It’s hard to conceive why Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse “strenuosuly objects” to being branded a liar after being caught lying.
During the quarter-time break against St Kilda on Friday night, Malthouse was captured on television appearing to speak forcefully to Saints players.
Questioned after the game, Malthouse said to reporters: “I didn’t have words to the Saints players, I had words to my players to make sure they didn’t get involved, let’s get that right from the start.”
It later emerged that Malthouse had called Stephen Milne a “f***ing rapist”.
Milne, now aged 30, faced allegations of rape in 2004, but was never charged and the case was closed.
In other words, he is innocent. However, he has had to face sledging from rivals and fans since that time.
Malthouse must have had a brain explosion to lose his cool and abuse an opposition player during the break.
He should be better than that, but it sometimes happens that people act out of character in the heat of the moment.
It’s less easy to understand or forgive his post-match deception.
Webster’s dictionary defines a lie as: “A falsehood uttered or acted for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth; an untruth spoken with the intention to deceive.”
This is what Malthouse had to say on Collingwood’s website:
Following my apology for inappropriate comments I made to Stephen Milne, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of the reasoning behind the initial position I took in the post-match press conference on Friday night.
When asked if I was directing comments at St Kilda players or my own players, I chose the latter option basically under the old code of what happens on the field stays on the field.
I largely took this decision based on my belief that, if I had said I was directing comments at a St Kilda player(s), this would lead to follow up questions such as “who were you talking to?”, “what did you say?”, “were you responding to provocation?”, etc etc. This would in turn create unnecessary angst and controversy for both clubs, and individuals from both clubs.
However, having seen that St Kilda and their players were obviously aggrieved the next day, and with St Kilda wanting to take the matter further, and having reflected on my involvement in the verbal exchange, I felt it was necessary for me to acknowledge the inappropriate nature of my comments, and to offer the subsequent apology.
I strenuously object to being branded a liar. I acknowledge my original position has caused me much embarrassment and my family great distress, but the reason I reacted to the question the way I did was because at that moment, I felt it was the best outcome not to drag the two clubs and a number of individuals into an obvious controversy.
I’ve been involved in the game for over four decades and have always had the best interests of the game at heart, and will continue to do so.
I hope this explanation, in conjunction with my record and reputation, gives you, the Collingwood supporter, a greater understanding of this situation.
If Malthouse genuinely wanted to avoid “unnecessary angst and controversy” he failed miserably. He issued a public apology and was fined $7500 by the AFL for engaging in aggressive or threatening conduct.
As respected columnist Caroline Wilson observed in The Age, Malthouse’s apology was negotiated by others, was conditional and impersonal towards Milne.
And she reminds us that on Saturday, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire “was still telling anyone who would listen that the coach had used the word ‘pest’ not ‘rapist’. Did Malthouse lie to him too? Or was McGuire still clinging to controlling the uncontrollable?”
Malthouse lied on Friday night. It’s a fallacy to claim otherwise.
If he didn’t want to cause unnecessary angst he should have said nothing. “No comment” would have been his best response and his integrity would still be intact.
Coaches often tell white lies about players’ injuries, team selections and possible match-ups.
Most of us excuse that as part of the game.
When it comes to abusing an individual and then denying it, I find it impossible to excuse that, especially when there’s a lack of contrition.
×0
