ID :
24700
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 19:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/24700
The shortlink copeid
Sharks, manager still chasing Bird
Greg Bird's manager says he's concerned about his client's head-space, but doesn't know where he is amidst reports the fallen Cronulla star has left the country. Bird's agent Gavin Orr spent Wednesday attempting to make contact with his client, who has reportedly headed to the US to be with his American girlfriend Katie
Milligan. The Sharks lock has been charged with recklessly wounding Milligan in an alleged glassing incident in August.
A police-instigated Apprehended Violence Order is also in place preventing Bird from going near Milligan, which she unsuccessfully applied to have lifted last month. "I can't get him on his mobile," Orr told AAP. "I fired off an email to him this morning after I read the paper and said `mate, this is what's gone on in the paper here, I hope you're obeying your AVO and make sure that you're not in contact with Katie at all'."
While the AVO only applies in NSW, Bird could still be charged with breaching the
order once he returned to the state if NSW Police could confirm the pair had met.
Orr said he was not convinced Bird was intending to meet Milligan.
"I know he's got friends from home over there at the moment and ... there's a lot of
the football players over there at the moment," he said.
But the manager said he was concerned for his client.
"When I read things like that in the paper, it is concerning," he said.
"But often a lot of the first grade NRL players are on holidays here, there and
everywhere. They don't ring me and tell me they're going on holidays every five
minutes.
"There's a lot of things going on in Greg's life at the moment. I know that he's
feeling a lot of pressure on him. It's certainly not a good time of the year for
Greg Bird.
"He's just got to get through these next couple of months and sort himself out where
he's at and then hopefully kick on from there."
Orr met with Sharks officials on Wednesday afternoon in relation to allegations Bird
had been involved in two alcohol-fuelled incidents since his banning from the club
in August.
But the agent defended his client over those allegations, which include Bird abusing
passers-by from the balcony of his Cronulla flat.
"At the moment there's a lot of innuendo flying around everywhere but not a lot of
facts," Orr said.
The Sharks are expected to decide Bird's future, which could include sacking the
former Test and State of Origin star, at a board meeting next month.
Chief executive Tony Zappia said he was collecting more information on the latest
allegations.
Asked if the club was running out of patience, Zappia told AAP: "That's a matter for
the full board and I can't speak on their behalf at this point in time.
"As a club you can't condone any sort of behaviour that's anti-social.
"Over the past six, seven weeks we've put a strong stance in regards to the action
we have taken in the short term and it's just a matter of us deciding at the club
where we want to go with it in the long term."
Milligan. The Sharks lock has been charged with recklessly wounding Milligan in an alleged glassing incident in August.
A police-instigated Apprehended Violence Order is also in place preventing Bird from going near Milligan, which she unsuccessfully applied to have lifted last month. "I can't get him on his mobile," Orr told AAP. "I fired off an email to him this morning after I read the paper and said `mate, this is what's gone on in the paper here, I hope you're obeying your AVO and make sure that you're not in contact with Katie at all'."
While the AVO only applies in NSW, Bird could still be charged with breaching the
order once he returned to the state if NSW Police could confirm the pair had met.
Orr said he was not convinced Bird was intending to meet Milligan.
"I know he's got friends from home over there at the moment and ... there's a lot of
the football players over there at the moment," he said.
But the manager said he was concerned for his client.
"When I read things like that in the paper, it is concerning," he said.
"But often a lot of the first grade NRL players are on holidays here, there and
everywhere. They don't ring me and tell me they're going on holidays every five
minutes.
"There's a lot of things going on in Greg's life at the moment. I know that he's
feeling a lot of pressure on him. It's certainly not a good time of the year for
Greg Bird.
"He's just got to get through these next couple of months and sort himself out where
he's at and then hopefully kick on from there."
Orr met with Sharks officials on Wednesday afternoon in relation to allegations Bird
had been involved in two alcohol-fuelled incidents since his banning from the club
in August.
But the agent defended his client over those allegations, which include Bird abusing
passers-by from the balcony of his Cronulla flat.
"At the moment there's a lot of innuendo flying around everywhere but not a lot of
facts," Orr said.
The Sharks are expected to decide Bird's future, which could include sacking the
former Test and State of Origin star, at a board meeting next month.
Chief executive Tony Zappia said he was collecting more information on the latest
allegations.
Asked if the club was running out of patience, Zappia told AAP: "That's a matter for
the full board and I can't speak on their behalf at this point in time.
"As a club you can't condone any sort of behaviour that's anti-social.
"Over the past six, seven weeks we've put a strong stance in regards to the action
we have taken in the short term and it's just a matter of us deciding at the club
where we want to go with it in the long term."