Pretty sure the press have been happy to share what he was being paid and his failure to ever play finals footy. You think that doesn't serve in winding fans up when your team is consistently losing.This is a massive misconception. When have the press ever singled him out over anyone else in at the club. No one has been more vitriolic than his own clubs supporters for 10 years.
Every clubs fans judge their highest paid players when their team is losing and the press feed off it.
Plenty going on in the Souths forums at the moment about their stars and disappointment about their performance and the coach who is not reeling them in. While ever their losing the press will feed of the fans dissatisfaction and continue to share it which results in bandwagon mentalities.
We live in a world now where the press have access to what the fans are thinking and if it means stirring the pot to attract interest they will throw anyone under the bus.