Patrick Smith weighs in on the debate ....

[stinger]

Smith has it spot on in this instance.

All the trigger happy nancies wanting change cause they dont like Butters hair style (see Jeff) have lost the plot.

NOW is the time for club stability and NOT the time for backroom boardmember cut lunch commandoes who wanna play AFL heavy for a while.

We have a new coach who can coach
We are profitable
We are rectifying our injury worries
We are pushing extra funds into footy dept
We are seeking a major sponsor
We are seeking a long term viable option to provide elite training services.

Not the time to panick and bring in a half@ssed bedlam, Denis or Lindsay and his mate from Carlton NOR is it the time to demonstrate to the footy world that St Kilda will do once again what it always has......implode.

This is the time to show some strength.........you can already see the squibs who dont have the stomach for it.....

finally worked out who you are.......we are not buying it rod.......

[evertonfc]

This bloke takes the cake for self-serving journalism.

Two bits of advice Patrick: next time you're on a golf course, tuck your shirt in - your gut hangs out and it makes your stoop even worse - and stick to commenting on issues which you know about.

Leave the grandstanding to those with a grip on reality.

You've always been an outsider with no contacts at St Kilda - because GT flushed them out - and you've had it in for him ever since.

[JeffDunne]

"Please explain" everton.

There's got to be a story behind that last comment.

[evertonfc]

No story

Patrick Smith didn't have any inside word at St Kilda whilst GT was on deck.

Just different to how it was previously, that's all.

[Mr Magic]

No story

Patrick Smith didn't have any inside word at St Kilda whilst GT on deck.

Just different to how it was previously, that's all.

After the 'hammering' Smith gave him early on, GT had nothing to do with him for a long, long time.

But interestingly Patrick nominated him as coach of the year later on (maybe he was trying to mend fences?) and until the SEN Tirade Fiasco, Smith used to speak of Thomas in 'glowing' terms on his spot on Hungry for Sport.


I find it interesting that an article supporting RB written by Smith is greeted with derision but articles written by Caro are seemingly accepted as o.k.
Yet Caro generally seems to be held in the same 'esteem' as Smith. WHy the differing response to their articles?

If the Smith article had been anti-RB, would it have been met with the same derision on this Forum?

So, probably what I am really asking in a roundabout fashion is whether the subject matter of the article determines our view of the writer?

e.g. Is there any article Hutchy the Tosser could write that would make you think he was a 'serious journalist'?:)

[evertonfc]

With Caroline Wilson, there's grudging respect. She's a journalist first - with impeccable contacts - and then a commentator second. I think whilst a lot don't like her, she continues to break stories that aren't always dug out of the gutter.

With Smith, there's almost no respect. It's been eroded because of his notoriously poor strike rate in opinion articles, sloppy football knowledge and the general feeling in the football community that his articles are often out of touch and sometimes completely irrelevant.

When he comments on St Kilda, I treat his pieces like they're written on an internet forum. I struggle to believe, on the strength of what he writes, he's better informed than your average AFL supporter.

He's not a reporter; he's just a commentator, like we all are these days...

[joffaboy]

With Caroline Wilson, there's grudging respect. She's a journalist first

She is a gossip columnist. When was the last time se ever wrote about football, not social issues, or internal politics?

No a football writers arsehole.

[evertonfc]

With Caroline Wilson, there's grudging respect. She's a journalist first

She is a gossip columnist. When was the last time se ever wrote about football, not social issues, or internal politics?

Couple of days ago...?

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/s ... 38570.html

[Shaggy]

We are in the bottom quartile for footy operation expenditure including injury management (how many consultants reviews will it take before the Board will actually spend the money on our operations rather than advice).

If this is the case, and the board has met every financial football dept request as reported, who then is responsible for the above?

Is football operations and injury management a board activity or function, or is it the responsibility of the football dept?

The Board should not be involved in the day to day operations. But it is the Board’s responsibility to monitor operational performance, identify any material weaknesses and ensure appropriate steps are being taken to rectify those weaknesses.

IMO injury management issues cost us a flag in 2005, a final four spot in 2006 and now a finals spot in 2007. The Board has failed. I know Starc left because of personal reasons but were we willing to pay over the odds to entice him to stay? I doubt it. Why are we only going to start looking at an AIS review now when Smithy has been around as a consultant for the Saints the past year?

I don’t accept the press that the Board has funded all the football department’s requests. RL has mentioned us being in the bottom quartile for expenditure on numerous occasions in his press conferences. Why would RL mention it if he was being given all the support he wanted? I agree with meher baba's take on the matter. If it is a concern for RL then it should concern all supporters.

More damning to me anyway was AF’s statement that we were increasing recruitment expenditure to $400,000 next year (pathetic given Wobbles spent $750,000 last year) and JB had been asked to come back at end of this year with a business plan for the Board’s approval based on the increased budget.

Since when is it normal that the budget is prepared first and then the business plan?

Our Board priorities are wrong. IMO our list peaks in 2009 and it is time to do something about the Board to give our premiership hopes the best chance before it is too late (which in terms of recruitment is probably already too late given a 3 year development cycle).

[joffaboy]

With Caroline Wilson, there's grudging respect. She's a journalist first

She is a gossip columnist. When was the last time se ever wrote about football, not social issues, or internal politics?

Couple of days ago...?

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/s ... 38570.html

Again, nothing about the game itself, just the peripheral politics and wheeling and dealing in admin.

Not a football writers arsehole.

I'll stick with that.

[evertonfc]

Again, nothing about the game itself, just the peripheral politics and wheeling and dealing in admin.

Not a football writers arsehole.

I'll stick with that.

Hang on, can you give me an example of the vague 'about the game' theme you're talking about? Seems a bit broad and nonsensical to me.

In my book, the article shot your claim your bits - it was purely about getting an experienced guy on board to help select a coach. Not controversial, not gutter journalism...just informing the public about how one club is going about selecting its coach - something rather important, particuarly to Melbourne fans.

Looking forward to this reply...