Dusty can bend it like Beckham, says managerafl.com.au
26 September 2017DUSTIN Martin's manager won't try to change the Brownlow medallist's introverted nature, believing his client's unique personality makes him a marketing commodity similar to a young David Beckham.
Ralph Carr, the manager responsible for recently pulling off the Richmond midfielder's multi-million dollar seven-year contract extension, says the 26-year-old presents as a "backable" brand.
There's fascination about Martin, given his reluctance to reveal too much of his personality and his blatant dislike of media attention.
It's this trait that Carr believes draws people and potential commercial agreements to the Tigers superstar, and something that will become stronger as his football career goes on.
"He's different," Carr said on Tuesday.
"Beckham was different when he first came into the scene and I think he'll be a backable brand now, and that is really warming to me.
"I think he's going to play better footy [now]. He's such a competitive athlete and he's competitive about his own performance and wanting to get better. I think we're going to see a lot of great football from Dusty.
"I think outside football, people will be surprised about what he's going to do."
Much of Martin's hesitancy and shyness about the media, Carr says, stems from previous incorrect reporting on things like the 2015 "chopstick" incident and suggestions earlier this year that he "stormed out" of a press conference after fielding questions about his future.
Carr said he would continue to let Martin "grow naturally" and evolve as a media performer, but praised the talented Tiger for how far he'd come in eight years in the AFL environment.
"Sometimes we expect too much from them when they're 18, 19 or 20," he said.
"He was a kid, and most of these players are kids.
"I think he just grew up. I think there were pivotal moments there where we spoke to him about having to grow up, and he reacted to all the advice.
"To his credit, he's the superstar and he's done everything required."
Martin's on-field toughness is well known, but it's his resilience away from the game that Carr believes will see him through Grand Final week without distraction.
He says it's the same mental strength that ensured Martin's career-best season while he dealt with his father Shane's deportation to New Zealand during his contract talks.
"As a manager, we've been doing this a long time, and there's an art in negotiation," Carr said.
"The big part of the art is the client having the mental toughness to go through it all, and he has, he's unique in that area."
Carr's relationship with Martin started six and a half years ago when the midfielder walked into RCM Management in Richmond and asked for a meeting.
Martin was interested in the company's services because they differed from regular player agent representation, given Carr's commercial background and experience with entertainment clients.
"We were set up as a sports agency then and managing a few players, but he came in and requested to meet with me, not the other boys, and when he met with me he said, 'I'll come over and sign with you, Ralph, but you have to manage me'," Carr said.
"I thought that was pretty clever at the time looking back, because he has my attention and I am personally representing him."
Carr said his company had declined "maybe 100 things" over the last three weeks – both financial and media opportunities – at Martin's request to allow his focus to remain on the Tigers' finals campaign.
He said his client was totally selfless when it came to this week's Grand Final. Martin went home as soon as his post-Brownlow commitments were done on Monday night, and was back at the club bright and early the following morning for training.
"It's all been about the Grand Final for him, we've been focused on that for a long time," he said.
"We're just trying to keep his routine the same so he can focus on his footy and win the ultimate prize. That's why we're here."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-26/dusty-can-bend-it-like-beckham-says-manager
