Test for Nathan Tinkler treasury as Jason Culina surgery saga stretches the friendship
BY ROBERT DILLON
24 Sep, 2011 05:00 AM
NATHAN Tinkler is notoriously media shy at the best of times.And given events of the past two weeks, it was hardly a surprise when the Herald received two negative replies from Tinkler’s advisers for interview requests – or a written statement – on the subject of Jason Culina.
But it seems fair to assume that at some point the flies on the wall in the big fella’s Honeysuckle office were privy to an eruption of seismic proportions.
Tinkler’s reputation suggests he does not take kindly to stuff-ups. Especially not stuff-ups of the expensive variety.
He may be worth $1.13billion, according to the latest BRW calculations, but it is unlikely the Jets owner was too impressed with the news that he would reap no dividends this A-League season – or possibly ever –from his generous investment in Culina.
The Socceroos midfielder scored a three-season contract with Newcastle worth a reported $2.65million, despite having undergone knee surgery shortly before signing.
The first season of that deal is now a write-off and despite Culina’s iron will and positive words at a midweek media conference, nobody can guarantee he will return as the same player – if at all – from a follow-up operation.
Tinkler is entitled to be bemused, to say the least.
Culina is probably earning almost as much as Darius Boyd, Kade Snowden and Timana Tahu combined and his boss will not get to see him kick a ball this season.
This would be frustrating in any circumstances but one can only hope Tinkler was better informed about developments than the media or his club’s fans.
Since Culina’s surgery in February, it has been difficult to separate fact from fiction.
Just consider the following:
● Soon after his surgery, Culina said he was hoping to return to ‘‘catch the back end of the finals’’, which still had two months to run. His Gold Coast coach, Miron Bleiberg, said initially he was advised Culina would be out for ‘‘six to eight weeks’’ and was some chance of playing in the A-League grand final, had Gold Coast qualified. Yet Hunter Sports Group chief executive Troy Palmer said the Jets were always aware it would be three months before Culina could even resume running.
● At Wednesday’s press conference, Culina was asked whether the club took a risk in signing him. ‘‘No, not at all,’’ he replied. Yet Palmer said on Thursday there was ‘‘always a level of risk’’ in signing him.
● Culina said of his February surgery that ‘‘basically they’ve gone in and cleaned up the cartilage’’. While that is true, the Newcastle Herald has been told it was a complex procedure to repair an osteochondral defect, or bone lesion, which involved a surgeon creating microfractures in his knee to stimulate blood flow and cartilage regrowth. And that there was always a chance he would need a second, even more invasive, operation known as a knee osteotomy.
● Culina said his surgery next week was unrelated to his February procedure. ‘‘It’s not the same injury,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not a recurrence of the old one. It’s something new.’’ Yet the club’s insurance company says he is not covered because he had a pre-existing condition and the Jets have not disputed this.
● Culina said ‘‘the club was well aware’’ of the extent of his injury. Yet the chairman of Newcastle’s advisory board, Ray Baartz, said they had been informed it was merely ‘‘a minor cartilage operation with no concerns’’.
● Bleiberg was quoted in January as saying, when Culina broke down on Socceroos duty at the Asian Cup: ‘‘It’s not a matter of a serious injury, it’s more wear and tear. It’s something that he’ll probably suffer with until the end of his career.’’ Yet on Thursday Bleiberg told the Herald Culina had not been inconvenienced by knee problems until he was injured in Doha.
● Palmer said on Wednesday that the Jets were ‘‘very comfortable’’ with their decision to sign Jason, even after learning he would need season-ending surgery. Yet what club would sign a player if they thought there was a chance he may not be available for 18months, if ever?
All of which brings us back to the man who foots the bills.
Jets chief executive Robbie Middleby said he had not spoken to Tinkler but understood he was ‘‘upset’’.
Palmer said Tinkler ‘‘owns 500 racehorses and knows injuries are unavoidable’’, but it is difficult to imagine the tycoon would pay top dollar for a thoroughbred if he knew it may never run again.
Other than that, we can only guess as to his mindset.
A penny for your thoughts, Nathan.
