Coach, club, manager tell Matthew Richardson he's wanted for season No.18 Mike Sheahan | September 18, 2009
THE four key figures in Matthew Richardson's football future are singing to the same tune - roll on 2010.
The player, his manager Ricky Nixon, Richmond's general manager of football Craig Cameron and new coach Damien Hardwick all are preparing for season No. 18 for the star forward.
Richo said: "I'm pretty confident that I'll be right, and I'm really looking forward to it."
Cameron said: "We'd like him to play if he thinks he can play. Damien's very happy for him to play on."
Nixon: "At this point I'm very confident he'll play on and play well, contribute well."
The comments provide the clearest indication yet of the thoughts of those who will make the most keenly awaited decision from Punt Rd.
Both player and club are optimistic after recent scans showed he is recovering as hoped from a major hamstring problem. He also is progressing smoothly from minor knee surgery.
Nixon said: "Scans on the hamstring have shown everything is repairing as it should. Things are going really well.
"There's no doubt the results of the scans were confidence-building. The knee's fine after a tidy-up."
Richardson, who will turn 35 in March, said: "Craig and Damien have said they want me to go on; that's been the clear message, which is good.
"I haven't run for six weeks; I'm allowed to start back next week.
"I want 6-8 weeks' running in my legs to see how I feel, how the body stands up. If I feel good, I'll go on.
"I'd like to play on; I'm confident I can, but I don't want to make the big call until I see how my body goes.
"I don't have to make a rushed decision because I'm on the veterans' list and not taking a place on the primary list."
Cameron said: "We've left it in Matthew's court.
"We're happy for him to play next year and we're happy to offer him a contract if he thinks he can play more than half the games.
"No one wants him to get to five rounds and then it's all over for him.
"We're happy to give him a time-frame that doesn't put him under any pressure.
"We'll talk at the end of September and, if he wants more time, then the end of October.
"The issues are whether his body will stand up and whether he is happy to go through another pre-season.
"We're not making the call on him; we're giving him the rein to make the call."
Nixon said he had his player's long-term best interests at heart.
"I'm red-hot on the subject of players and retirement. If I think you're finished, I'll tell you.
"The discussions that I've held with Matthew have been along the lines that he doesn't want to disappoint people with his performances next year that might be below his standard if his body isn't in the right shape.
"He'll be ready to make a decision November-early December.
"Players play for different reasons. This bloke plays footy for one reason and one reason only - because he loves playing.
"He'll know the right time. I remember saying to Michael Voss, 'You'll wake up one day and you won't want to go to training'.
"He rang me one day in June (2006) and said, 'Guess what? I don't want to go to training'."
Richardson's hamstring problem kept him to six games this year for a career total of 282. He has kicked 800 goals.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/afl/story/0,27046,26089174-5016169,00.html
