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Eddie Denies PI For Cousins Post by: The Learned One and CK 27 August, 2010 - 8:59 AM
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has hit back at allegations that he hired a private investigator to follow Ben Cousins around in 2008.
Collingwood was one of many clubs which expressed interest in recruiting the self-confessed drug addict in the lead-up to the 2008 drafts after he was sensationally axed by West Coast and de-registered by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute.
Eddie confirmed he did engage the services of someone who could collect information for the Magpies to get an accurate assessment of the risk involved in potentially recruiting Cousins given the lack of openness on many crucial issues surrounding the Brownlow Medalist at the time.
However, he said it would be a case of ‘drawing a long bow’ to label him a private investigator.
“What we wanted was somebody, an independent person, to help collect and put together all the information,” Eddie said on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast.
“Because let’s remember this at this stage, West Coast Eagles were saying they didn’t have a drug problem, the AFL had never been able to get him on anything, all these other things were going on.”
“You saw last night on the documentary that he was prepared to shave down and shave his head so he would avoid (drug) detection, that he was hiding a hamstring injury, we were aware of all these things at the time.”
Eddie also revealed that Christine Nixon, Victoria Police’s chief commissioner at the time, didn’t sway Collingwood one way or another on whether it should recruit Cousins or divulge any specific activities the former Eagles captain was engaging in.
“Everyone was getting excited ... about the fairytale that could be Ben Cousins, I wanted to speak to somebody who I could rely on to give me an unbiased picture of what happens in this situation,” Eddie explained as to why he contacted Nixon.
Although Eddie admitted he was ‘enamoured’ by the prospect of recruiting Cousins, ultimately Cousins’ ‘appalling’ attitude cost him a spot on Collingwood’s list.
“At no stage did Ben actually ring me to say, ‘look, I really want to come to this club,” Eddie said.
“At that stage it was still we’re auditioning for Ben and his attitude was absolute appalling.”
“He was not about us at all, it was about us being a vehicle for Ben.”
“In the end we worked out, one – we’re not (drug rehab program) Odyssey House.”
“Two – we didn’t have the infrastructure there to be able to get Ben through the firestorm of the media.”
“Three – we had enough of our own issues at that stage building through the club to not exacerbate the problem.”
Could you picture Ben Cousins in a Pies jumper?
Leave your comment
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Margie says
Yes, The Pies should have stepped up to the plate to help him. He lives for his footy. He needs it. Footy also could be seen as his drug of dependence?
Posted Friday 27 August, 2010 1:20 PM -
jack bennett says
I have a son in the same situation as ben and I find it difficult to understand how someone on drugs can turn around and video his life history if not for financial benefit and put his family through hell in doing so and adrian anderson said drug testing was not introduced till 2006 but who tested justin charles[mickey mouse] and ended his career. thanks tigerjack
Posted Friday 27 August, 2010 5:55 PM -
duncan says
No. Ben's day is done.Would be a wasted investment and his brand is damaged beyond repair.
Posted Saturday 28 August, 2010 3:07 PM
