Damning Post on Richo

[saintsRrising]

You have got it bad SR, you think there has been no player development at all.

I love how you re-state everything.

I say Richo has to go. You equate that as meaning nothing else is wrong at the club at all despite what I have actually written in this an other threads.

I say we have had player development below what it needs to be. You equate that as there has been no player development at all.

However I am in no doubt that our player development is below par, and that under the watch of someone who was meant to excel at it is to me of major concern.

I have watched how kids have not progressed the same way as at other clubs.

I have seen nothing written by anyone to justify that Richo is any good at all as a head coach. Your sole stated reason for keeping him is that you think that he is good at player development. Well even if so, that is really the role of an assistant coach anyway. So it boils down to you are content to have a development coach paid as head coach.

Personally all I see at present is that our players are badly drilled at playing an outmoded gameplan.

Must be my bad too that bombing the ball is evidently really a highly desired skill in players, that shepherding is better than tackling, that short handballs to covered teammates is better than to players in space, that finding space is actually a good thing, that tackling in numbers is good despite it leaving opponents free, that all flying for the mark in the backline is good despite leaving eager crumbers, that picking the ball up when your opponent is on your hammer is better than knocking it on to team mate instead free etc etc.

[saintsRrising]

2014 when we gained our last spoon we won 4 games.

This year we are currently sitting on 3 wins and one draw.

[Scollop]

2014 when we gained our last spoon we won 4 games.

This year we are currently sitting on 3 wins and one draw.

We've beaten the 3 sides that sit below us on the ladder and we also beat the Dees

That's 4 wins... plus the draw with Giants

[Teflon]

I’d like to work at a company so I can have 5 years of performance that hasn’t amounted to a finals appearance, deliver unsustainable profit that plummets in year 5 only to be told i should be given another year cause there has been some “signs” I might be ok....

Where do I sign??

[st.byron]

SR the logic of the 5 year time frame used as the metric for measuring failure is interesting to me. It seems to be a popular criteria for the "sack the coach" brigade and most likely the amplification of Chinese whispers on internet steroids and certainly one the media enjoy to their advantage.

Metric, logic?

The 5 years is being used as tat is how long he has been with us.

If he is here in 12 months time people will use 6 years.

So taking your logic to it's conclusion the past five years have been a waste of time, the reset button needs hitting, coach, list, gameplan, development have all gone backwards since Richo walked in the door. There is nothing to work and Richo is not capable of improvement, even if the club trys?

Yep, the past five years have been a waste of time coz look where we are at the end of it. Just how much time do you give him? Another five years of this tripe we’re being served up? Because he’s capable of improving and the club is trying?
And as sRs has asked, what evidence is there that he is going to get better? That things are going to improve? Where is the glimmer of hope? Looks pretty bleak to me whilst Richardson remains in charge.

I reckon you give him 1 more year.

The evidence is the rapid rise up the ladder in 2016/17 against all predictions and expectations.

The evidence is his ability to achieve those results only 2 years after taking over a club that was a basket case across the board.

I asked SR this and I'll ask you the same, how long has the new coach got if you sack Richo this year.

Bearing in mind the resources the new coach gets are significantly greater than Richo was given 5 years ago, list quality and training facility specifically as starters.

How long do you give him to achieve a flag? It must be significantly less than 5 years.

OK.... I take your point about the improvement in 2016 and 2017. Bit of a long bow to call it a rapid rise. Didn’t get into the top half the table. The most troubling thing is the complete loss of any sense of purpose or direction this year and the lack of improvement of nearly all of our players.
Another year of this? Nup....too much for me.

If / when Richardson is sacked, how long should a new coach have to win a flag? I reckon five years is reasonable. I didn’t even expect Richardson to land a flag within five or even 7 years, but I did expect this year that we’d challenge for a finals spot, be competitive and that our young fellas in the 50 - 100 game bracket would start to realise their potential. None of which has happened. It’s not just the lack of success or improvement, it’s the manner of our performances. We’ve gone backwards dramatically and the buck stops at the desk of the head coach. As Hinkley said on the weekend, “I’m accountable for winning and losing”.

[saintsRrising]

2014 when we gained our last spoon we won 4 games.

This year we are currently sitting on 3 wins and one draw.

We've beaten the 3 sides that sit below us on the ladder and we also beat the Dees

That's 4 wins... plus the draw with Giants

Yes my bad. We will be with +2 points of our wooden spoon year, rather than - 2 points

[saintsRrising]

So if this time next year the team have turned things around then Richo should still go because it's been 6 years?

Oh YES sack him because it is 6 years only. Look at nothing else. Next moronic question please.

You really do just want to take the piss.

[saintsRrising]

By seasons end Richo will have been our equal third longest serving coach at 110 games. But evidently has yet to be given a reasonable crack at it.

Now yes the Saints have at times chopped and changed too quickly, but 5 years is more than enough time to demonstrate if you are up to it or not.



https://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/stkilda.html

Home & Away Finals Total
Coach Seas W D L T % W D L T % W D L T % PR GF
Jeans, Allan 1961-1976 185 1 128 314 59.08 8 10 18 44.44 193 1 138 332 58.28 1 3
Thomas, Grant 2001-2006 61 1 55 117 52.56 2 4 6 33.33 63 1 59 123 51.63
Lyon, Ross 2007-2011 71 3 36 110 65.91 5 1 5 11 50.00 76 4 41 121 64.46 3*
Alves, Stan 1994-1998 53 1 56 110 48.64 2 3 5 40.00 55 1 59 115 48.26 1
Richardson, Alan 2014-2018 37 2 68 107 35.51 37 2 68 107 35.51
Sheldon, Ken 1990-1993 47 1 38 86 55.23 1 2 3 33.33 48 1 40 89 54.49

[vacuous space]

I have watched how kids have not progressed the same way as at other clubs.

What's been really quite upsetting for me is lack of opportunities afforded to younger players, particularly early draft picks, especially in a bad team with no shot at finals. I just had to laugh when Blake Acres finished the game on equal most clearances and finally got his first centre clearance for the year because he was rucking. Billings got his first centre clearance last week, but I'm pretty sure it was running in off the wing. Coffield had 30 disposals @ 80% efficiency playing mid for Sandy his last time there, then Richo recalls him and plays him out of defence. Clark has barely seen a centre bounce since he looked good there against Freo. Freeman had to find the idol and remove the mummy's curse just to get a game. Paton still hasn't played.

And for what? This underwhelming midfield group that Richo has been hesitant to tinker with despite the lack of results. I would have thought that our terrible start would have been used as an opportunity for experimentation to get a really good look at the list. Turns out it's much more important to watch the same car crash week after week after week.

[samoht]

Ross Lyon went from 18 wins 6 losses in 2015 to 4 wins and 18 losses in 2016.
It doesn’t take much at all to derail a year... just an injury or two, a retirement or two. That’s all it takes.

[kaos theory]

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/stkilda.html

Home & Away Finals Total
Coach Seas W D L T % W D L T % W D L T % PR GF
Jeans, Allan 1961-1976 185 1 128 314 59.08 8 10 18 44.44 193 1 138 332 58.28 1 3
Thomas, Grant 2001-2006 61 1 55 117 52.56 2 4 6 33.33 63 1 59 123 51.63
Lyon, Ross 2007-2011 71 3 36 110 65.91 5 1 5 11 50.00 76 4 41 121 64.46 3*
Alves, Stan 1994-1998 53 1 56 110 48.64 2 3 5 40.00 55 1 59 115 48.26 1
Richardson, Alan 2014-2018 37 2 68 107 35.51 37 2 68 107 35.51
Sheldon, Ken 1990-1993 47 1 38 86 55.23 1 2 3 33.33 48 1 40 89 54.49

This is an absolute disgrace!

He is a complete failure by any measure, yet the club continues to peddle BS, dither about and won't admit the monumental stuff it made by extending his contract for another 2 years.

These stubborn fools would rather wreck the club, than admit they are wholly incapable of taking st.kilda to success.

[samoht]

RL is in his 7th year at Freo ... at a million a year. Same old game plan— how easy/cushy/ disgraceful is that?

[Teflon]

RL is in his 7th year at Freo ... at a million a year. Same old game plan— how easy/cushy/ disgraceful is that?

Rl had an above 60% win ratio at Saints
How does that compare with Alan???

[Cairnsman]

So if this time next year the team have turned things around then Richo should still go because it's been 6 years?

Oh YES sack him because it is 6 years only. Look at nothing else. Next moronic question please.

You really do just want to take the piss.

I'm not, but just trying to extract from you just the smallest of admissions you have a mindset deeply rooted in the fire and brimstone era. Did you admit it is personal?

Anyway it looks like Richo is being given another 12 months and I agree, it's worth rolling the dice. We'll see. I may be as cranky as you this time next year.

[samoht]

RL is in his 7th year at Freo ... at a million a year. Same old game plan— how easy/cushy/ disgraceful is that?

Rl had an above 60% win ratio at Saints
How does that compare with Alan???

You and I would have had a 60% plus success rate too coaching St Kilda back then.
That was then, this is now.

[st.byron]

So if this time next year the team have turned things around then Richo should still go because it's been 6 years?

Oh YES sack him because it is 6 years only. Look at nothing else. Next moronic question please.

You really do just want to take the piss.

I'm not, but just trying to extract from you just the smallest of admissions you have a mindset deeply rooted in the fire and brimstone era. Did you admit it is personal?

Anyway it looks like Richo is being given another 12 months and I agree, it's worth rolling the dice. We'll see. I may be as cranky as you this time next year.

For the good of the club may I and the others calling for his sacking be totally wrong. If he’s going to stay another year I hope he turns it around big time and we all have to eat humble pie, as much as you actually have to on an anonymous Internet forum. Can’t see it happening and not holding out hope. I really think he needs to go asap.

[Greg T]

RL is in his 7th year at Freo ... at a million a year. Same old game plan— how easy/cushy/ disgraceful is that?

Rl had an above 60% win ratio at Saints
How does that compare with Alan???

Only beats AR by 50%
Plus finals and grand finals,seems that doesn't matter anymore
Loved him,AR will never be his boot lace

[Teflon]

RL is in his 7th year at Freo ... at a million a year. Same old game plan— how easy/cushy/ disgraceful is that?

Rl had an above 60% win ratio at Saints
How does that compare with Alan???

You and I would have had a 60% plus success rate too coaching St Kilda back then.
That was then, this is now.

Lol how convenient....
How does GTs record (nowhere near as good as Lyons with arguably a better list) stack up then??
How was it that after Lyon took full press to another level in 09 that he was then lauded by all pundits as being ahead of the curve in coaching trends only to be copied a year later by Malthouse?
How is it that Riewoldt and co to this day regard him as the best coach they’ve ever had?
....oh let me guess.... all cause he had no injuries but just A grade talent????
Coaches get paid big dollars -NOT because they only influence 1% of team performance as you’ve suggested, but because, like great leaders and managers they engineer the final product.
Oh btw - don’t care where RL is now...he’s gone years ago

[samoht]

This period reminds me of Freo when Harvey was given the flick after Freo had that bad run with injuries ... RL was sitting ready to pounce.
Freo’s knee jerk reaction has cost them big time.

[saintspremiers]

So if this time next year the team have turned things around then Richo should still go because it's been 6 years?

Oh YES sack him because it is 6 years only. Look at nothing else. Next moronic question please.

You really do just want to take the piss.

I'm not, but just trying to extract from you just the smallest of admissions you have a mindset deeply rooted in the fire and brimstone era. Did you admit it is personal?

Anyway it looks like Richo is being given another 12 months and I agree, it's worth rolling the dice. We'll see. I may be as cranky as you this time next year.

So if indeed we are stuck with Richo until the end of 2019 how are we going to keep membership sales ticking along?

Maybe we need a Saints Little Shop promotion - for every $50 worth of memebrship product you purchase you get a free mini ex-St Kilda coach. Or maybe a spoon with the year on it?

Either way, like Coles, there will be about 30 to collect.

[samoht]

We should follow what Freo did when RL had them at 4 wins 18 losses in 2016 ... they gave away a free effigy of him and a set of pins with every membership.

[Cairnsman]

So if this time next year the team have turned things around then Richo should still go because it's been 6 years?

Oh YES sack him because it is 6 years only. Look at nothing else. Next moronic question please.

You really do just want to take the piss.

I'm not, but just trying to extract from you just the smallest of admissions you have a mindset deeply rooted in the fire and brimstone era. Did you admit it is personal?

Anyway it looks like Richo is being given another 12 months and I agree, it's worth rolling the dice. We'll see. I may be as cranky as you this time next year.

For the good of the club may I and the others calling for his sacking be totally wrong. If he’s going to stay another year I hope he turns it around big time and we all have to eat humble pie, as much as you actually have to on an anonymous Internet forum. Can’t see it happening and not holding out hope. I really think he needs to go asap.

Putting aside all of the points vigorously discussed in threads like this, this weeks game will be interesting in terms of how the players respond against the Dons. If there is a sniff Richo has lost the players before seasons end, then that could change the landscape dramatically. However as yet there doesn't seem to be any murmurings coming out of the club to that effect. Player support for an embattled choach seems to be a significant factor when deciding a coaches fate in these circumstances, with Richmond and Collingwood being the most recent precedence in that regard.

[desertsaint]

This period reminds me of Freo when Harvey was given the flick after Freo had that bad run with injuries ... RL was sitting ready to pounce.
Freo’s knee jerk reaction has cost them big time.

not a big fan of ross, but he took them to their only grand final appearance. great coach of a mature team.
and how good he is doing now is totally irrelevant to richo's tenure. lyon has the runs on the board - freo are chancing that when his group matures he'll get them up again. richo has never got us or anyone up. done nothing to indicate he ever will. the forlorn hope he may is not worth the dismay and destruction to our players and supporters.

[samoht]

Anyway, goodnight everyone. Whatever happens, happens.
I just like arguing for the sake of arguing...it beats boredom.

[saintsRrising]

I'm not, but just trying to extract from you just the smallest of admissions you have a mindset deeply rooted in the fire and brimstone era. Did you admit it is personal?

.

Fire and Brimstone? LOL odd comment that one. Killigrew was before my time, and deeply religious I am not. And indeeed I tend to believe that religion of that type does a lot more harm than good.

Though did you know that over- zealous religion of the Fire and Brimstone type was one of the key reasons why after a 1000 years of inhabiting the Isles of St Kilda that the the population size collapsed and then had to leave?



If you mean personal as in do I personally dislike the guy? Then no. Everyone says that he is a nice bloke. Do I have some personal grudge or slight against him. No. Was he not pleasant to me in the times that I have spoken to him, then no.

If you mean personal as in am I passionate about the Saints and am I concerned about our future and do I think that he is not the most suitable candidate for the position of St Kilda Head Coach, then yes.