Sam Newman on friendship with Eddie McGuire and moving with the times

WOULD Sam Newman ever get an invite to Eddie McGuire’s place for dinner? The Footy Show stalwart has offered some surprising insights on the pair’s friendship.

THEY’VE worked together for more than two decades.

But are The Footy Show duo Sam Newman and Eddie McGuire really good mates?

And what did Newman really think of the departures and arrivals of Garry Lyon, Rebecca Maddern, James Brayshaw and Craig Hutchison?

Both Newman and McGuire spoke to the Herald Sun for one-on-one interviews earlier this year — here’s what the former Geelong great had to say.

THIS IS THE DAY THE FOOTY SHOW DIED

THE FRONT BAR’S SECRET WEAPON IN RATINGS WAR

Your friendship with Eddie McGuire has lasted more than 25 years yet you seem so different from one another. Is it (bond) something you expected?

I never expect anything in life. I am not a planner, I am a day-to-dayer. It (The Footy Show) started 25 years ago, himself (McGuire) organising it, and asking me to be part of it. Then he went on to bigger and better things — to try to run the network (Nine). And then he came back due to obvious circumstances that happened along the way to Mr Brayshaw and Lyon and Hutchison, who were all fantastic people, and a great part of the show.

Eddie McGuire, Sam Newman, Rebecca Maddern and Dave Hughes on The Footy Show. Picture: Supplied

We are back together. People ask, am I glad? I’m very glad to be back working with Eddie McGuire. I was very glad to be working with the other people as well. Eddie, and I make no apologies for it, he is a great friend of mine. I respect him, he has been fantastic for this city (Melbourne) and, in fact, this country.

But we are not sycophantic (with one another). We have completely different views about things — we are almost polar opposites. But we’re sensible enough … to disagree … and it doesn’t turn into a war, or any acrimony. It turns into a sensible, robust discussion about what your point of view is and why. And vice versa. And that is the way to have a discussion, or even an argument. Arguments can be OK. As long as they don’t end up in any acrimony.

Why do you think you work so well with Eddie on air?

I get criticised by lots of people but when Eddie critiques me, rather than criticises me, I know why he does that. And I am happy to say I am Luddite-ish. I am a troglodyte. I am a dinosaur. People love to call me out of date and living in another century, and they are probably right. So he and a couple of others helped drag me into the new millennium. But I still represent the opinions of a lot of people out there.

Newman and McGuire in an exclusive interview with Dustin Martin for the Footy Show

He is on the boil, and on the button, and points out why I should have a different point of view. He doesn’t tell me ever what to say, or what not to say. He is always thinking four or five steps ahead of me, to what the ramifications of what I am about to say or do will be. So that is good. If I could say this, being 20 years older than him, he is a mentor of mine.

When Eddie left The Footy Show to run Nine how long did it take to adjust to Garry Lyon and James Brayshaw?

It took me about one second to adjust to Garry and James. They are fantastic people, and very talented people. I used to go out and chat to people in the street, and be a buffoon, and they seemed to find humour in that. That was good, so we got on very well.

People are different. Eddie had a very strong news bent, and had serious content (in The Footy Show) because he takes the game very seriously. I don’t take it quite as seriously. He has to take it seriously because he is president of the most successful sporting club in the country (Collingwood Football Club).

During that time with James and Garry, how often would you chat to Eddie?

Well, when we started out I had no different relationship with him then, than now. I don’t go around to his house for dinner. Although I’d love to if he ever asked me. I don’t go on holidays with him, although I’d love to if he ever asked me. I don’t meet him for coffee, although if he wanted to have a coffee, I’d come every time he wished. But you don’t have to. You have in life a handful of friends. And I would class him as certainly one of them. Whether I spoke to him on a weekly or monthly basis.

McGuire and Newman in 1997.

Eddie is a very social person. You are more introverted. Would you consider yourself that?

Yes, I am absolutely introverted. I have said this before, I expect the worst and hope for the best. Eddie expects the best, and hopes it gets much better. And that is a fact. I am a pessimist.

Anyone who is in this (showbiz) industry (knows) there is a lot of people who will clamour over you on the way to what they hope is getting to the top. The people I have worked with, they are the most generous and loyal people. They would always have your back, which is why I always feel confident about what I do on our show.

Whether I transgress or not, I know that Brayshaw or Lyon or Hutchison — but certainly Eddie — would have your back and defend you. They might criticise you, but they will always defend you, and they will never speak ill of you behind your back. And I know that for a fact.

I think that’s what makes for a great working relationship with people. And you must remember this, you spend a third of your life in bed, a third of your life working, and a third of your life in leisure. And if you don’t like the people you work with, or the people you go to bed with, life is pretty ordinary.

The third phase of The Footy Show was Rebecca Maddern coming in.

I forgot to mention Rebecca, I forgot to do that. I’m glad you asked me about Rebecca.

That was brought about by what happened with Garry. There are things in life that you want to happen, and then there are things that happen that are outside your control.

She was a great addition to the show. From the little eruption that happened (Lyon leaving) she came on, and she changed the dynamic of it. Fifty per cent of the people that watch AFL football are women (so) it seemed sensible … and that has been great.

Bec Maddern was a great addition to the show, Newman says. Picture: Supplied.

But there have been times I’ve watched and you seemed to be getting frustrated.

You asked me about frustration, I have certainly been frustrated over the journey. In 25 years, I have been frustrated several times. But the frustration more came towards the end of last year and the year before. Not so much the people on the show, but the people behind the scenes. And other offices, the upper office, not wishing me, or the show, to go in a certain direction, or do certain things. Because they, quite rightly, have a broadcasting tribunal standard to adhere to. And they (rules) have changed markedly over the years. So that a lot of things, you just are not able to do for a whole lot of different laws, and bylaws, and politically correct additions to clauses you have.

They (Nine management) are very mindful of their license. Whereas I am not mindful at all. So, this would be well known, I have had some fairly strenuous conversations with people in the top offices, because I still regard as good people and friends, but we had several different points of view about content, and its relevance. And in the end, those people always win. Because it’s no good having a dog and barking yourself. The tail can never wag the dog. So they always win. But that has been frustrating. Because what I think would be good content, they think, ‘It probably would be, but we’re not going to do it’.

When you were in that third phase of The Footy Show and getting frustrated, when did you get an inkling Eddie might be back in the picture and what was your reaction?

Well, I have never had anything to do with running the show, per say. I am never going to. I am an employee, I think I am listed as the co-host. But I am just cannon fodder for people.

But the rumblings start … this whole thing is predicated on ratings — that is what our whole life is predicated on — when the ratings start to not be so good, the people who had made the appointments in the first place, and the people appointed in the second place, were starting to question themselves.

And overtures were being made to Eddie up in headquarters in Sydney. So I just assumed that things were on the move. But if I could quickly say this, I had absolutely no idea, and nothing to do with it (McGuire’s return).

You were close, and then the band is back (McGuire and Newman together again on the Footy Show).

When it was decided he was coming back, that was fantastic. But to say, “what a relief” would be to do tremendous disservice to Craig who tried as hard as he could and probably was thrust into it when he wasn’t even sure he wanted to do it.

[e-mail]

*What did Eddie McGuire have to say? Read it tomorrow at heraldsun.com.au