The Cronulla Sharks and playmaker Todd Carney are talking again after Carney won his unfair dismissal case against his former club.

28-year-old Carney, currently playing for Catalans in the European Super League was sacked by the Sharks in 2014 due to a string of unsavoury incidents which culminated in a photo of Carney urinating into his own mouth being made public.

If he was at any other club, Carney would have been punted long before June last year. Infact, the Goulburn product had already been shown the door by Canberra and the Sydney Roosters.

Apparently Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan wants Carney back.

But this decision needs to be made by people above Flanagan. This is about the future of the club and how it is perceived by the public.

Cronulla needs to change its culture and how we look at the Sharks. If they re-sign Carney, they are doomed to make the same mistakes.

Their new future started on Sunday and rookie five-eight Jack Bird who mesmermised the Roosters, scoring a double and hand Cronulla their first win of 2015.

The Sharks have a decision to make. They can bring Carney back and take the short term option or they can start again and build something real.

Russell Crowe and Shane Richardson did it with South Sydney, Todd Greenberg with Canterbury-Bankstown.

With the likes of Valentine Holmes and Bird leading the way, Cronulla must plan for a sustainable future.

Cronulla captain Paul Gallen was full of praise for young Bird after the 20-12 win over the tricolours.

“He’s a good kid, he’s got that knack, he’s got that vision, he’s tough as nails and he’s got a real bright future ahead of him,” Gallen said.

Coach Flanagan agreed.

“Birdy had a great game, scored two tries… we knew he had it in him,” Flanagan said.

Todd Carney has talent but he is not the future Cronulla need.

Whether the Sharks have the guts or foresight is another question altogether.