Gregor Paul: Breakers struggling with Cameron on the bench

The ever-expanding girth of Pero Cameron tells the story of where the Breakers have gone wrong this season.

The club's talisman has rotted on the bench for much of the campaign, his weight escalating from a lack of game time and frustration.

If the Breakers were thriving by keeping Cameron on the bench, coach Frank Arsego could be hailed a genius. They are not.

The 106-105 defeat to the Cairns Taipans on Friday night kept them on track to miss the playoffs and stories about player discontent continue to surface.

At least now he is admitting the whole organisation is under pressure to get results. Earlier in the season Chapman rubbished the Herald on Sunday for suggesting Arsego had lost the dressing room and was being eyed for the chop. When he found out I was Scottish, he suggested I had taken the worst aspects of English tabloid journalism to New Zealand.

Neither geography nor promoting winning basketball teams appears to be his strong suit. When I called him this week he said he didn't like my journalism and hung up.

I'm not surprised he didn't like my journalism. It involves asking thorny questions and doing a bit of digging to get to the truth. Chapman much prefers the friendly faces who toss a few dollies and then report the unyieldingly positive answers verbatim.

But after the Breakers' fourth straight defeat, against the Townsville Crocodiles on December 31, even Chapman had to acknowledge that coach and players alike need victories if contracts are to be renewed. The hypocrisy is startling, yet somehow refreshing.

Acceptance of a problem is usually half the battle.

Which brings us back to Cameron. If Arsego wants to keep his job and salvage something from this season, he needs to win Cameron over. It's too late to win him back physically, but mentally he needs Cameron to be hungry again.

For most of the year, Arsego has favoured Ben Pepper as his main offensive thrust.

Cameron is Breakers' highest earner. His payment is in recognition that the team should be built around him. Every coach that's worked with Cameron has recognised his ability to energise a team. He inspires through his actions, bringing players into the game with his passing and brute strength.

But to get the best out of Cameron he needs to be the main man. He loves the responsibility, thrives under pressure.

The Breakers' players have not enjoyed seeing Cameron pushed to the periphery. He has always accepted his star role with humility and humbleness, which in turn has strengthened his position.

The respect for Cameron is enormous and the players want Arsego to buy into that.

So far he has refused, leading to the players losing faith in him. The division between coach and players has been gradual, a gentle erosion of confidence.

Only Mike Chappell, Aaron Olsen and Paul Henare are signed up for next season.

Cameron and Dillon Boucher, the other high-profile Kiwi who has endured a frustrating season, are both likely to stay if offered contracts. It's not that they are happy, but both players know they will struggle to earn their current remuneration in Australia.

They are also aware that the chances of Arsego being in charge next season are slim. The Breakers' owners have been wary of swinging the axe. They cut Jeff Green mid-way through last season. If they did the same to Arsego, the club would earn an unwelcome reputation.

However, the smart thing would be to let Arsego go at the end of season. Then they should hire Tab Baldwin, a man who would entrust Cameron to lead the revival.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY