Dons to offer Knights three-year deal and a pay rise

[Ludwig van Bertstare]

ESSENDON will move to reward coach Matthew Knights with a pay rise in 2010 and a new contract, which will tie the 38-year-old to Windy Hill until the end of 2012.

The Age understands the Bombers' board had empowered club chief executive Peter Jackson to open negotiations this week for a new deal with Knights even before last Friday night's thrashing of Carlton.

Mindful that Knights is one of the lower-paid senior coaches in the competition, Essendon is expected to rewrite next year's deal with both parties keen to continue the astonishing rise of the Bombers' younger brigade for at least the next three years.


To read the full article, click here (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/threeyear-deal-pay-rise-for-knights/2009/06/28/1246127429454.html)


I for one am happy with this as Knights has been outstanding this season.

[Kong]

Brilliant. :thumbsu:

[Bomber32]

Great news. I'm really happy about this.:thumbsu:

[stay true]

Awesome, great news.

[Ben the Gooner]

So in effect that's a two-year extension, plus a renegotiation of the last year of his current contract.

Excellent news.:thumbsu:

[AndyLesPaul]

Amazing news, and rightfully deserved.
He's made pretty exquisite drafting decisions (Thats if he makes the decisions) with players in Pears, Hooker, Hurley, Quinn and Skipworth :thumbsu:

[daffo]

It was deserved, although I would of rather we do things like this at seasons end.

[mark1881]

It was deserved, although I would of rather we do things like this at seasons end.

Don't be surprised if Essendon is just being wary of Richmond making a big play for him given his success at Essendon if Buckley falls threw. If they sign him up now then there will be no distraction from it for the rest of the year. Good move in my opinion. His been on-the-ball with all his big decisions this year

[NAUGHT5]

Matthew Knights is a genius and a terrific coach.
At this rate will become a legendary coach.

But can i ask if any one was disappointed when he was selected?

I knew of a few fans who were.
I was surprised.
But i can see why now.

Superstar of the highest order.

[The Donners]

I gave Knights a grading of A in '08, it must be said that's now an A+.

I criticised an Essendon thread querying whether Essendon could pinch the flag this year. Not saying I agree, but the sheer fact such a suggestion could be made speaks volume for Knights! :thumbsu:

[drew_j]

Matthew Knights is a genius and a terrific coach.
At this rate will become a legendary coach.

But can i ask if any one was disappointed when he was selected?

I knew of a few fans who were.
I was surprised.
But i can see why now.

Superstar of the highest order.

I didn't renew my membership in disgust. The process seemed an absolute joke. We waited until all the other teams had got their coach, limiting the prospects of the best person for the job in what appeared an attempt to talk with Bomber Thompson at seasons end. Then 1 week before the GF we announced Knights, who in my opinion wasn't even the best choice with Hardwick in the running. Wasn't happy at all.

Ahh the clarity of hindsight. Give the man a raise, he deserves it.

[The Donners]

Matthew Knights is a genius and a terrific coach.
At this rate will become a legendary coach.

But can i ask if any one was disappointed when he was selected?

I knew of a few fans who were.
I was surprised.
But i can see why now.

Superstar of the highest order.

I can't recall my exact post, it wasn't overly complimentary of the decision, it was more shock than anything else.

Within 24 hours I posted a glowing optimism of Knights and what he would bring to the Essendon Football Club. You could say I towed the company line within a day of his appointment.

[JimmyHird]

Wasn't sure what to think when he was appointed.

Couldn't have asked for a better first couple seasons though.

Cheers Knighter :thumbsu:

[Ben the Gooner]

I didn't renew my membership in disgust.

I'm sorry, but that's pathetic.

You support the 22 lads on the field, not the coach, not the board, not the off-field processes.

[mark1881]

I didn't renew my membership in disgust. The process seemed an absolute joke. We waited until all the other teams had got their coach, limiting the prospects of the best person for the job in what appeared an attempt to talk with Bomber Thompson at seasons end. Then 1 week before the GF we announced Knights, who in my opinion wasn't even the best choice with Hardwick in the running. Wasn't happy at all.

Ahh the clarity of hindsight. Give the man a raise, he deserves it.

Words you were more than happy to eat. Atleast your honest about it. :thumbsu:

I understood the logic of going with Knights given his in depth understanding of the side and its players. When I saw his first press conference I was impressed imediately. His honesty was what caught my attention. The only thing I doubted was how far he could take the side, but clearly he is ticking all the right boxes.

He has rarely put a foot wrong and for a first time senior coach that is sensational. And tactically/in the coaches box he should only get better with time, not that he isn't already quite good.

I think credit must also go to. Camporeale, Richardson, O'Donnell and Hamilton. AND A BIG TICK to the new high performance coach, McCormack I beleive.

[lamaros]

I was surprised but not upset when he was appointed, and it's nice to see him getting rewarded.

[TimeReaper]

I was not happy how the whole Sheedy thing was handeled.

Back to the topic and question?
I was suprised to be honest, but after an hour or so I became excited new fresh blood. I did not have any great visions thinking that we will be premiers come 2009 or any thing just quitely excited. I was unsure on how he was going to preform as a coach and I am very happy with the result so far.
Round 13 and in the top 8

I do think that Sheedy's should be thanked as well as he had a hand in it to (player selection).

He definately deserves a positive contract review for sure.

[stay true]

Matthew Knights is a genius and a terrific coach.
At this rate will become a legendary coach.

But can i ask if any one was disappointed when he was selected?

I knew of a few fans who were.
I was surprised.
But i can see why now.

Superstar of the highest order.
As you can see from my sig, I never was disappointed.

I'm an optimist by nature and I didn't see the point in questioning him until he had a good crack (atleast 2 seasons), so I'm proud to say I've been supporting him ever since he got appointed.:thumbsu:

[drew_j]

I'm sorry, but that's pathetic.

You support the 22 lads on the field, not the coach, not the board, not the off-field processes.


Bullshit, it's the only form of leverage we really have and I used it. I was wrong, I eat my words and I've renewed it. Knights has been outstanding as coach.

[Ben the Gooner]

Bullshit, it's the only form of leverage we really have and I used it. I was wrong, I eat my words and I've renewed it. Knights has been outstanding as coach.

Vote the board out. That's the leverage you have.

You support the red and black, you buy your membership in support for those two colours, and if you have problems with the people who wear those colours, **** it, it's your club.

[BomberGal]

Vote the board out. That's the leverage you have.

You support the red and black, you buy your membership in support for those two colours, and if you have problems with the people who wear those colours, **** it, it's your club.

I agree.

You don't withdraw support for a club based on a decision made by some people. You have a right to vote, you can use it. A supporter should always be there. I'm glad you are happy to eat your words now, but come on. I mean if you were so disgusted, drew, then you shouldn't be a member now, either.

[SirJimi05]

Can anybody actually confirm if this is true or not?

I have heard reports where Jackson has denied that Knights has been offered a new deal and to be quite honest it makes very little sense.

Why would you offer a guy a 3 year extension when he still has 18 months to run on his contract?

He definitely deserves a pay rise though. He deserves this reward. Then sometime towards the middle to end of next season negotiate a new contract extension.

[snowball]

three reasons why i love Knights,
1. Has drafted for the future, Pears, Hurley, Hooker
2. Player/Best mate coaching mentaliity, as has been documented he has regularly meeting with Lovett and sat down and chatted with Scotty during his spell at Bendigo
3. Has found depth with our list.

[NAUGHT5]

He also seems to have the hard man edge that the great coaches (malthouse, matthews) have.
Which is something that at this stage Brett Ratten unfortunately lacks, from an outside perspective anyway. I'm hoping he can take a leaf out of the Knights coaching manual.

[zaharakamania]

This sounds like bs after comments by the On The Couch crew last night.

Knights is probably getting a pay rise shortly but no contract renegotiation until next season was the gist of things.

[drew_j]

Vote the board out. That's the leverage you have.

You support the red and black, you buy your membership in support for those two colours, and if you have problems with the people who wear those colours, **** it, it's your club.

$$$ is always going to be a larger motivator than a single vote. If you think I'm some sort of lesser fan becasue of it I'm affriad I don't really care.

Regardless, Kights is a great coach and I hope to see him get an extension next negotiation, and we all get the taste of some finals football. It's been too long without it.


I agree.

You don't withdraw support for a club based on a decision made by some people. You have a right to vote, you can use it. A supporter should always be there. I'm glad you are happy to eat your words now, but come on. I mean if you were so disgusted, drew, then you shouldn't be a member now, either.

Is this the type of logic you use in everyday life BG? Let me get this straight. You think I shouldn't be a member now? What you want me to not renew my membership at the end of the season? Isn't encouraging me down this course, or wishing a person not sign up as an EFC member in contradiction of your criteria for a supporter written just one sentence before you said this? Give me a break.

[AndyLesPaul]

There was a mini filler article on the herald sun that denied the claims
No Knights Offer
ESSENDON chief executive Peter Jackson last night dismissed a newspaper report he had been empowered to extend Matthew Knights' tenure.
"I haven't been empowered or authorised by the board to do anything on this," Jackson said.
"No offer has been made."
The report said Essendon would "move to reqard coach Matthew Knights with a pay rise in 2010 and a new contract, which will tie the 38-year-old to Windy Hill until the end of 2012".
"Not true," Jackson Said
"When we went to change coach, we had a five-year plan and Matthew was appointed for three years."

[BomberGal]

Is this the type of logic you use in everyday life BG? Let me get this straight. You think I shouldn't be a member now? What you want me to not renew my membership at the end of the season? Isn't encouraging me down this course, or wishing a person not sign up as an EFC member in contradiction of your criteria for a supporter written just one sentence before you said this? Give me a break.

F*** me, talk about missing the point.

I want you to renew EVERY year. I can't believe you didn't understand that.

It's called rhetoric. I was making a point. Why choose not to renew your membership one year and then renew the year after that? Many of the same people would still be there, Knights is still the coach - why all of a sudden would you renew? Oh because Knights did OK? Your criteria for renewing is how a coach performs?

If you want to be consistent in your own logic, you need not to be a member now. But you're a hypocrite.

[Ben the Gooner]

$$$ is always going to be a larger motivator than a single vote. If you think I'm some sort of lesser fan becasue of it I'm affriad I don't really care.

Regardless, Kights is a great coach and I hope to see him get an extension next negotiation, and we all get the taste of some finals football. It's been too long without it.

One vote v one membership?

There's not a whole lot of difference.

You're cutting off your nose to spite your face if you turn down entry to 11+ games because you disagreed with a process the club introduced.

If you didn't like the process McDonald's, or Apple, or Nike used to elect their next CEO, would you boycott their food, not buy an iPod, or notwear their clothes?