3 questions for Ross- If you had the chance?

[saintbrat]

the question was put after the interview on FC Monday, and has gotten muddied.
But just what three questions would you put to Ross;?

#what area of football and it's LIFE in Melbourne has meant the biggest change for you?
#Have you had to change or develop any personal traits in being a Senior coach as opposed to being an assistant?
#what strengths do each of the assistant coaches and the Football Manager bring to the group when it comes to ideas? apart from the areas they are responsible for - are there traits that you would go to each for?


so what would be your questions?

[Eastern]

They are very good questions Brat !!

My questions to Ross would be;

1. Do you think you could do any more to stop the media (Caroline Wilson) perception/speculation that your heart is still in Sydney?

2. Do you believe that you have all the off-field resources required to be successful? or do you think we still have a way to go?

3. Are you involved in much of the planning for the move to Frankston in 18 months time?

!!

[Eastern]

*BUMP*

So ??

No-one else has any questions for the coach !!

[Otiman]

Not like they're going to get to him.

[saintbrat]

so if you were given the opportunity , you wouldn't have anything to ask-- just wondering when we were all a little critical fo the 'journo's' for NOt asking differant questions- was curious as to exactly what people wanted to ask.

maybe that's why the ' what do you like to eat' question always reappeared on Player chats--

one of the sections that was mooted for saintscentral was player chats- if it happens maybe the opportunity will arise.

[Otiman]

What do you think of Aaron Hamill?

[meher baba]

Please describe the role that you trying to use Brendon Goddard in?

Please explain the theory behind making all the forwards run towards the same spot?

You have said repeatedly that you never asked the players to play defensively. So why do you think they chose to do so?

[bigcarl]

1) what are you doing about riewoldt's kicking?

2) what are you doing about kosi's leading and presenting?

3) in which position are the above supposed to be playing? ie were both playing chf on sunday?

[markinUSA]

1. What are the main differences you've noticed between the Saints and the Swans?

2. Where do you think the Saints will finish this year?

3. If you could pick one area for us to improve in, so that our on-field success would improve, what would it be?

[n1ck]

1. Are you being given the right support by the board, in regard to the football department?

2. If there was one player you could choose to come to St.Kilda, who would it be, and why?

3. On FC, Monday night, you seemed very quick to say 'I love St.Kilda'. Honestly, is that true?

[JeffDunne]

1. Do you think we have a list to challenge for a flag now?

If "Yes" :

2a. Why are we currently so far off the pace?

3a. Do the players think you're "soft" (as in soft on them)?

If "No" to 1 :

2b. Was this your initial evaluation of the list?

If "Yes" :

3b. Was our trading/drafting done with the view to shore up your next contract?

If "No" to 2b :

3c. If you got it so wrong the first time, why should we trust your judgement in rebuilding so we are a threat?

[Otiman]

Alright, given I got stuck into the Westaway thread, i'll give this one a go too.


1. Do you believe you have the full support and respect of the playing group?

2. What is your working relationship with Matthew Drain? Who reports to whom?

3. How have you found the learning curve of being a head coach over being an assistant?

[mad saint guy]

What do you think of Aaron Hamill?

Who's the most annoying player at the club?

Who's funnier - Milney or Bakes?

[cwrcyn]

1. Creative backmen are crucial in the current game. Given this, what is your justification for playing Sean Dempster?

2. Are you instructing players to zone off opponents to protect space further up the ground? That is, are you instructing that there be a specific maximum number of players allowed at each contested situation?


3. Why do you have the two key forwards positioned so deep when our players take possession of the ball just behind the centre of the ground?

[SaintWodonga]

1) Will you play BJ in the midfeild?
2) Can we expect Ferg more up forward?
3) What is your current draft policy? (ie we used to go for the best player available, are we now selcing for holes int he list?)

[midas_touch]

1. Do the players fully understand the game plan, or is it a matter of them not executing it correctly?

2. What changes to our list are needed to make it capable of winning premierhips, or do you believe we are already capable of winning one?

3. Are you addressing the goal kicking problem which is apparent at the club?

[BigMart]

1) have you embraced the club and its culture?.......you seem to be stuck in Sydney.....it's a bit like when Ned lost Maude, and cut his next date's hair to look like her.....you have made us play their S*** style of footy...

2) If you loved Sydney so much, why did you leave? is that why you are recruiting their players???

3) Do you wish our jumpers had no black?....

[Cairnsman]

1. Does the club employ a psychiatrist?
2. Have you ever read Ric Charlesworth's book 'The Coach'
3. How much IT technology do you employ?

[Winmarvellous]

1. Why can our players no longer perform drop punts to hit a target?

2. Why is Jason Gram still getting a game off half-back?

3. When will we see some attacking flair return to the team?

[maverick]

1. Why are you using BJ as a pinch hitting KPP?

2. What is Dempster offering the club and where do you see his future?

3. Please give us an idea how the ideal forward structure looks on paper and should operate, because I can't see one.

[Zippy]

I have just gotten off the phone with Ross, and will relay his answers to some of the questions:

Saintbrat: "what area of football and it's LIFE in Melbourne has meant the biggest change for you?"

By far the biggest change has been being at a club without massive subsidies. I couldn't believe it the first time the board refused to authorise the guys to bathe in champagne.

Eastern: "1. Do you think you could do any more to stop the media (Caroline Wilson) perception/speculation that your heart is still in Sydney?"

I'm too honest a person to try and stop that speculation.

Meher baba "Please explain the theory behind making all the forwards run towards the same spot?"

Quite simple, really. The more people we have where the ball is, the better our chances are of winning the ball. We can't spread out and present multiple targets because after our midfield gets confused if they have more than one potential target.

Meher baba "You have said repeatedly that you never asked the players to play defensively. So why do you think they chose to do so?"

A large proportion of any AFL list is in its teens or early 20's. No-one who's raised teenagers of their own would ask why the list does the opposite of what I say.

Bigcarl "2) what are you doing about kosi's leading and presenting?"

I've asked him to read several manuals on forward play. This will take a while, because we'll firstly have to teach him to read.

markinusa: "1. What are the main differences you've noticed between the Saints and the Swans?"

At the saints, we can't get away with cheap slugs to the guts, tunnelling, or other dubious tactics. This has made my entire coaching strategy, which worked so well at the swans, much weaker.

n1ck: "2. If there was one player you could choose to come to St.Kilda, who would it be, and why?"

Matthew Richardson. As you may have noticed from my selections, I don't believe we should pay so much attention to good footskills.

Jeffdune: "3b. Was our trading/drafting done with the view to shore up your next contract?"

Of course. There isn't a coach in the history of the world who hasn't done that. We can't all be like Terry Wallace, and work for a club dumb enough to let you fail for five years straight.

Otimarn: "2. What is your working relationship with Matthew Drain? Who reports to whom?"

Never heard of him. Is he someone down at the club, is he?

mad saint guy: "Who's funnier - Milney or Bakes?"

That's like asking what's more fun out of being knifed or being shot. They're both very funny in their own minds.

cwrcyn: "1. Creative backmen are crucial in the current game. Given this, what is your justification for playing Sean Dempster?"

Sean Dempster is more creative than you think. I hardly know what he's going to do. Even he doesn't know most of the time.

Saintwodonga: "1) Will you play BJ in the midfeild?"

He needs to reduce the accuracy of his kicking, then I'll consider him.

midas_touch: "1. Do the players fully understand the game plan, or is it a matter of them not executing it correctly?"

They should understand it. I was hired for my tactical nous, and I set out my (very simple) game plan in a series of five four-hundred page manuals. Who woulda thunk AFL players didn't like that kind of thing? We never had that problem at Sydney. except for our forwards, backs, rucks, and most of our midfield.

Bigmart: "1) have you embraced the club and its culture?......."

I was going to, but apparently the days of the 'fun' culture are behind us. It's a shame, I'd already bought five kilos of meth which I had to flush when Greg Westaway came around to explain it to me.

Cairnman: "1. Does the club employ a psychiatrist?"

He quit after we tried to get him to work on Milney.

Winmarvellous: "2. Why is Jason Gram still getting a game off half-back?"

I like a low-possession style of game. And Gram has mastered that in recent times.

maverick: "3. Please give us an idea how the ideal forward structure looks on paper and should operate, because I can't see one."

The ideal forward structure has Barry Hall at CHF. This is why we're having problems, but you'll be pleased to hear Paul Roos has offered to give him to us in exchange for Nick Reiwoldt and a first-round draft pick.

[mbogo]

1. Do you think we have the capability to beat any other team?
2. Could you see us strangling Geelong as Collingwood did?
3. Which forward can we rely on in the last minutes of a GF?

[Teflon]

Do you "love" st kilda ?
Can you please love st kilda more?
Could you please speak weekly about your love for st kilda to placfate the sad, desperate, lonely and "in need of security" type of supporters we have?

Many thanks

BIGTEFFA.

[barks4eva]

1. How on earth did it take you 31 games to play Ferguson in the forwardline, whilst in the meantime elevating C.Gardiner ahead of him at one stage in the pecking order and playing players such as Fiora, L.Fisher, Birss, etc...etc...in preference to him?

2. What is the exact reason why you dropped Armitage and elevated Fiora after Fiora played like a cabbage for Casey and Armitage played a good game in only the 50% of game time he did get, kicking two goals from the midfield and not forgetting that was promoting Fiora ahead of Ferguson once again, please explain?????????

3. Can you give me Rixy's mobile number?

[saintbrat]

3. Can you give me Rixy's mobile number?

hey barks You have a party and Rixy will come

This year Steven Baker is joined by Michael Rix to add a touch of St Kilda to your special event.

Specialising in birthday parties, BBQ's and functions, the duo will entertain your guests and guarantee you'll receive a fun, unique and memorable event.
Go on, give the boys a call!

http://www.saints.com.au/Saintly%20Ente ... fault.aspx