Saints boss vows to end hellish spat - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Saints boss vows to end hellish spat

By Guy Hand 10/06/2007 07:28:19 PM Comments (0)

St Kilda president Rod Butterss has promised his ugly spat with former coach Grant Thomas will never again become public.

After the Saints' dirty laundry became the AFL's talking point this week, with Butterss and chief executive Archie Fraser accusing Thomas of undermining the club, the Saints boss went into damage control.

He said his feud with Thomas - which in part involves a legal dispute over a $1 million loan - would never be played out in the public arena again.

And Butterss also issued a rallying cry to the club faithful about the merits of the club's administration, pointing out his board's achievements and promising the Saints were "on track" to deliver a premiership.

"Matters relating to myself and our former coach will from this moment on remain private - not another word in public about that matter," Butterss said in his president's lunch address prior to the Saints' 22-point loss to the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome.

Earlier, Fraser took a similar tack, saying he had backed Butterss in his public comments about Thomas, but enough had now been said.

"I think moving forward we just need to move past what's taken place this week with Grant and Rod and get on and focus on the things we're doing as a football club," Fraser told Southern Cross radio.

The Butterss-Thomas spat has sparked talk of a challenge to Butterss' leadership, with comedian/radio personality Steve Bedwell among those garnering support in the past week to try to oust the president.

But Butterss said his board was meeting all its objectives, including sound financial management and delivering a flag to a club whose sole grand final win came more than 40 years ago.

"(The board) brings to us the range of skills that is required to make the appropriate strategic decisions to drive this club forward - and we will continue to do that," he said.

"I would suggest to our supporters we are fortunate to have such a talented group."

Thomas on Saturday responded at length for the first time to Butterss' and Fraser's allegations of undermining the club.

Neither Butterss or Fraser would reveal how Thomas was allegedly doing so.

But the former St Kilda coach denied maintaining regular contact with Saints players nor interfering in contract negotiations between the club and star forward Nick Riewoldt.

"I've given a fair bit of time to that club and I'm extremely passionate about it - I want only one thing for it to be and that's successful," Thomas told Melbourne radio station SEN.

"I don't ring players, I do not make contact with players and in fact they very sparingly, if ever, contact me.

"The contact, I've got no idea what they're talking about ... it is all innuendo, it hasn't been stated by anyone at the football club that I'm aware."

The Saints' on-field fortunes mirrored those off-field with an insipid performance as the Kangaroos controlled Sunday's match from start to finish to win 11.14 (80) to 8.10 (58).

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