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View Full Version : Tony Liberatore patches up rift with Bulldogs



LostDoggy
22-06-2009, 11:40 PM
Tony Liberatore patches up rift with Bulldogs (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25674481-19742,00.html)

Mark Stevens | June 23, 2009 12:00am

EXCLUSIVE: TONY Liberatore has broken his silence on a painful public spat with the Western Bulldogs, declaring: "I got it wrong."

The 1990 Brownlow medallist is easing his way back into the Bulldogs fold after apologising to president David Smorgon and chief executive Campbell Rose.

"I made a mistake over a year ago - February 14th, 2008," Liberatore said.

"The situation I was dealing with at the time personally wasn't good and I was going through change.

"So you make poor decisions. We all make mistakes in life."

Liberatore created headlines expressing fears for the future of the Bulldogs and calling for Rose to "move on".

He claimed Rose was more interested in balancing the books than winning games.

Smorgon responded by angrily banishing Liberatore, a Team of the Century member, from the club.

But Liberatore has extended the olive branch to Smorgon and recently took the significant step of phoning Rose in a bid to heal wounds.

"David and Campbell were fantastic. Really receptive," Liberatore said.

"Campbell's words to me were, 'Life's too short'.

"I've bridged that gap with Campbell because I did the wrong thing."

Liberatore, now coaching West Footscray in the Western Region Football League and running a blossoming football academy, continued to watch the Bulldogs from the stands despite his fallout with the club.

He denied the strong likelihood of the Dogs taking his son Thomas as a father-son selection next year provided the impetus for the apology.

"My son's not the driving force," he said. "My message to Bulldogs supporters, and the football public in general, is I still love the footy club.

"They've been great to me. I've been great to them."

"I enjoy watching them play. I wish them success. I want them to get better. I want to see more members join up. If they need a hand, I'll help them out," Liberatore said.

During the time of his attack on Rose, Liberatore was going through a separation from his wife of 17 years, Jane.

He said the comments were based on information from sources within the club, which he now admitted were wrong.

"People at the football club were telling me things and it was a concern. I was worried about the club," Liberatore said.

"The mistake I made was I should have approached David and Campbell about it, instead of coming out with it.

"People I trusted gave me some information that was wrong.

"It was my poor judgment. In a nutshell, it was done incorrectly.

"I think I've paid for it in a lot of ways. I think it's cost me a coaching position."

Liberatore played 283 games for the Bulldogs.

He is a life member of the club, but has not been to an official Bulldogs function for several years.

Liberatore is adamant he is ready to jump back on board and accept any invitation that arrives.

Scraggers
22-06-2009, 11:51 PM
Welcome back Libba :)

immortalmike
22-06-2009, 11:56 PM
Apology accepted Libba mate. Just don't do it again.

LostDoggy
23-06-2009, 12:07 AM
I hope we get to see little Libba running around in a couple of years :D

strebla
23-06-2009, 12:52 AM
Great stuf Libba you may may be short of stature but it takes a big man to publicly apologise in this way once again you have shown the bulldogs why you are a champ!!!

Scraggers
23-06-2009, 01:14 AM
I hope we get to see little Libba running around in a couple of years :D

He's not all that little ... taller than his Dad :D

LostDoggy
23-06-2009, 01:27 AM
He's not all that little ... taller than his Dad :D

I'd sure hope he is. How tall is he?

BulldogBelle
23-06-2009, 07:34 AM
Glad you've come home Lib.

Mantis
23-06-2009, 07:34 AM
I'd sure hope he is. How tall is he?

He is listed at 181cm & 68kg, but he is still in year 11 so hopefully he has a bit of growing to do.

aker39
23-06-2009, 09:13 AM
Welcome back Libba.

bornadog
23-06-2009, 09:41 AM
Great to hear and read this, we can't afford to have anyone on the outer.

The Coon Dog
23-06-2009, 10:01 AM
I'm pleased that he's publicly acknowledged that he got it wrong & am glad the rift has been healed.

Topdog
23-06-2009, 10:34 AM
Welcome home Lib.

LostDoggy
23-06-2009, 11:07 AM
Glad to have you back, Libba!

bulldogtragic
23-06-2009, 11:15 AM
Takes a very, very big man to apologise in this way. Just another way Tony has shown charachter and attitude are more important than other (physical) attributes. Besides welcome back, i salute you for apologising publicly and so honestly and bluntly (unlike the KRudd apology - "if anyone was offended, then i apologise"). Not many egos can do what Tony did privately, let alone to the media and footy world. Got an extra piece of respect from me for the way you handled this. Great to have a club legend back.

p.s. - although i'm sure bomberdog from BF is probably upset right now if that infamour thread was anything to go by...

mighty_west
23-06-2009, 11:34 AM
Even though he denies it, the fact that his son being touted as a possible father son selection has to be the main motivation towards his apology, having said that, whatever his reasons are, it's great for a club champion to come back, i'm not one to hold grudges, lifes too short for that rubbish...

Welcome back Libba!!!!!!

:)

Bulldog4life
23-06-2009, 11:44 AM
Great news Libba. He was a mighty warrior for our great Club.

LostDoggy
23-06-2009, 11:55 AM
Whatever his motivation is it's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth and as Campbell Rose put it 'Life is too short', much like Libba really. Well done Tony, is there anything this little big man is afraid of, I think not. :)

Good stuff doggies.

BulldogBelle
23-06-2009, 12:43 PM
Well done and welcome back to Libba. He was big enough to step up to the plate and apologise. That is good enough for me! :)

ledge
23-06-2009, 01:13 PM
When you read what he wrote originally, it might have seemed bad but it was because he was hurting and he loves the club but it came out the wrong way, sometimes players or people say things about a club in the hope of the club getting better.

They see things that they dont think are good and mention it.
Yes he did go about it the wrong way but we are all human, we all make mistakes.

The biggest thing i take out of this is he said he should have approached the people in the club first.
Thats the statement i am impressed with.

You know a club is very strong when retired players are around looking after the past and creating the future from experience.

Some footballers arent the smartest but the heart is there.

Sockeye Salmon
23-06-2009, 02:17 PM
Even though he denies it, the fact that his son being touted as a possible father son selection has to be the main motivation towards his apology, having said that, whatever his reasons are, it's great for a club champion to come back, i'm not one to hold grudges, lifes too short for that rubbish...

Welcome back Libba!!!!!!

:)

Why should it?

If his son was happy to play for us as a father-son I'm sure we wouldn't say "we're not going to draft him, his Dad's a tosser". If clubs did that, none of the Clokes would ever had played.

ledge
23-06-2009, 02:25 PM
haha i like that Sockeye....Brownys kids have got no hope in that case.

Topdog
23-06-2009, 04:14 PM
Why should it?

If his son was happy to play for us as a father-son I'm sure we wouldn't say "we're not going to draft him, his Dad's a tosser". If clubs did that, none of the Clokes would ever had played.

But in that csae it would be "Your dad is a tosse and so are you and your brothers"

LostDoggy
23-06-2009, 04:43 PM
Yep, Welcome Home Libba! Good to have you back at the kennel, you were a champion with a heart as big as Phar Lap's. I agree, it takes a "big" man to apologise so publicly and I hope you have more involvement with the club :cool:

mighty_west
23-06-2009, 06:27 PM
Why should it?

If his son was happy to play for us as a father-son I'm sure we wouldn't say "we're not going to draft him, his Dad's a tosser". If clubs did that, none of the Clokes would ever had played.

I didn't mean it like that, it was more to smooth the waters so with the most likely father/son drafting of his son especially given the CG consessions, the feel good story of another F/S draftee, especially from a champion of the club who's relationship with the club had soured quite alot,

I never said we wouldn't draft a kid because we had a beef with his old man in my post, so please don't assume and take me out of context!

:)

Dancin' Douggy
23-06-2009, 08:40 PM
This is great news.
You can never under estimate how hard it is for a real competitor to give up the game. he was also in the middle of a marriage break up at the time. I guess all these things are connected.
Now that he's extended the olive branch I would happily forgive him.

Twodogs
24-06-2009, 04:06 PM
I have to declare an interest. My 7 yo daughter's middle name is Liberatore-that's the esteem I hold the Little Man in.



Like others have already said it takes a big man to apologise and once more Libba shows just how big a man he is. In a way I can understand the outburst-Libba only knows one way and that's all out attack-he picked the wrong target and said the wrong thing but I can still understand that the motivation was concern for the club.


Anyway it's great news that Libba's back in the fold, hopefully just in time to climb on the premiership bandwagon!

comrade
24-06-2009, 04:18 PM
I have to declare an interest. My 7 yo daughter's middle name is Liberatore-that's the esteem I hold the Little Man in.



Coolest middle name ever!

Twodogs
25-06-2009, 09:50 AM
Coolest middle name ever!




She's a cool kid!

The Coon Dog
25-06-2009, 10:09 AM
She's a cool kid!

Twodogs, just take us through the process that saw your daughter dubbed Little Miss. Liberatore Twodogs. How did your wife react when you suggested it???