Emotional end for Port president and coach
Posted by Brent DiamondAug 6. 2012 1:39 pm
AN emotional outgoing Port Adelaide president Brett Duncanson addressed the media today as the Port crisis not only claimed him but also head coach Matthew Primus.
Duncanson was highly emotional in saying that the board had given Primus the opportunity to coach out the rest of the season after telling him his contract would not be renewed, but Primus decided he wanted to walk away.
“We gave Matty the opportunity to coach out the year. We respect and understand that he won’t do that. Matty will always be known as a true champion of the Port Adelaide football club. We all can remember his on-field leadership as captain of this great football club. He will also be remembered for the faith he showed in his players right to the end,” Duncanson said.
“He became the coach in difficult circumstances and he grabbed the role in both hands and never wavered from the path he set at the end of 2010.
“That aside. We’re in a very competitive industry, and things don’t always go the way we want them to, despite the best efforts of everyone involved. No-one could ever question his dedication to the task.”
Chief executive Keith Thomas said the plan was to build the club back up again over the next two years.
“We are heading towards Adelaide Oval in 2014, our expectation is to arrive at that milestone in tremendous fighting shape, both onfield and off-field,” he said.
“Every decision made today and that will be made in the future months will be about fulfilling that requirement, and some of them will be tough.”
Primus said he was disappointed to leave on a disappointing note but was still alarmed by the way the players performed against GWS on Saturday.
“How we played on the weekend – I don’t know where that came from,” Primus said.
Tags: Brett Duncanson, Matthew Primus, Port Adelaide, president
Filled under: Clubs, Latest News, Port Adelaide
