McLeod unhappy

Press, 16 August 1985, Page 32

McLeod unhappy

By

FRANK DUGGAN

The American basketbailer, Eddie McLeod, will fly out of Christchurch for Belgium on Monday morning, disillusioned and upset over the treatment he has received by the Canterbury Basketball Association in recent weeks.

Yesterday he received confirmation of a SUS2O,OOO eight-mohth contract with a leading Belgian club, Ghent. Earlier in the week he was also approached to play in Ireland. He will start playing for his new club as soon as possible, and his contract will extend until mid-April. McLeod was contracted to be the second American player in the Converse Canterbury Countrywide basketball league team this season, but has failed to get confirmation of a renewal of his contract.

Clyde Huntley was the first American to join the team three years ago, and has since been granted permanent residency in New Zealand.

Yesterday, McLeod was outspoken over the association’s attitude over the likelihood of his contract being renewed.

“They would not give me a yes or a no, they just left me in limbo,” said McLeod.

“They kept hedging every time I asked them, and I’m not prepared to wait until the end of the year to find whether I’m in or out,” he said.

“I’m a professional, and I make my living playing basketball. I can’t sit around for several months not working. “I think I proved myself during my stay with Canterbury,” said McLeod. “I was the highest scorer, the second highest rebounder, one behind John Hill, and had the best free throw average. What more did they want?”

McLeod thinks Canterbury administrators must have a more professional approach if the league team is to be even more successful than in this season. “Amateurs can’t adequately administer professional sport,” he said, “and dealing with professional players is totally different than handling amateurs.”

Canterbury finished equal third in the league, after losing its semi-final in Wellington against the eventual winners, Exchequer Saints. “We should have never lost that match, and another four or five earlier in the season,” said McLeod. He blames inconsistent player replacements during the games as one of the reasons why Canterbury did not become the title-holder.

He gave three other reasons for Canterbury’s losses.

“Andy Bennett should have been persuaded to remain in the squad before he left at the second round of matches.

“Another forward, Dave Usmar, should also have been talked into returning to the squad instead of taking a 12-month lay-off, but most of all, the administrators should have realised that miracles just don’t happen, you have to work at them,” said McLeod.

“They expected a miracle everytime I stepped on the court. The only thing is that most times they didn’t use me properly, and then it got to the stage where some of the players stopped passing the ball to me,” he said.

“Stalemate, and when it came to blaming somebody for a loss, I was the one picked out.”

McLeod would like to play in New Zealand again. He thinks that basketball is on the rise, and would like to be part of that progression, although he doubts returning to Canterbury.