Hird, Buckley, Voss........Harvey?

[Trunch]

I don't like Mick Malthouse all that much but would be happy if we were able to secure him as our senior coach. I believe he should be at the head of list.

After Mick I feel like everyone else is second.

There will be speculation, rumour and innuendo in the coming days and weeks about who is going to coach St Kilda.

I just want to ask fellow forum members about their thoughts regarding Robert Harvey. It seems to me Banger is not being considered as a serious candidate in the media.

In the recent past when football conversations turned to the greats of the modern game it was always "Hird, Voss and Buckley" and as Saints supporters we were often up in arms that Harvey was not included in this bracket. Well it seems its all happening again.

As stated, I think everyone after Malthouse is second best but I would not dismiss or be disappointed with Robert Harvey. As far as coaching goes he has as much experience at AFL level if not more than Hird, Voss and Buckley.

Hird.....no prior experience at AFL coaching level before becoming Senior Coach

Voss....no prior experience at AFL coaching level before becoming Senior Coach

Buckley. two years as an assistant at Collingwood before taking over the Senior role next year.

Harvey. two years at Carlton as assistant and one at St Kilda.

Add to this the coaching philosophies formed by these guys then Harvey has more experience to draw from given he has played under more senior coaches.

Hird.........Sheedy
Voss........Matthews, Roger Merret, John Northy
Buckley...Malthouse, Tony Shaw, Leigh Matthews, Robert Walls
Harvey....Lyon, Grant Thomas,Malcolm Blight, Tim Watson,Stan Alves, Ken Sheldon, Darrel Baldock


Just some thoughts on our beloved Harvs.

[Little Dozer]

I'd be more than happy for him to be appointed coach.

[PJ]

I'd be more than happy for him to be appointed coach.

Why?

[mad saint guy]

He's just never came across as a talker, or (not meaning to offend the great man) much of a thinker. He's always appeared to be a quiet, placid guy who just works hard and does his job. I think you need more than that from an AFL coach.

[Winmar]

I love the guy, but he's not had a lot of experience as an assistant. The guys appointed this week seem to have had years of it. To me he's not shown enough yet, so is not the man to choose now.

[Legendary]

Never had the motivational leadership skills that the other 3 had as players - there is a reason they were all 10 year captains and Harvey wasn't.

To quote GT - "I'm sick of St Kilda making emotional decisions" i.e appointing Rob Harvey.

He is not the best candidate available. He has never been approached or spoken to by another club about a senior coaching spot.

He has never coached in his own right, he has never been involved in premiership success and he has never worked outside the AFL industry, not for at least the past 20 years anyway.

IMO he fails to tick most of the boxes you want in a successful candidate. He might tick "loyal St Kilda person" but that counts for sweet FA in coaching ability, as RL proved.

[saintsRrising]

I think some are overlooking what tends to be pretty much a compulsory requirement for AFL Coaches these days.....either playing in, or being on the coaching panel of a Premiership Team.

On that requirement Banger does not qualify.


I don't want to denigrate a true great of our club, but he just does not seem to project the persona of a coach.


That is not good or bad, but is just the way it is.

[St Ick]

Look at Hird, Buckley and Voss.

IMO, Voss is struggling at the moment. Hird and Buckley not so and mainly because of MM and Bomber.

If we went with Harvey, we HAVE to have one of the best coaches as a senior assistant.

[Maklom]

Most feedback I seem to be reading is that he is not ready yet.

I tend to agree with this sentiment but a harsh reality of football (coaching) is that you can't always wait until you are completely ready otherwise you might miss out.

Add to that, Harvey is a Saints man through and through and in the last couple of years probably came to the realisation that eventually he wanted to coach this club one day.
Well his opportunity is here and now because of circumstances beyond his control, he cannot wait any longer because he will most likely not get another chance...so he has to have a go.

On his credentials and potential as a coach it is an unknown but one thing is for sure, the players will play for him with 100% commitment to the cause.

Compared to other untried assistants he should have just as much chance as anyone else and his only failing in being a bit shy and meek before the cameras can easily be rectified.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

This is would be the worst appointment the club could make. This would be the icing on the cake of a horrible year.

I would much rather Eade be appointed - and that's saying something because I really don't want Eade to be appointment. But at least the guy has coached, and his appointment could be legitimately justified.

[Little Dozer]

I'd be more than happy for him to be appointed coach.

Why?

He's a club legend, did his apprenticeship away from the club at Carlton. Has come back and spent a year under RL so he'll be aware how to setup defensively. He was a very smart footballer, elite trainer and I believe the players will play for him. He won't cost a bomb like Malthouse, Matthews or Williams. Lastly I think it will help the morale of the place, much like Hird at Essendon. It will certainly be a risk, but every appointment in our situation will have associated risks.

[Maklom]

I would also agree that it is a risk but in the event that the board could not land a big fish, Harves is just as much a risk as any of the other potentials and maybe less so considering he has the advantage of knowing the players inside out.

Also a worry is that to quote lady muck "Wouldn't the Saints risk shooting Bambi if they appointed Harvey" is something that ways heavily on most supporters minds but I heard that Nettlefold said that regardless of who is appointed, Harvey will still be at the club in some fashion.

Can anyone confirm this?

[degruch]

...but I heard that Nettlefold said that regardless of who is appointed, Harvey will still be at the club in some fashion.

Can anyone confirm this?

I'd jump on that bet, like Ross' investment advice!

[Maklom]

Yep, agreed. Hearsay, media whispers and even direct quotes from the board aren't holding much weight at the moment.

However I wanted to make sure I hadn't imagined it as for the life of me I can't remember where I read it.

[Enrico_Misso]

Hird.........Sheedy
Voss........Matthews, Roger Merret, John Northy
Buckley...Malthouse, Tony Shaw, Leigh Matthews, Robert Walls
Harvey....Lyon, Grant Thomas,Malcolm Blight, Tim Watson,Stan Alves, Ken Sheldon, Darrel Baldock

Did Harvey also play in that game under Allan Davis?

[Maklom]

Nope, Allan Davis coached the last 4 games in '87. Is that when the Doc had his first stroke?

Harvey debuted the next year, wore number 52 for 4 games before switching to 35 the next year.

Incidently he received the number from David Grant who wasn't a bad backman and one of my favourite defenders ever.

[spert]

I don't think Yabby was ever considered ready back in the early 60's, but took on the coaching job and in a few years we had a flag. The club back then got the right talent across the field from back to forward and on-ball. Unless we have the cattle, the best coach in the world won't make much difference.

[Sainter_Boy]

i am bangers #1 fan and like every1 else i dont want him to be sacked or leave the club so please dont appiont him