According to Eddie, Didak was just "a little wobbly"
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McGuire defends Didak
The Age
October 6, 2006 - 2:25PM
Alan Didak was not drunk when arrested last night, just a bit "wobbly" after recent surgery, according to Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
"Some of the information we get is that the officer who was there thought he was a little wobbly on his feet and you tend to be that way when you've just had a knee reconstruction,'' Mr McGuire told Southern Cross Broadcasting today.The club's chief operating officer, prominent former Melbourne lawyer Eugene Arocca, picked Didak up from the police station when he was released.
Mr McGuire said Mr Arocca saw Didak was not drunk.
Speaking to Mr Arocca, who was with him during the telephone interview, Mr McGuire said he said: "Eugs, was he sober?''
"He was sober,'' was Mr Arocca's reply.
Mr McGuire said he asked Mr Arocca: "Will it be vigorously defended if he's charged for being drunk?, to which Mr Arocca replied "Yep''.
Collingwood Football Club has confirmed the arrest outside a Hawthorn nightclub which is believed to have begun after a dispute with a taxi driver over a fare.
Club spokeswoman Nicki Malady said the argument arose when the driver insisted on charging Didak $25 to drive him home. The club claims the fare should have been about $10 and also says Didak was released from police custody after only 20 minutes.
Collingwood claims the driver demanded payment of the fare in advance.
"He got into a cab," said McGuire. "He did the right thing. He was prepared to pay more up front. We understand there was a bartering situation going on there with the cab driver, and then the cab driver told him no, I'm not going to drive him out.
"There's no question about his future at the club,'' Mr McGuire said.
The Victorian Taxi Directorate is investigating the claims.
A hearing for Didak will be held at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on November 8, but police said he was not required to appear because of the time he had served at the custody centre.
Didak, who made the 2006 All-Australian team on the half-forward flank, is tipped to poll highly in tonight's Copeland Trophy, which will be held at the Crown Palladium in front of 1600 members and supporters.
Collingwood players are currently on their end-of-season break.
Several of Didak's team members made headlines this year for their off-field behaviour.
In August, Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson were fined $5000 each by Collingwood for their involvement in a brawl outside a Port Melbourne nightclub.
Chad Morrison lost his drivers' licence for six months after a drink-driving incident and was fined a record $20,000 by the club.
Dane Swan and Brodie Holland have both faced court over separate assault charges this year.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/magpies-star-arrested/2006/10/06/1159641495285.html
