I just watched the
Burton Interview
"I am enjoying my time here" appears positive, but the phrase 'my time here' tells me that he treats it like a likely temporary phase and is yet to deeply connect to the Club as his spiritual home. This is very normal given he has only been here 2 years and it has been loss after loss and drama after drama while his value shoots up way above his payments.
"The club {this and that} - he talks like the Club is separate to him. He does not say, our Club ever. Once again, he is happy to be a Bulldogs player for the term of contract - but he is very comfortable leaving if the $$ is not right - which is also perfectly reasonable.
I am not having a go at Burton for his language and exposing his position. I am flagging that the Club needs to put itself on notice that there is a lot of work to be done to make Burton feel and want to belong to the Bulldogs for the next 10 years+. This should be the goal and our salary cap and his talent should make a 10 year contract happen. I would even be talking about a contract after footy to promote the Club and train the younger players coming through on good money too.
This may well be the most important signing we will make in the past 20 years and the next 10.
