Port Adelaide ruckman Ivan Soldo’s career is at a crossroads after St Kilda sensationally pulled out of trade negotiations on Sunday.
The ruckman had requested a trade back home to Melbourne after Instagram influencer girlfriend Chelsea Becirevic earlier said the “novelty” of living in Adelaide had worn off quickly.
The 23-year-old model has previously hit out at reports she is the reason Soldo wants to leave South Australia.
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The 28-year-old has had a turbulent time in Adelaide after a high-profile move from Richmond at the end of the 2023 season. His request to leave the Power came just one season into a three-year contract.
That move had already been criticised by footy pundits heading into the trade period and he has now been left in limbo after the Saints withdrew their interest on Sunday.
Nine News’ Tom Morris first reported St Kila walked away over concerns around Soldo’s knee.
According to Morris, Soldo is happy to return to the Power, but does not want to live in the City of Churches.
St Kilda’s decision comes after reports Soldo did not attend the Power’s best and fairest presentation night on October 4.
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According to 7News, Soldo and Becirevic were interstate attending an engagement party. The football club did invite Soldo to attend the John Cahill Medal awards night.
News of Soldo’s decision to skip the awards night did not sit well with Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley.
The former Magpies coach described the annual best and fairest events held by football clubs as “sacrosanct”.
“I cannot for the life of me fathom why a player who has represented a club and shared the blood, sweat and tears of that season with his teammates does not go to a best and fairest,” Buckley told SEN Breakfast.
“That is the culmination of the last 12 months of work. Just go. It makes no sense not to go. You can work your schedule around it.
“That is of one a handful of days or occasions that you should be there for the football club.
“Individuals and their sense of self worth or they’re wounded in some shape or another, get over it. You’ve signed on to a football club. You’ve signed on to a group of people to commit mind, body and soul and your talent alongside everyone else’s talent to win a premiership and to further the club.
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“Best and fairests are sacrosanct. You must get there.”
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes was also scathing of Soldo’s behaviour and described the former Tigers premiership player as “one of the more disappointing recruits Port Adelaide has ever had”.
“The Saints have dodged a bullet here,” Cornes said on Channel 9’s Footy Furnace in a conversation with Morris.
“So not only are they worried about the knee. They’d have to be worried about his character. I know… you reported that they (Power) are happy to have him back. I’m not certain of that.
“And certainly, Ivan doesn’t want to go back. He’s got to really look at the way he’s carried himself at Port Adelaide and the character that he is.
“There’s certainly questions whether he fits into a team environment at a football club. He didn’t go to the best and fairest. He came to Port Adelaide to be the number one ruckman, but he was superseded by Jordon Sweet. So the minute it got a little too hard he wanted out. And he wanted out before he had a destination.
Cornes went on to say: “He’s certainly one of the more disappointing recruits Port Adelaide has ever had. I’d be worried for his career and the way he’s accepted back into the team environment at Port Adelaide.”
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He said there were plenty of other players around the competition that would be better options than Soldo for any club looking for a second ruckman.
“If I’m a club, I wouldn’t go anywhere near Ivan Soldo,” Cornes said.
“He can go back to Port Adelaide, but I’d be worried the direction his career takes from here.”
Becirevic left Soldo behind in May to become a flight hostess with Emirates in Dubai after struggling to adjust to life in Adelaide.
The pair continued dating long-distance, but Becirevic has since quit the job and flown back to Australia to be with her partner as he navigates his future.
“I’m honestly fed up with the ridiculous narrative that keeps circulating. I’ve stayed silent for far too long, but it’s time to set the record straight,” she told her 66,000 Instagram followers.
“Somehow I’ve become the centre of attention for a trade that has nothing to do with me. I genuinely don’t understand where this information is coming from.
“Not that it’s anyone business but, I moved back from Dubai to support my boyfriend, and somehow I find myself being dragged through the media.
“It’s disappointing to see the same old story – where the girls gets blamed for everything.”
The 2.04m tapster only played eight AFL games this year and was eventually forced out of the senior side by Jordon Sweet.
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