly locals to get the job done in the critical first two games.
But while my choice would have been different, I am cautiously optimistic.
Source: The Sun-Herald
Copyright (c) 2007. The Sydney Morning Herald.
Life in Brisbane - Telegraph Mentor
Alison Brown says Brisbane has an all-year round balmy climate, perfect for that outdoor Queensland lifestyle.
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 28/11/2007
Journalist Alison Brown is a British expat now living permanently in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia.
In 2004 after two years of visa processing, I left Scotland with my husband, Craig Brown, and baby son, Lewis, for the sub-tropical lifestyle of "Brissy", the capital of Australia's Sunshine State. Sponsorship by relatives who live in Adelaide, South Australia was critical to gaining our visas.
We had never visited Australia before but hilariously, felt that we had seen enough episodes of "No Going Back" to justify the emigration.
Since then, we have forged even closer ties to Australia. The pinnacle was the addition of a bona fide "dinky di" Aussie to our family, Cerys, who was born in Queensland in January 2006.
As adopted Queenslanders, we have come to know and love the exotic weather and coexist happily with the wildlife - despite the fact they tend to want to bite you or kill you.
Cane toads, Redback spiders, brown snakes, stonefish and saltwater estuarine crocs ("salties") are just a few of the many thousands of species you can encounter depending on whereabouts you live in Queensland.
Life for even the hardened city-slicker can lead to an unexpected encounter with the natives. Our family typically starts the day with a shake out of underwear in the laundry basket or a tentative prod at a box in the garage.
When we arrived, we took a short-term rental in an apartment in Spring Hill, a suburb within minutes of Brisbane CBD. Luckily, the city offers a plethora of such serviced apartments all of which are of superb quality and can be available for rent for just one day - or one year. Ideal as a base for holiday makers, business travellers or would-be migrants needing to check out the city beforehand and all very family-friendly.
We subsequently tried out leafy Hendra near the famous racecourses, then a brief stint in the inner city suburb of Morningside, before settling in the bayside area of Manly in Moreton Bay.
Introduction to the city: Brisbane is the capital city of the state of Queensland. It sits south of the Tropic of Capricorn giving it an all-year round balmy climate, perfect for that outdoor Queensland lifestyle - BBQs, surfing, tennis and sailing.
Known as "The River City", it is Australia’s third largest city with a population of around 960,000. Greater Brisbane, which takes in many outlying areas, is around 1.6 million. The population for the state hit four million at the end of 2005.
The Queensland Government's OESR (Office of Economic and Statistical Research) has conservatively estimated the population will soar to 7 million by 2051 if migration trends continue.
Sadly, Brisbane is in the grip of the worst drought in history. Brisbane City Council has imposed Level 4 water restrictions which bans washing of cars, and only permits hand-watering of gardens on alternate days.
Despite this, around 900 people (who have doubtless been buoyed by the enthusiasm of TV presenter Nadia Sawalha and her show, Wanted: Down Under) arrive every week in Brisbane and its neighbouring hinterlands in the Sunshine and Gold Coasts.
Along with Perth, it is now the fastest-growing area in Australia - and around one-fifth of new arrivals to Queensland are British or Irish.
At the heart of Brisbane is the South Bank precinct, formerly the site of the Expo '88. This has been developed into a remarkable arts and leisure zone complete with its own artificial sandy beach and lifeguards.
This precinct is also a cultural focal point with theatres, museums, cinemas, galleries, shops and restaurants, boardwalk cafes concentrated in this 3 km riverside zone, making it the city's No 1 tourist draw. It is also home to the stunning new Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and revamped State Library.
Brisbane River has several crossing points, the most breathtaking being the Story Bridge (Brisbane's answer to the Sydney Harbour Bridge) which is floodlit at night and connects the modern CBD and lively Fortitude Valley to the über-trendy suburb, Kangaroo Point with its luxury apartment blocks, penthouses and duplexes.
Work has begun on new tunnels linking the north and south banks, plus a host of other road and rail infrastructure projects, to ease congestion and take account of the projected population growth.
Queensland is rightly proud of its sporting pedigree. The locals are fiercely competitive at everything - forget getting onto the bus first if you're a Brit!
Its growing ambition to become the regular host to the Australian Open tennis tournament might well pay off, as work is due to begin on a showpiece facility on the banks of the Brisbane River.
Football (or soccer) has taken off here with the arrival of Hyundai A League side, Queensland Roar, giving the sport a higher profile than AFL (Aussie Rules Football) for the first time in history. And in April 2005, the State Premier, Peter Beattie, announced that Brisbane would launch a bid to host the 2024 Olympics.
Climate: The seasons are the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere - December to February is summer with May to July being the Australian winter. But Queensland, unlike New South Wales or Victoria, really has two seasons in truth: the "dry" and the "wet".
Daytime temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius during the height of the "wet" season from December-February and rarely fall below 20 degrees Celsius during the "dry" of May-July.
Property: Many of Brisbane's new arrivals are interstate migrants from Sydney and Melbourne who have suddenly recognised that Brisbane property prices mean the Oz dollar goes much further and allows them to trade up the property ladder.
This explosion in popularity has forced the Queensland Government to unveil its Draft South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005-2026. Click here to see the full list of infrastructure projects.
The plan outlines the areas across the region that will be designated 'green space' and those that can be developed for residential. The Plan also signals a shift towards higher density developments, which should equate to good investment opportunities in the region.
The medium to long-term impact of this will increase property values along the coastal belt and within 15km of the metropolitan zones. Queensland has the lowest land tax of any other state or territory in Australia making it highly attractive to those building new homes. There is also no capital gains tax.
First-time buyers - including permanent migrants from overseas who have leave to reside - can apply for a First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) which can be as much as $7,000 (2800 gbp). This is expected to go up in 2007 to kick-start the sluggish housing market.
As of February 2007, interest rates for house-buyers stand at 6.25 per cent and are at a six-year high. This is much higher than the base rate in Britain. The Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the base rate three times in 2006 and is expected to do so again before Australians go to the (federal) poll in late 2007.
Exchange rates are hovering around AUD $2.47 to the GBP 1 gbp. The rate reached a peak of AUD $2.7 in early 2004, but the trend has been downwards, with occasional and short-lived spikes since then.
Although home-owning and property speculation is a British obsession, the rental sector throughout Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast is thriving. For instance, in the suburb of Morningside 5 km east of the CBD, 45% of residents rent their homes.
In 2004, the REIQ (Real Estate Institute of Queensland) stated that the median house price in the suburb was $314,125 (approx. 127,000 gbp). By the start of 2006, this had rocketed to $390,000 (or 157,900 gbp).
The median weekly rent paid for a 3-bedroom house in this area in 2004 was $230 (93.12 gbp). But by January 2006, the same tenant had to find $280 every week for the rent (113.36 gbp).
Not surprisingly, the further from the CBD you venture, the more those figures drop. See www.reiq.com.au for more information on house prices and rental figures.
Curiously, although coastal areas in Brisbane, Redlands Shire and Pine Rivers Shire offer the idyllic lifestyle many Brits hanker after, there are still bargains to be had as Queensland has only begun to realise the full potential within its undervalued seaside towns and resorts.
Leisure and Entertainment: Waterfront and river activities are a massive draw for visitors and migrants to Queensland alike. There is excellent diving and snorkelling to be had, particularly off the picturesque Moreton Bay with its deliberately sunken wrecks, or further north in Queensland in the exclusive Whitsunday Islands off the Great Barrier Reef.
Of course, there is great surfing and swimming anywhere, but you can't beat a sunrise surf, or even a paddle with a bodyboard, off the famous Gold Coast sandy beach at Surfers' Paradise.
For the less adventurous there are river cruises, deep-sea fishing tours and fantastic whale-watching expeditions where you can catch a glimpse of playful humpback whale pods on their annual migration south.
The city has its own Botanic Gardens with
"cannibalistic" type trees that simply engulf other trees and literally absorb them. But the real deal is further west and uphill towards Mount Coot-tha which has sprawling tropical and botanical gardens, a dazzling restaurant and bistro with great views and a planetarium.
(c) Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2007
Brayshaw plans to keep Roos in Melbourne
The push to have the Kangaroos remain in Melbourne and avoid a relocation to the Gold Coast gathered more steam on Friday after board member James Brayshaw outlined a financial plan to make the AFL club viable.
The Kangaroos and the AFL were unable to reach an agreement on Friday over the league's push to have the club move north with the deadline for a final decision extended until early next month.
Club board members met with AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and other league officials in a meeting where proposals representing both sides of the debate were outlined.
The AFL, which wants another club based in south-east Queensland by 2010, presented its incentive package which reportedly includes wiping off the Kangaroos' debt of more than $4.5 million plus offering other financial and recruiting concessions.
Then Brayshaw and his fellow directors in favour of the Kangaroos remaining in Melbourne outlined their plan to raise the sort of revenue needed to make the club financially viable on its own, instead of being reliant on league hand-outs.
Given the Kangaroos board was yet to see the AFL's plan in detail and the pro-relocation board members had not been informed fully of Brayshaw's proposal, both sides agreed more time was needed for the plans to be studied.
A decision is now expected to be made in the coming weeks although the Kangaroos are expected to be given time to study the proposals some time over the next fortnight.
The AFL identified the Kangaroos as the best club to relocate to the Gold Coast given their financial difficulties and low support base, plus the fact they already have a presence in the region having already hosted games at Gold Coast Stadium.
However Brayshaw believed it was possible for the Kangaroos to retain control of their finances and stay in Melbourne through a plan to attract sponsorship and build revenue through investment.
Speaking at a press conference after the board meeting, Brayshaw said the anti-relocation faction was confident of raising $1.5 million in sponsorship over the next three months, $1 million of which was already confirmed.
"We (also) spoke about a non-football revenue stream of $8 million guaranteed for the start of 2008 and $10 million guaranteed by the start of 2009," he said.
"We spoke about (making) a profit by the end of `09 of $4 million."
Brayshaw conceded there was "no way" the Kangaroos could match the financial might of the AFL, but he and his supporters are keen for the club to be given the chance to see if they can survive on their own and continue to call Melbourne home.
Brayshaw conceded the AFL's presentation was a "classy" one, and would be good for the club if it opted to relocate.
However, he said much of the Kangaroos' heritage - the club was founded as North Melbourne in 1869 - would be lost if it was based in Queensland.
The AFL has said it will provide a 17th licence if the Kangaroos do not take up its offer.
However, the AFL's inability to strike a deal with Gold Coast Stadium to have the venue redeveloped into a 25,000-seater ground could be crucial in swaying board members against the idea of moving north.
Kangaroos supporters, who are overwhelmingly against relocation, hailed the stay-in-Melbourne group's proposal.
David Wheaton, a spokesman for the We Are North Melbourne supporters group, said it was unacceptable for the club to be relocated in the name of "corporate expediency".
He commended both sides for releasing their proposals and was looking forward to members getting their say.
In further cause for optimism for members, Demetriou and Brayshaw agreed that the Kangaroos' complicated structure of having shareholders have a major say in club decisions should be scrapped, and that more say should be given to members.
Copyright 2007 Yahoo! Australia & NZ Pty Limited. All rights reserved.
Eagles reputation in tatters: Worsfold
West Coast coach John Worsfold says the downward spiral of fallen great Ben Cousins gives the impression the club is totally off the rails - and only the remaining players can earn back respect.
On yet another dramatic day at Subiaco, the Eagles announced their own investigation into how the embattled club was being run.
Within hours, reports emerged that Cousins had been rushed to hospital while in Los Angeles for alleged cocaine abuse.
The Nine Network reported that a female friend in Los Angeles called an ambulance, telling the operator a 29-year-old male had been on cocaine for five days ... he "was not acting right but was breathing and conscious".
Nine said the Little Company of Mary Hospital confirmed Cousins was a patient there for two days.
He then belatedly checked into a drug rehabilitation clinic, where he stayed for two days before returning to Australia.
Days after the AFL launched an inquiry to be headed by a former High Court judge, new Eagles chairman Mark Barnaba and Worsfold admitted the club's reputation was in tatters after a string of controversies, led by Cousins' drug addiction.
And with Darren Glass handed the unenviable task of captaining the Eagles in 2008, the club said more action was needed to try to restore public faith in West Coast's culture
"We need to do something because the perception is that our club is off the rails," Worsfold said.
"Our player group deserves more than that and they will be the ones that need to earn that back.
"The concern has been the rumours we were hearing, and it has turned out some rumours that were whispered two or three years ago had some substance.
"I was disappointed and was hopeful he (Cousins) hadn't got himself in bad trouble.
"I've known Ben for a long time and what I would like to know in any time in the future when I cross paths with him is that he is living the life that he wants.
"That might not be the life I want him to live, but I hope he's healthy and finds the happiness that he's looking for."
With retired High Court Justice Bill Gillard due in Perth to investigate the club from top to toe on behalf of the AFL commission, the Eagles have appointed former WA deputy premier Hendy Cowan to do a similar job for them.
Cowan and KPMG executive Steve Scudamore will get unfettered access to all parts of the Eagles, including ex-players, to come up with an "action plan for change".
"There have been a lot of things said about this club over the last 12 months. But the worst for us as a club - and for me as the new incoming chairman - has been the suggestion that some parents would be worried about sending their kids into our care," Barnaba said.
"That is the most critical part of all of this, effectively to win back respect and confidence from the community. It is not something that will take place overnight."
Even as the Eagles were fronting the media, Cousins father arrived at Perth airport from Sydney, ignoring questions from the waiting media regarding his son's whereabouts.
And CEO Trevor Nisbett - whose arduous year started with Cousins's suspension and ended with the death of club champion Chris Mainwaring - said he was bracing himself for more revelations to come out as a result of the two inquiries.
"I'm sure there will be a lot of things come out that some people aren't going to be happy with, but that's the nature of a review," Nisbett said.
"We have nothing to hide, but lots of things to be concerned about.
"Some of the programs we've had in the education of our players haven't worked, and that's obvious. I take responsibility as the CEO of the club."
Glass, who was elevated to vice-captaincy last season and now takes over following the departure of Chris Judd to Carlton, said the players would endeavour to earn back respect lost in the maelstrom of headlines.
"We believe our behaviour has not been acceptable, we have done a lot of work so far and we will continue to do so," Glass said.
Copyright 2007 Yahoo! Australia & NZ Pty Limited. All rights reserved.
Lions should fear Gold Coast: Searle
Titans chief executive Michael Searle isn't concerned about the AFL's determination to base a team on the Gold Coast but he believes the Brisbane Lions should be.
The AFL has declared its intention to form a permanent presence in the region by 2010 - whether that means creating a 17th franchise or facilitating the relocation of the Kangaroos.
The Roos - contracted to play seven more games at Carrara over the next two years - have just 30 days to make a decision on a potential relocation that has angered many of their North Melbourne supporters.
Searle said the NRL gave the green light for the Titans to enter the competition this year because the club would not threaten the market of the Brisbane Broncos.
But he believes the same argument cannot be made for the Brisbane Lions when another AFL team is formed in south-east Queensland or the Kangaroos relocate.
"I think everyone in Brisbane will tell you that an AFL team coming here will do substantial damage to the Lions and the Lions certainly aren't anywhere near as strong as the Broncos are in the market," Searle told AAP.
"I think there's still lots of doubts over the long-term viability of a second (AFL) franchise.
"I don't see the AFL coming here as being any threat to the Titans at all, or the National Rugby League.
"We're still the dominant sport here in south-east Queensland."
The highest attendance figure out of three premiership matches the Kangaroos played at Gold Coast Stadium this year was 11,649 - against Carlton on May 19.
In a clear sign the AFL means business in its war against rugby league, the `Roos are scheduled to play two of their four matches in 2008 at Carrara on the same weekends the Titans will host the Bulldogs (round 10) and St George Illawarra (round 16) at Skilled Stadium in Robina.
"They must be pretty confident because they're two of our better drawers," Searle said.
"It'll be a true litmus test as to how good AFL's going when they come up against those two games.
"We've never feared the AFL.
"They've decided to go head-to-head against us next year with their draw.
"They might argue they don't look at our draw - good luck, I'm sure they do."
The Kangaroos will take on West Coast on May 17 and St Kilda on June 28 at Carrara next season.
Searle said he wouldn't be surprised if basing a team at Gold Coast Stadium turned out to be a "substantial black hole" for the AFL because of the high cost of running corporate facilities and the limited 15,000-capacity.
"Gold Coast Stadium cannot generate the revenues to sustain an NRL team long-term, let alone an AFL team which has far higher running costs than an NRL team ever has," Searle added.
Then there's the question of whether the Gold Coast people will take to their hearts a Melbourne team that may shift to the region mainly for economic reasons.
"You can't come here and do it by halves," Searle remarked.
"This four-game-a-year thing treats people with a little bit of complacency.
"If the AFL think they can just come here and put a Gold Coast badge on a jumper and get support, they're in for a rude shock because they've got a lot of work to do."
Copyright 2007 Yahoo! Australia & NZ Pty Limited. All rights reserved.
Pagan knew of Carlton plot to sack him
Former Carlton coach Denis Pagan says revelations by star player Anthony Koutoufides that he was part of a group which lobbied to have him sacked were not new to him.
But Pagan said he was disappointed by Koutoufides' criticisms of his handling of players and of his game plan.
Koutoufides, the Blues skipper from 2004-06 who retired midway through this season after 278 AFL matches, has unleashed a barrage of criticism on Pagan in his new biography "Kouta".
In extracts in Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper, Koutoufides said Pagan, who was sacked after a huge loss to Brisbane in round 16 this year, was unfair on players and had an outdated game plan, which the players did not believe in.
He said he and fellow senior players Lance Whitnall, Matthew Lappin and Nick Stevens met with club officials to try to have Pagan sacked last year.
Pagan said he knew of the plot, but chose to ignore it in an effort to keep things "positive".
"I was aware of that. I just continued to control what I did," Pagan told Melbourne's SEN radio.
He said it would not have helped confronting Koutoufides, who he said never personally approached him to outline his criticisms.
"I thought it's not going to serve any purpose, let's be positive, let's go forward," he said.
"That's probably the disappointing thing, how positive I was with the group and to be criticised like that."
Pagan said he believed he had been hard but fair with his players and that he was "probably one of Anthony's greatest supporters".
He also suggested Koutoufides' criticism that his long-kicking game plan was outdated was shown to be unfounded when Geelong won this year's premiership, with the Cats and preliminary finalists Collingwood and the Kangaroos the longest kicking teams in the competition.
"Talk about long kicking, well, we tried a lot of things," Pagan said.
"It was (no) coincidence that three of the top four sides who finished this year on the ladder were one, three and two in long kicks.
"I don't know what he's crook on that about."
Pagan said criticism was inevitable given he led the club to wooden spoons in 2005 and 2006 and they came 15th this year.
But he said the Blues were now in good shape, with a lot of good young players and the addition of ex-West Coast star Chris Judd.
"All these young boys, the previous coaching panel have had a lot to do with their development," he said.
"Now it's at a stage where you put the cream on top and I'm sure Carlton will go forward in leaps and bounds."
Copyright 2007 Yahoo! Australia & NZ Pty Limited. All rights reserved.
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