Is he just a guy who makes moves on Gameday?
Is he just a guy who teaches players how to kick etc?
Is he a combination of both?
I think the best example of a coach is the guy who takes on the Under 9's. Sees raw talent and develops it into something that can one day shine. He teaches the kids how to kick and hand pass - but he does not do it for ladder positions or win/loss records. He does it so the in 5 years they will have a shot at doing something with their football!
All the diatribe (or verbal diarrhoea) about GT v RL is rubbish - as is the discussion with regards to our ladder position at the end of this year. We need a coach looking to 2009, 2010 and beyond to coach us.
Most of the 22 who go out on the field each week can kick a football, most can handball, those who cant now will never be great axponents of the art. Gameday plans are so important on the day, but in truth would Geelog in its present incarnation be affected if the opposition pulled off some brilliant stragegy, I think not, they would just find another way to smash you.
The future is in the hands of the coach now, even if we win the GF this year, the review of the coach and players should not be looking backwads but to 2009, 2010 etc. Player A (I wont use X) may be the most fantastic player to pull on a jumper - but if he does not suit where the team is headed or his head is not right he should not be retained.
2004, the streak, we would have done that whoever was coaching us, a first year coach gets the benefits/liabilities of the coach 2 years ago, in truth this year was RL first year of being responsible for the cattle he had and next year is his lodestone, the testing of what he has planned for over the past 2 years. We at St Kilda have suffered because coaches have had to coach for the now, not the future.
We need to review this year on what it was - a year which meant one game made the difference between 8th and 4th - a year that a few champions stood up, a couple of kids shone through and in general we just got the job done. This does not change even if we win the Flag!!!!!
Coach for a successful future and that is what you will have, coach looking backwards and that is where you will go.
Be brave Ross and look forwards, make the hard calls, if that means culling a premiership player or two
then so be it. Coach us as if your 2011 contract depends upon it!
that the emphasis on a coach/player review will be for the 2009 and beyond year - not how we went in 2008!