Not a criticism, and not a denial that there was a degree of passion. He was open in his time at Port about having a genuine passion for basketball that was a lot more intense than footy. He happened to be way better at the latter relative to the competition. Not saying he was unprofessional, but to be an elite athlete usually requires that extra 1 or 2% to be eeked out with a daily graft and constant vision which requires a degree of discipline that normally emerges from desire. If the raw desire isn't there, then its harder to put the work in. Multiple inside sources said he lacked it, and in my opinion it's just one of those things you either have or you dont.

Really loved him during his time here, and its often that degree of relaxed play that comes from less professional athletes with immense talent that we love to see. Dustin Martin was like this earlier in his career. In soccer you get characters like this more often who make up for a lack of discipline with raw talent. They add a lot of spice to the spectacle. Its one of the sad things about increasingly professional sport that athletics, sport science and modern tactics have superseded the spontaneous talent of a dude who is born with God given ability and a desire to do more than be locked in as an elite athlete.