Zac Guildford in trouble again

[nickdnz]

Crusaders wing Zac Guildford has voluntarily stood down from involvement with the Crusaders after a late-night incident at a residential home in Christchurch last weekend.

Guildford, 23, has admitted being involved in the incident after attending a private house party. He informed Crusaders Coach Todd Blackadder during the week and chose to remove himself from the team environment while the matter is considered by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and the Crusaders.
NZRU Chief Executive Steve Tew said: "We and the Crusaders were very disappointed to learn of this incident. As a result, the NZRU has initiated misconduct proceedings against Zac.
"We will be meeting with Zac and his representative in the following week to discuss the matter, and next steps. As his employer, we want to ensure that the process respects Zac's right to a fair hearing so we do not wish to comment further at this stage," Steve Tew said.
Zac Guildford is taking time to resolve matters, including the NZRU misconduct process.

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/ne...dford-voluntarily-stands-down-from-crusaders/

Never liked him as a player - but the guy continues to have even worse problems off the field. I'd imagine this will mean Baker will be called in from the WTG - and the Saders may pick up an additional wing (I'd go with Veainu).

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Idiot's back on the drink too, what a plonker. Not saying this is related, but it does speak for itself about his mindset.

 

[lynam1104]

Hardly unexpected, IMO he was never really AB quality in terms of playing ability but his conduct off the pitch should see him out of the squad.

 

[Gavin]

Think all this stems back to what happened with his father.

 

[Shaggy]

I never like to see anyone struggling to deal with alcohol related problems (if that's what it is) ... hopefully he can get help as part of the misconduct process ... he must be close to running out of chances though

 

[Draggs]

I hope he is able to get the help he obviously needs.

 

[Larksea]

I dunno how you can put him down as a player, he has the best workrate of any winger in NZ. Such a shame, the guy obviously just can't handle having a few drinks and he obviously did something really fricken stupid to stand himself down from the crusaders.

 

[irelandfan123]

Back in the seventies doing something stupid when drunk would have got you a pat on the back, if it is a serious problem it has been made very public, this very private problem has ballooned to something much more public and I'm sure he is very embarrassed.

 

[Darwin]

It is hard to make too much comment until we know the exact nature and extent of the incident, though the fact that Guildford voluntarily stood himself from the Crusaders (for how long?) suggests it was reasonably serious.

Guildford has some serious talent, but I'm not sure we are ever going to see him fulfill his initial promise. If the incident is serious and he is gone for the season it will be a big blow for the Crusaders, as he has been very good for them over the last two seasons. As Nick mentioned Kurt Baker would likely come into the main squad from the wider training group, and compete with Adam Whitelock and Tom Marshall for spot on the right wing (Johnny McNicholl - AKA TRF_Darwins second favourite player - should have the left wing spot sewn up).

 

[Zed]

He's a quality player and definitely should be playing for the ABs, but if he continues like this off the pitch then really he needs some time away from rugby to sort his sh*t out. Getting p*ssed & naked and being a larrikan is one thing, but ZG has taken things to another level e.g whacking the 65 yo Aussie tourist in the head last year. I think if his behaviour was simply acting like a drunk teenager then perhaps it's understandable/forgivable, but violence & abusing people is not. If this latest incident has involved fisticuffs then give him a year out.

 

[lucky number 7]

As many have said , Getting ****** getting naked and acting the gallhoon is one thing..but his assault of an auld lad last year turned me off him.

It's one thing getting in a scrap they happen we all deal with them. But punching an pensionable tourist unprovoked.. Takes a different sort of bloke.

Whether he's as big a **** sober I don't know , But one thing is for sure the magic sauce does him no good.

 

[Sam Owen]

Just like most jobs, if you get a final warning and you stuff up, its dismissal

 

[ExcaLiBuR]

3 strikes and ur out. To many people that are talanted and able to not be stupid off field are missing out for this guy... well hes had 3 swings and doesnt look like he hit 1, so bye bye.

 

[nickdnz]

Yep. Hosea Gear missed out on the RWC squad because of him. Hosea Emiliano Gear, the Great. After costing such a man a spot in the RWC - he should have been on his best behavior till death.

 

[admartian]

Betcha guys a tenner he gets the Jesse Ryder treatment for the rest of his career.

Always thought apart form his speed (which he didn't always utilise well) that he was a tad overrated.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

i've run out of sympathy for him, he's basically said "his right" to have a beer (anyone see some interview he did at the end of last year where he said he was perfectly allowed to have a drink if he wanted to or words to that effect) is more important than the AB's (his livelyhood)

cut him loose, hes' been offered lots of help and he doesn't care. there are loads of other guys that would happily stop drinking if thats what it took to be ab AB (or wallaby, springbok etc)

 

[Draggs]

Look, I don't know the bloke, but it seems pretty evident he might have some alcohol dependency issue. Sure we can say he has had x chances and never learned his lesson, but it really isn't that easy. He needs to take some time off and get this sorted. It might not be so simple as to stop drinking for him. Like I said, I have no clue, but it sounds like he needs a bit of a hand.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Look, I don't know the bloke, but it seems pretty evident he might have some alcohol dependency issue. Sure we can say he has had x chances and never learned his lesson, but it really isn't that easy. He needs to take some time off and get this sorted. It might not be so simple as to stop drinking for him. Like I said, I have no clue, but it sounds like he needs a bit of a hand.

I guess thats the point, he's had several hands and it looks like he's just goving it lip service because as soon as he's left to his own devices he goes back to his old ways. DOnt get me wrong, i dont think he should be left to flame out and end up in the gutter or anything...but i do think its down to his friends and family to help him now and not the NZRU or the Cursaders.

There is a real drive to make sure these guys have a career outside of rugby and i think its time he looks towards that

 

[nickdnz]

I think the issue is that he probably does have an alcohol dependency problem - which is quite a serious issue. But it's up to the employer to only do so much - and I feel the NZRU and Crusaders have done enough. Even professions outside the public gaze get similar scrutiny - doctors, judges, lawyers etc. You get drunk so it effects your work or you break the law - you lose your job and sometimes your qualifications. Professional athletes earn a similar salary - and with the help Guildford has been offered, he doesn't really have a leg to stand on.

 

[Zed]

Look, I don't know the bloke, but it seems pretty evident he might have some alcohol dependency issue. Sure we can say he has had x chances and never learned his lesson, but it really isn't that easy. He needs to take some time off and get this sorted. It might not be so simple as to stop drinking for him. Like I said, I have no clue, but it sounds like he needs a bit of a hand.

I'm not sure if it's a dependency issues, more of a case that he simply can't handle his ****. Everyone's got a mate who when drunk, either passes out or gets naked or gets emotional or like Zac gets agro. Actually he sounds like he does all of those. But society can probably deal with someone who when drunk acts the goat - it's the agro **** that is a problem -especially when it's a 100kg 6'1 rugby player. Alcohol & him don't mix. He needs something in his Saders contract & AB contract that stipulates whilst employed by them i.e during the season he cannot drink a drop, if he does his contract is ripped up. If he really needs to get on it, go to a farmhouse or beach in the middle of nowhere and go bananas. I know a lot of the AFL boys disappear to the USA at the end of the season, where noone knows them and they get as smashed and as high as they want with no media intrusion. If Zac really needs to drink when playing rugby, he just needs to be smart about where and when he does it. But as well as having an issue with the grog, he also sounds like he's not the sharpest tool in the shed.