White Winmar wrote:In looking for positives in relation Andrew Lovett sacking, I think it's prudent to look back into our recent history as a club. It's only when we do so that we realise how far we've come. For those of us old enough to remember the late 70's and 80's, the scars still run deep. Seven wooden spoons in twelve years, no finals for eighteen years, the constant threat of extinction due to financial mismanagement and a VFL/AFL administration that was hellbent on "rationalising" (reducing) the number of Victorian teams. As if all that wasn't bad enough, St.Kilda was seen as the "party club", where the only good performances on a weekend were in the notorious "Saints" Disco.
The first signs of change came in 1987, when the Doc returned to coach a side that had "won" four consecutive wooden spoons and just 23 games in the previous six years! That's just one more than we won in 2009 alone! The Doc was said to be so horrified at the lack of skill in his group, he seriously contemplated jumping back on the plane to Lower Barrington, never to return! He was, however, a catalyst for change, and at least the tragic run of wooden spoons was broken. A kid called Lockett snagged a ton and a Brownlow and the likes of Loewe, Winmar, Burke and the following year, Harvey, gave cause for optimism. The club continued to struggle for a few years, but with Ken Sheldon taking the coaching reins, a new sense of professionalism was instilled in the place. A return to the finals in 1991-2 also helped renew belief that a premiership might have been possible.
Typically, just as optimism soared, the coach was sacked and the club once again flirted with extinction. The 1995 "SOS" campaign would surely be the last time the club could ask to be bailed out by its members and supporters. We did survive. Just. Incredibly, just two years later we'd won a night flag and made the 1997 Grand Final. Just as incredible was the fact that just three years later we were back on the bottom, having won just two games for the year. Fortunately, the knowledge stemming from the hard lessons of the previous 20 years was about to be put in place.
The "Blighty" fiasco once again pushed the club to the edge of the abyss. No one does survival better than the saints though, and from those ashes, the present Phoenix emerged. I know some will find the following a bit challenging, but credit has to be given to GT and Rod Butterss, for the way in which they engineered the long climb back. While I don't rate GT as a coach, and I think his stubbornness and arrogance probably cost us a flag or two, there is no denying that he engendered a sense of pride, self-belief and professionalism in the group. He wanted to build respect for the saints and he succeeded in that. His positive legacy was that he passed on to RL a core group of dedicated, passionate and professional footballers, who were also loyal to the saints. Meanwhile, the management of the club stabilised the finances (some might argue too much!). The decision to appoint RL in GT's place has also proved to be correct. (IMHO)
The club has never been more stable, both on and off the field, than in the past five years. Membership is set to be at record levels, there's money in the bank and we have a list that is capable of winning the flag for at least another 3-4 years. The AL fiasco is as severe a test as this club has faced for many years. What has impressed me most is the way the club has presented a strong and unified front. There have been many times in the past where the club motto "Strength through Loyalty" has meant little more than being three words on a shield. The club is, and has been, acting the motto for some time. We have seen a consistent message coming from all levels, from Board, to administration, to the playing group. The message is this,"Be a part of the team, act out its values, or get lost". In the not too distant past, the AL situation would have torn this club apart. There would have been media leaks, boardroom squabbles and no discernible plan to tackle the problem.
What I'm seeing is a united playing group, with strong leadership, that has sacrificed some potential short term gain, for long term unity and ultimate success. Sure, every saints fan and staff member will be hurting out of what has happened since AL came to the club. But strong and successful organisations make the tough calls based on their core values and principles, and with an eye to the medium and long term. The way the club has responded has ensured there will be minimum distraction for the playing group and that energy can now be focused on the most important task. Winning that bloody second flag! Yes, the saints have come a long way since the darkness of the 80's. They are truly a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the ground. Go Saints!
Despite all the positives
Great post.