tony74 wrote:This will fire up a few. Apart from Richo the next best coach is Lyon. He never wanted to leave and had the respect of the playing group. Russian roulette failed dismally.
It wont fire me up. Here's our coaches for the past 20 seasons (Stan Alves just sneaks in)
COACH G W L D % YEARS
Stan Alves 115 55 59 1 48.26 1994–98
Tim Watson 44 12 31 1 28.41 1999–2000
Malcolm Blight 15 3 12 0 20.00 2001
Grant Thomas 123 63 59 1 51.63 2001–06
Ross Lyon 121 76 41 4 64.46 2007–11
Scott Watters 44 17 27 0 38.64 2012–13
Alan Richardson 90 34 55 1 37.78 2014-
PRESIDENTS
Andrew Plympton (1993–2001)
Rod Butterss (2001–2007)
Greg Westaway (2007–2013)
Peter Summers (2013–present)
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that Lyon was our most winning coach. He had sone issues around developing youth - they say. But, he had a board and president hell bent on winning and money was thrown at players to keep them and little invested in 2nd tier players ( one reason why we failed as we lacked depth) ...don't forget Riewoldt was the million dollar man and others were getting paid very well - we cared little about getting newbies for a tomorrow when the big focus was on sculpting what we had into GF winners.
Grant Thomas warts and all had done some really good things but he maxed out and could only get us so far. But I'm not sure he was as bad as some think another year might have been a GF year- remember our alcohlic cocaine snorting president was a psycho and literally fired the man for wanting to invest more in the team and make signficant changes.
It was not Lyons fault we didn't get 2 GF wins. He did everything right. We were facing the Geelong juggernaut and our own mistakes cost us...I honestly don't think there was anything else to do - the best that could be extrapolated from the staff, coaching and players was left on the field and beyond my tears and flogging threats to Ross....I now am very proud of the team and coaches from Grant Thomas through to Ross Lyons last GF. If we didnt play games and signed him to a five year contract he may still be with us...he might even have got us to a few more top 8 finishes...I used to say he couldn't build a team just fine tune what someone elses blood sweat and tears laid down but he's doing exactly that in Fremantle...rebuilding and he wants too...he didnt jump ship once they had their run...I dont love everything he did but I miss his smarts and his knack of getting a way to win from what is on his plate even if its not pleasant to watch. The players absolutley loved Grant Thomas and ADORED Ross the Boss...total fact. I watched Nick and his gang eating lunch with Ross once in Frankston and they were literally hanging off his words.
This is why we have to let Richo go now. He asks- HOW CAN we get outworked so consistently across four quarters? That was the question St Kilda coach Alan Richardson asked his players. He didn't say - hey, I'm sorry I was oit coached again, I had a shockimg strategy, I was completely wrong at the selection table. I'm afraid to take a risk...I could have have moved anybody onto Ben Brown to stem the flow of goals...hell, throw Bruce back there, he's a damn fine fullback and actually needs a reboot. Chuck Brown up the forward - cant do any worse but Bruce CAN do better than Brown. I could have brought Battle in or Hickey I could have even broufht in 2 rucks - imagine that. Maybe dropping players that finished the season strong wasnt the best idea and gifting games to senior players who can barely get a touch isnt working. But no responsibilities taken just put it all on the players because its their fault after all right? He wasbt on the field.
I am 100% fine with firing Richo today and letting an assistant have a crack...let Kingsley coach he is so intelligent and may be the answer....
AUGUST 2017
"PORT Adelaide premiership player and St Kilda assistant Adam Kingsley should be Gold Coast’s next senior coach, according to David King.
The two-time premiership Kangaroo suggested Kingsley may need backup in the form of an experienced second-in-charge, but implored the 41-year-old to win the job ahead of several highly qualified candidates.
“I would be going for Adam Kingsley,” King told AFL 360.
“I’ve been in the St Kilda box a couple of times as an outsider — just sitting there observing — [he is] outstanding. I learn something every time he talks.”
NO ONE EVER COMES AWAY FROM AN ALAN RICHARDSON CONVERSATION THINKING THEY'VE LEARNED SOMETHING....EVER.