saintsRrising wrote:What the Club said at the time?? Can you post some of these things. I would be VERY surprsised if you actually find anything more that hack journos speculating.
Thing is MB...that it was just you and your croney's speculating who was on the "clubs list"....and your stating as fact that Walls gave his mate Lyon the job.
Just because media hacks speculate in the press who is or isn't being interviewed for particular jobs does not make it factual.
You took the media utterances of the time and then invented your own reality.
That Ross Smith is a man of great integrity and football knowledge who went about seeking and securing a new head coach in an entirely reasoned and scientific way you choose to blithely ignore.
Your entire case that Walls gave the job to Lyon was false.
FWIW, here is what Mike Sheahan wrote at the time.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 11,00.html
While the Saints have been seen to be determined to take "as long as it takes" to find the best replacement for Grant Thomas, the conclusion to the process was a whirlwind for Lyon. The original contact came on Wednesday last week, when he was invited to present to the coaching sub-committee on Friday.
He worked through the night on his presentation and flew to Melbourne on Thursday evening for the Friday appointment.
Before the weekend was over, he had presented to the sub-committee and completed a four-hour psychological assessment.
By Monday night, he had the job, with only the formalities to be completed.
St Kilda president Rod Butterss said yesterday that Lyon was one of more than 50 people on the club's original list of possible contenders, but the evidence suggests he might have been a late entry into the field.
Just when it seemed to be a race between John Longmire, Chris Bond and Guy McKenna, Lyon joined in and flew past the leaders.
It all happened so fast in the end, the Saints seem to have failed to advise Bond, Longmire and McKenna before they heard the jungle drums belting out bad music.
If it's true the other three didn't learn their fate until less than an hour before the media conference yesterday, that's poor form.
Then there's the intrigue surrounding Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley and the distinct probability he might have been invited as late as Monday to present for an interview.
It seems one or more of the sub-committee was determined to get a coach with senior experience
Yes, it's all only speculation, but Sheahan is not a journo who reports idle and groundless gossip (I know some on here believe he is a key player in a vast conspiracy against the Saints, but that's just utter nonsense).
BTW, it seems like a completely reasonable process to me: the selection committee wasn't particularly impressed with any of Bond, Longmire or McKenna, so it looked elsewhere (hopefully, they didn't seriously consider Laidley, but there was a strong rumour about that going around at the time).
As for Walls's role in the process: Lyon worked as an assistant coach to Walls FFS!! If Walls didn't play a strong role in recommending him for the job, I'd be extraordinarily surprised. Indeed, if I had been Ross Smith or Sheldon or whoever and hadn't received a glowing report of Lyon's abilities from Walls, I wouldn't have considered him for the job for one second.
As for who first brought up Lyon's name, clearly we'll never know. If Smith wants to take the credit, that's fine by me.
And, yes, I was wrong in thinking that Lyon was not going to be a good coach. I have said that time and again.
If were actually the GT-worshipper I am accused of being on here, then clearly I should have strongly supported Lyon from the outset, because here - if anyone has forgotten - is what GT said about Lyon on the day he was appointed.
Nobody was happier about Lyon's appointment than the man he replaces.
Thomas last night said the Saints would be in expert hands under Lyon's control, and that he would feel both pleased and vindicated.
The former coach confirmed he had tried to lure Lyon from Sydney to Moorabbin a year ago. He made a two-hour pitch to Lyon at his Brighton home soon after the season, finally offering him a senior role.
Lyon called him a few days later to say he felt honour-bound to complete a commitment to the Swans and a personal commitment to coach Paul Roos.
``I would love to see him take over this group,'' Thomas said.
``I was desperate to get him and I know he could fill the requirements of the role.
``I think he's extremely capable of getting into the driver's seat of this juggernaut and driving it straight ahead straight away.
``I know what he's like and I certainly know what the playing group's like, and I think he's a fantastic fit.''
``That's based on intimate understanding I have of where St Kilda has been, where it currently is and, more importantly, where it needs to go,'' Thomas said. ``He would quickly move everyone in the club forward, which would be good.''
Thomas said he meant no disrespect to the other candidates, only that he knew Lyon and liked what he knew.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/ross- ... 1112342748"It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into."
- Jonathan Swift
