Hi Saintsational......again. Its been a long time!

[creepypolar]

um..i'm new here, so not really sure if Thommo is Grant or some impersonation(with you guys playing along)

Clarification? Thanks

Reasonable question, however GT has confirmed it is him via his official Twitter account.

Thanks

[Devilhead]

unfortunately had the passion then

Didnt realise there was a requisite refined list of coaching actions that define the term passion

Blight was renowned for his eccentric and unorthodox coaching methods - maybe his supposed "non passionate" approach was part of his game

Is there anyone here that might be able to clarify Mr Blight's atypical modus operandi??

of course there is, and I would say that after round 5 2001 the players caught on that he had zip
he was only in it for the money
GT had passion, for the players & the club

Yes GT did and still has passion for the players and the club but I'm not questioning this.

There has never been a quote from the club or Mr Blight that he was "only it for the money" - these are/were assumptions that supporters have randomly made without justification to support his sacking.

As mentioned Blight (touched upon by several media outlets - back in the day) used extremely unconventional processes to motivate players and I am querying whether was a chance that these were misinterpreted as being non-passionate and disinterested

I am not arguing for or against Blight's sacking I am asking if anyone knows more about his anomalous approach to coaching??

It was interesting to hear GT say that the board made the decision to sack Blight without GT's input because they thought he would talk them out of it - is this to say that GT saw something in Blight that the board didn't and I would be interested to know - whether he decides to give more insight on this subject is his prerogative

[StThomo]

Hi GT,
would be very interested in your professional opinion on the integrity of Patrick Smith as a football journalist

I think he is an outstanding writer with incredible wit. Never worried about his ridicule really. I was told very early in the piece that he was the brother of Brother Paul Smith who taught me at St Bedes - enough said.

[SENsei]

Come the end of 2001 Blight was going to exit out Harvey, who he considered a selfish footballer, and Hudghton, who he considered could not play. Rumour is Fact.

Also, thanks to the board, Jason Cripps became a trivia question by playing under three AFL coaches in three consecutive games at the same club. Stanley Alves, Malcolm Blight and Grant Thomas. Fact is Fact.

[Teflon]

Dont want to sound like i am sucking up to you Grant but what you and the the Saints did for one of my best mates family when their mother died after being hit by a car was one of the best things any footy club could do. Arranging for players and yourself to visit the family at their home, getting the family in the rooms after the game even though we had lost to the WB and even having a tribute on the banner that day. Craig still has the photo taken that day on his fridge.

Hey Plugger66. Say hi to Craig and family. My daughter Ally is great mates with Craig's daughter Georgia. They go to school together.

Yep Georgia and my daughter Nicole are best friends. Ally also a good friend of Nicoles and she has been to our house many times. We were actually at Craigs when Lenny, Sammy, Rooy and yourself came round that day.

Oh dear good spare us please this is sad.

Get a PM going man - how old are you?

BTW - Hi Grant,

Jenny, Benny and Kenny and the kids are doing well. Jack's braces came off Thurs......you should see the smile on the little fella. Missed you at the last Masonic Lodge meet? no matter, beefy held up the bard all night before getting into a ding dong with Rennae.

Love to shaz.

Teffs.

PS - this thread makes me ill.

[dragit]

Jenny, Benny and Kenny and the kids are doing well.

Not what I heard, I heard Jenny has been chillin' with the mad villain D-Garlett, robbing sev's for crack money…

You should keep a closer eye on her tef's, jz sayn.

[sunsaint]

of course there is, and I would say that after round 5 2001 the players caught on that he had zip
he was only in it for the money
GT had passion, for the players & the club

Yes GT did and still has passion for the players and the club but I'm not questioning this.

There has never been a quote from the club or Mr Blight that he was "only it for the money" - these are/were assumptions that supporters have randomly made without justification to support his sacking.

the same would be said of your assumption that he was passionate

As mentioned Blight (touched upon by several media outlets - back in the day) used extremely unconventional processes to motivate players and I am querying whether was a chance that these were misinterpreted as being non-passionate and disinterested

I dont think you will find an argument from anyone that he did some pretty "out of left field" things. And it was NO surprise to the footy fraternity at the time so it would NOT have been a surprise to the StKilda hierarchy at the time either. The one reference that mostly repeated is attitude

I am not arguing for or against Blight's sacking I am asking if anyone knows more about his anomalous approach to coaching??
It was interesting to hear GT say that the board made the decision to sack Blight without GT's input because they thought he would talk them out of it - is this to say that GT saw something in Blight that the board didn't and I would be interested to know - whether he decides to give more insight on this subject is his prerogative

yes it would take GT to shed some more light on the subject
but I would "consider" that his opinion would be coloured by the fact that he was football manager at the time. He knew what a mid season sacking would do to the team, whereas the board was weighted more towards the financial position. Better to cut our loses early.

[asiu]

huh ...
wasn't blighty paid up front ?

[Devilhead]

The same would be said of your assumption that he was passionate

I never made an assumption that Blight was passionate instead I asked the question whether his unconventional methods may have been misinterpreted to be sign of non-passion towards his task of coaching the St. Kilda footy club.

Unfortunately it seems no one has a rock solid answer to my question - and it is likely to stay that way.

I dont think you will find an argument from anyone that he did some pretty "out of left field" things. And it was NO surprise to the footy fraternity at the time so it would NOT have been a surprise to the StKilda hierarchy at the time either. The one reference that mostly repeated is attitude

I'm not looking for an argument just an answer to a fairly straightfoward question.

Yes - The one reference that is mostly repeated is that Blight had a bad attitude - but is this an assumption from people not in the know or is it fact - if it is fact then where is the conclusive evidence - especially now that StThomo has come out and said that the board were worried he would change their minds on their decision to sack Blight - from this you could "assume" that GT saw something in Blight that he would be able to use to persuade the board to keep him as coach.

yes it would take GT to shed some more light on the subject but I would "consider" that his opinion would be coloured by the fact that he was football manager at the time. He knew what a mid season sacking would do to the team, whereas the board was weighted more towards the financial position. Better to cut our loses early.

Didnt they pay out Blight anyway?? If they did where did they cut their losses??

[Mr Magic]

I understand that the Club paid Blight the remainder for that year and that a couple of individuals 'chipped in' personally to pay Blight out for the second year of his contract.
Therefore the Club did 'cut its losses' by removing him.

[plugger66]

Hey Plugger66. Say hi to Craig and family. My daughter Ally is great mates with Craig's daughter Georgia. They go to school together.

Yep Georgia and my daughter Nicole are best friends. Ally also a good friend of Nicoles and she has been to our house many times. We were actually at Craigs when Lenny, Sammy, Rooy and yourself came round that day.

Oh dear good spare us please this is sad.

Get a PM going man - how old are you?

BTW - Hi Grant,

Jenny, Benny and Kenny and the kids are doing well. Jack's braces came off Thurs......you should see the smile on the little fella. Missed you at the last Masonic Lodge meet? no matter, beefy held up the bard all night before getting into a ding dong with Rennae.

Love to shaz.

Teffs.

PS - this thread makes me ill.

We know what you said is a lie. You have no family or friends. And why does this thread make you sick. Is it people are mature enough to write to an ex coach and ask questions even if he wasnt ltheir favourite coach at the time? And you asked me how old I am. Try growing up.

[Enrico_Misso]

Jenny, Benny and Kenny and the kids are doing well.

Not what I heard, I heard Jenny has been chillin' with the mad villain D-Garlett, robbing sev's for crack money…

You should keep a closer eye on her tef's, jz sayn.

What happened to dear old Lenny?
Are we catching up before Xmas?
I'll bring Meryl, Beryl and Cheryl.
... Don't PM me - just start a thread!

[SaintPav]

It's called jealousy Plugger.

Teflon, get a life.

[matrix]

[Dr Spaceman]

You forgot your mate GT

[markp]

Well this was always going to go well.

[barks4eva]

I can feel a rant coming on

[asiu]

ok !

... rants on request.
(i desire to serve)


'time wounds all heals'

2nd chancers ,
indignant dancers.

personal prancers ,
days of long lances.

hewey duey 'n luey ,
they are our resident ducks

let the hate go
you miserable ....

[SainterK]

This thread needs more....

[markp]

I think he means a B4E rant... brace yourselves.

[asiu]

yea.
obviously !

... but he's always been a bit slow off the mark.

[markp]

I reckon he's been diligently polishing it for a few days.

I'm expecting an epic.

[barks4eva]

I can feel a rant coming on

oops, sorry for the typo

[barks4eva]

I reckon he's been diligently polishing it for a few days.

Been doing it for decades, but in the interests of decorum let's not go there

[Dr Spaceman]