View Full Version : review Football Department/Coaches
There is obviously going to be substantial change in the football department/coaching department over summer. Money should be no object to get the best. My opinion:
Matthew Knights - happy to see him continue as senior coach in 2011 with a better support team. He has his critics and will need full support of the players.
Alan Richardson - has big wraps as a development coach. Don't want him in charge of forward line any more. If he does go to Port Adelaide he is replaceable so not too fussed.
Scott Camporeale - happy to see him go. Never liked him.
Ashley Prescott - was very low profile in his time at Essendon. No stance on his leaving.
Gary O'Donnell - would prefer he moved away from defensive aspects coaching role and moved into development role. I think his work ethic, fitness fanaticism and knowledge of the game would be ideal for working with younger players.
Adrian Hickmott - absolute moron. Couldn't even coach Bendigo to one single win in 2009 and is a joke of a coach. You only need to hear his addresses to players to realise this bloke is useless. Please don't be at Essendon in 2011. Currently in development role - move him on and have Gary O'Donnell running this show with input from ex-players.
Coaches to bring in:
Defensive aspects/Opposition analysis coach: Dean Laidley. There would be no better assistant in the league at this and Laidley would be the perfect support man for Knights as he is now happy to just be an assistant.
Midfield Coach: Adam Simpson. He's a very keen student of the game, recently retired so is up with the modern game (ie rotations etc) and was part of a successful regime. Alternate option - Brett Kirk - however Simpson is more advanced as a coach right now.
Forward Coach: controversially Wayne Carey. I think he's matured enough and over his worst and can now be a coach for the young forwards to look up to and learn from. A superstar forward who knows how to operate a forward line. Would be a great asset.
Skills Coach: no specific coach. All of the coaches (Knights, Shannon Grant, Carey etc) could teach players in skills lessons.
It was no deliberate measure to soley go after ex-North Melbourne players but i believe each one is the best available in each field.
I don't want Mark Williams at the club - he would undermine Knights as there would be constant murmerings of him replacing Knights. The club doesn't need this - i don't believe there would be as much emphasis on Laidley in the same role.
If the players aren't responding to Knights by seasons end 2011 then its time to consider a new head coach. At it stands Knights has turned over a large volume of players, has a very young team and has a major gap of quality players in the 26-30 range. This he inherited from the Sheedy era. I fail to see how anyone else could have done better currently (including Hird). 2011 will be the making or breaking of Knights obviously though.
Nasty Penguin
18 Aug 2010, 15:10
It really depends on where Choco is at, in regards to his direction in football, as the same will happen if Hird is offered an Assistant coach role.
I feel that, since knights appointment, the club has lacked a lot of passion for the jumper so to bring this back club champions need to be more prominant around the club. Someone who bleeds red and black.
Lloyd as forward coach/goal kicking as he's not one to shirk an issue and seeing him in the media this year has shown his knowledge of the modern game and where the game is heading.
As for the other assistant's it's hard to say as there are ex players and unknowns who just know the game, or areas of, really well. The review in two weeks will show exactly where the club is going.
rusty14
18 Aug 2010, 17:05
Seen as Knights is contracted for a further two years, i would like to see him replace Hickmont as the Development coach - as he knows the young players well and could really work with them quite well - we also wouldnt need to pay out his contract?
Senior Coach - Bring in Hirdy, bleeds Red and Black and is a genuine leader, everyone associated with the Bombers respects and loves Hird, and i believe the lack of negative talk about the senior coach could only be a good thing.
I would also like to see Llloydy come in and work with the Forwards... or as an assistant.
table tennis
18 Aug 2010, 17:48
I find it hilarious to read your so well adjusted comments on our coaching staff.
Your criticism of Adrian hickmott for not winning a game at Bendigo last year was not a reflection of his coaching, was a reflection of the time and money that the efc did not put in. They had no players, upto that standard, and could only field 12 essendon blokes in the team as there was a reserves team.
The results were not reflection of whether hickmott can coach or not, as Leigh Matthews would not have coached them to a win last year.
At least the club had worked it this year to give Bendigo half a chance.
This season, we rookied 4 senior bodys, rather than kids, hardingham was a mature recruit, Jason cloke, Ben duscher etc. Plus another year of development into others.
I went to a few Bendigo games last year. Hickmott did the best with what he had, and spoke well at quarter time huddles, was informative and insightful.
If he had the cattle we had this year, he would have won games. You cannot compare this seasons results with last year, two very different kettles of fish!
table tennis
18 Aug 2010, 17:53
Also, I don't think our development in our kids has been a problem, which hickmott is looking after.
Colyer, Melksham, Carlisle, Hurley, zaharakis, pears etc have all improved. It's at the top end of the age bracket where we are struggling.
kelvin_sheedy
18 Aug 2010, 18:02
yes,yes...
In his 4th year of coaching lets get an experienced assistant to teach our coach how to coach.
it makes perfect sense.
OUt Knighter - sayonara chump.
worsfold
18 Aug 2010, 19:16
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/wafl/7782711/wafl-whispers-smooth-move-to-freo/
prescott leaving to join freo
You dont want to crucify hird though do you. everyone says your list isnt that great, Hardwick told the board it was a bad list & didnt get the job & knights told them it was great & did. If Hird comes in & it takes 3 years say to rebuild the list - will 2 years of crap ruin his career ?
ctacp
curlier than a catogio pube
stay true
18 Aug 2010, 20:06
You dont want to crucify hird though do you. everyone says your list isnt that great, Hardwick told the board it was a bad list & didnt get the job & knights told them it was great & did. If Hird comes in & it takes 3 years say to rebuild the list - will 2 years of crap ruin his career ?
ctacp
curlier than a catogio pube
The difference now is that Knights has turned over something like half to 3/4 of the list since he got the job. If we end up sacking Knights, whoever takes over will be inheriting a better list going forward than what Sheedy left for Knights, IMO of course. If Hird was to take over in that event, I don't think he would be gutting the list again as I feel we have the building blocks (key position players) set for the most part and he'd be putting all his energy into fixing our midfield.
Or maybe I'm too "bullish" and I've got it all wrong.:(
Ben the Gooner
18 Aug 2010, 20:26
You dont want to crucify hird though do you. everyone says your list isnt that great, Hardwick told the board it was a bad list & didnt get the job & knights told them it was great & did. If Hird comes in & it takes 3 years say to rebuild the list - will 2 years of crap ruin his career ?
ctacp
curlier than a catogio pube
If Knights rated the list that highly, why did he turn half of it over?
That comment is one of the most frustrating bullshit parts of this whole Knights thing.
lemon chicken
18 Aug 2010, 20:33
Your criticism of Adrian hickmott for not winning a game at Bendigo last year was not a reflection of his coaching, was a reflection of the time and money that the efc did not put in. They had no players, upto that standard, and could only field 12 essendon blokes in the team as there was a reserves team.
Quoted for common sense and truth.
Son of Whispy
18 Aug 2010, 20:39
What is the role of the development coach? It's obviously to develop players, but is it to develop the whole list, or just the players under 21 or so.
If it's to develop the list, Hickmott has failed miserably. If it's only to develop players under 21, he has done a good job, because these players have improved and done really well, where as the mid range, more experienced players just haven't come on at all.
I thought i'd ask the question. Just not quite sure if there were boundaries in his role.
Son of Whispy
18 Aug 2010, 20:41
If Knights rated the list that highly, why did he turn half of it over?
That comment is one of the most frustrating bullshit parts of this whole Knights thing.
That's a great point you make Ben.
Just frustrates the hell out of me.
Ben the Gooner
18 Aug 2010, 20:54
Quoted for common sense and truth.
What are these things of which you speak?
lemon chicken
18 Aug 2010, 21:10
What are these things of which you speak?
Comparing apples to oranges when people talk about Bendigo not winning a game last year as a reflection on the coach.
A case of the "Whomb's" Ben??
Double posting, we new you loved the guy, didn't know you would copy him :D
On our coaching panel, football department, is it true we were one of the least spending football department's in the AFL?
A case of the "Whomb's" Ben??
Double posting, we new you loved the guy, didn't know you would copy him :D
On our coaching panel, football department, is it true we were one of the least spending football department's in the AFL?
I am none the wiser.
Never read Whomb or Ben disagree about anything.:D
in 2009 adrian hickmott had the following players running out on the field for bendigo on numerous occasions:
jay neagle
leroy jetta
david zaharakis
andrew welsh
sam lonergan
jay nash
michael hurley
hayden skipworth
david myers
john williams
scott lucas
darcy daniher
rhys magin
tyson slattery
kyle reimers
jarrod atkinson
heath hocking
michael quinn
nathan lovett-murray
bachar houli
tom bellchambers
christian bock
and then there were some top up bendigo players such as crameri, carter amongst others - some of which have carried over into 2010.
i don't see that the shannon grant has had that much better cattle to work with at all than hickmott. given essendon's current injury situation, shannon grant in recent weeks has only been left with jetta, prismall, myers, still, t.slattery, atkinson, quinn, bellchambers, bock, marigliani to pick from. and he has still been able to propel his team into a finals series and win a number of games on end.
shannon grant is clearly a far superior coach than hickmott. only a fool would argue otherwise.
hickmott is a tool - he's most memorable speech out at werribee one week. the sides down by over 10 goals at 3/4 time and asks for a show of hands from the team who thinks we're out of this game. and he wasn't kidding! imagine if knights did this at 3/4 time against collingwood - he'd be a laughing stock. i can tell you hickmott was - several observers including myself walked off laughing after this. i got the feeling the players also thought similar.
as for giving hickmott credit for developing younger players - alan richardson has been the main development coach. hickmott got moved to being an assistant development coach as he was basically sacked as bendigo coach as he couldn't win a game! i assume he was still contracted so they kept him in some capacity to avoid a payout. hopefully his contract has now finished and he can be gone with. i cringe every time i see him at training or on match day. the man has no idea.
If Knights rated the list that highly, why did he turn half of it over?
That comment is one of the most frustrating bullshit parts of this whole Knights thing.No but I heard it on TFS, you see.
Ipso facto, it happened.
table tennis
19 Aug 2010, 10:59
in 2009 adrian hickmott had the following players running out on the field for bendigo on numerous occasions:
jay neagle
leroy jetta
david zaharakis
andrew welsh
sam lonergan
jay nash
michael hurley
hayden skipworth
david myers
john williams
scott lucas
darcy daniher
rhys magin
tyson slattery
kyle reimers
jarrod atkinson
heath hocking
michael quinn
nathan lovett-murray
bachar houli
tom bellchambers
christian bock
and then there were some top up bendigo players such as crameri, carter amongst others - some of which have carried over into 2010.
i don't see that the shannon grant has had that much better cattle to work with at all than hickmott. given essendon's current injury situation, shannon grant in recent weeks has only been left with jetta, prismall, myers, still, t.slattery, atkinson, quinn, bellchambers, bock, marigliani to pick from. and he has still been able to propel his team into a finals series and win a number of games on end.
shannon grant is clearly a far superior coach than hickmott. only a fool would argue otherwise.
hickmott is a tool - he's most memorable speech out at werribee one week. the sides down by over 10 goals at 3/4 time and asks for a show of hands from the team who thinks we're out of this game. and he wasn't kidding! imagine if knights did this at 3/4 time against collingwood - he'd be a laughing stock. i can tell you hickmott was - several observers including myself walked off laughing after this. i got the feeling the players also thought similar.
as for giving hickmott credit for developing younger players - alan richardson has been the main development coach. hickmott got moved to being an assistant development coach as he was basically sacked as bendigo coach as he couldn't win a game! i assume he was still contracted so they kept him in some capacity to avoid a payout. hopefully his contract has now finished and he can be gone with. i cringe every time i see him at training or on match day. the man has no idea.
Throwing names round doesnt prove anything.
The facts are, as Bendigo had a reserves side, we had to comply with the 12/10 rule. Unlike this year where we can have as many listed players as we want.
Players on that list consist of the following:
Players out of form
Players returning from Injury
Players who were unfit
Players that are/were not good enough
Players that were in early phases of development
Bendigo may have had a couple of good VFL players running around last year at times. However, they had the worst bottom 6-10 players getting a senior game every week. They could not be competive for any longer than periods during a quarter.
Bendigo's playing stocks this season has been 100x stonger.
There is no comparison, and anyone with any football knowledge would know that.
Im not saying that Hickmott is a good or bad coach. I just dont think you can judge him on the side he had to take care of last season.
Shannon Grant has done well this season, He may not be a better coach however. He probably is.
I saw Hickmott give some excellent talks at Quarter time. Some were not great, some were bad, most were good. He had so much to correct however, it would be hard to compute that from the brain to the tounge.
At Most leauges clubs, A position change from reserve grade to senior grade is a promotion. I would not be suprised if Hickmott has been given a role with the view that he was promoted to the senior side of things and not staying at Bendigo.
Hickmott as a reserves coach and Development coach, has had a lot to do with the youngsters development. As well as Richardson. Whether you choose to accept that or not.
A case of the "Whomb's" Ben??
brilliant!!! :D
--------------
I agree with most of the OP. Laidley said in the link in the other thread that in order to do that role (coaching director) you can't have an ego. He's dead right. Laidley could work with Knights with a good chance of forging a professional relationship without any cloke and daggers.
Can Choco do the same? I reckon Choco is better for the role but probably less trustworthy in this respect. Even if his intentions are honest, will Knights constantly feel his head is on the chopping block?
The other major issue I have is Brian Taylor. Love the bloke. But not as our GK coach. Should be Lloyd but I doubt he'd be interested. Best choice would actually be Caracella. Had the best technique of any Essendon footballer I've seen over the last 15 years. More accurate in front of goal than Lloyd as well. Cara as GK skills coach + gameday coach = win.
Ben the Gooner
19 Aug 2010, 14:47
I am none the wiser.
Never read Whomb or Ben disagree about anything.:D
Just the coach of our football club.
Yeah but that's fairly insignificant in comparison to say, giving a young kid taken at pick #6 in the 2007 draft a few years to prove himself.
Sounds like you're agreeing with each other again bro.
Ben the Gooner
19 Aug 2010, 14:54
Sounds like you're agreeing with each other again bro.
I like the way snrub thinks.
bombersaway
19 Aug 2010, 15:29
Why does adrian dodoro's name never get a mention?
Even in the media this bloke should be shouldering alot more of the crap coming from all the clowns re knights,
in my opinion if anyone needs to go he should be no 1
he must have one of the worst records of all recruitment managers in the afl,
why and how has he floated under the radar for so long
table tennis
19 Aug 2010, 15:48
Why does adrian dodoro's name never get a mention?
Even in the media this bloke should be shouldering alot more of the crap coming from all the clowns re knights,
in my opinion if anyone needs to go he should be no 1
he must have one of the worst records of all recruitment managers in the afl,
why and how has he floated under the radar for so long
Dodoro might be in trouble after this draft.
The last couple of years, it seems that he may have done well.
Colyer and Melksham look good, Hurley, Pears, Hooker etc it was his wasted picks with Kepler Bradley, David Myers etc that continue to haunt us.
bombersaway
19 Aug 2010, 15:59
dodoro might be in trouble after this draft.
The last couple of years, it seems that he may have done well.
Colyer and melksham look good, hurley, pears, hooker etc it was his wasted picks with kepler bradley, david myers etc that continue to haunt us.
without checking what year he took over( i think 2000)
you can add bolton 3# mcalister #4 even heffernan #2
to the list i think he's been involved at the club about 20 years
not too mention some others who were high picks and never played at all,
he's a proven dud
heard it from he's mouth when he drove to ade to bring christian bock over how he thought the kid would be a gun
fair to say i was excited then but ive just lost all confidence in he's ability to identify tallent,
yeah the last couple he seems to have done well but the gap of 100 game players who should be leading the club are a combination of him and sheedy's poor decisions from say 2002-
it just does my head in that knights cops all this shit when these two cleary play a big role in where we now are but they never get mentioned
Why does adrian dodoro's name never get a mention?
Even in the media this bloke should be shouldering alot more of the crap coming from all the clowns re knights,
in my opinion if anyone needs to go he should be no 1
he must have one of the worst records of all recruitment managers in the afl,
why and how has he floated under the radar for so long
he is counting all his way to the bank.
Invested $400,000 with Bomber Thompson and Gary March's brother in a parcel of land near Torquay.
now his share is worth $10,000,000.
He has flown under the radar.
This whole Shannon Grant V Adrian Hickmont debate should not be based on wins or losses..
If people go and watch the games, they will notice a couple of things between the two.
When Shannon Grant talks, people listen. Adrian Hickmont talks for the sake of it I am certain of, seems to choose his word choice very poorly.
Shannon Grant is a very hands on coach, getting involved with each player group and is always the first person on the ground at each interval.
I like Shannon Grant as a coach and feel that one day, he could implement himself at a higher level..
table tennis
20 Aug 2010, 07:20
This whole Shannon Grant V Adrian Hickmont debate should not be based on wins or losses..
If people go and watch the games, they will notice a couple of things between the two.
When Shannon Grant talks, people listen. Adrian Hickmont talks for the sake of it I am certain of, seems to choose his word choice very poorly.
Shannon Grant is a very hands on coach, getting involved with each player group and is always the first person on the ground at each interval.
I like Shannon Grant as a coach and feel that one day, he could implement himself at a higher level..
Exactly my point. U cannot determine hickmott was a dud based on his win loss from last year.
Exactly my point. U cannot determine hickmott was a dud based on his win loss from last year.
Yeah, people are quick to use stats as a back up for an argument..
They do not look at the whole situation.
bipolarbeaR
20 Aug 2010, 15:15
The game doesn't know how old you are, but it knows how shit you're playing.
table tennis
20 Aug 2010, 19:10
The game doesn't know how old you are, but it knows how shit you're playing.
I love reading your posts, not because of what you say, but a constant reminder of some really dumb comments on here, prime example is your sig.
I think yaco has a dumb comment floating around too. I love it.
I love reading your posts, not because of what you say, but a constant reminder of some really dumb comments on here, prime example is your sig.
I think yaco has a dumb comment floating around too. I love it.
TT
what is the dumb comment.
i need to save it.
TT
what is the dumb comment.
i need to save it.
BtG's SIG "You never see Brian Lake leave the defensive 50"..
That could be it?
:p
Mountain West
21 Aug 2010, 07:19
Original Poster = Solutions oriented
However, how far does the club have to go to be Geelong or be at the level of the days of Madden, Merritt, Bomber, Ezard, Salmon, Tim Watson, Hawker, etc?
That's what needs to happen at EFC.
BtG's SIG "You never see Brian Lake leave the defensive 50"..
That could be it?
:pMy signature :(
My signature :(
It isn't a dumb comment.
He never chases his opponent to the centre.
He keeps his structure in the defensive 50 which is why he is such an effective defender.
May be too much for some of you to understand.:o
table tennis
21 Aug 2010, 23:45
It isn't a dumb comment.
He never chases his opponent to the centre.
He keeps his structure in the defensive 50 which is why he is such an effective defender.
May be too much for some of you to understand.:o
I know what you mean, but he does leave defensive 50. He even plays forward to make that statement in isolation look really stupid.
He often is quick to leave his man and drop into defensive 50 quickly. However, after watching the dogs 3 times this year, he isn't as planted as you may think.
May be too much for some of you to understand.:oHaha. OK mate.
table tennis said it well; you said that Lake never leaves the defensive fifty, yet one of the things that sets him apart from the likes of Presti, Glass, Rutten etc is the drive he creates from the backline.
Yes, that involves a lot of leaving the defensive fifty.
Haha. OK mate.
table tennis said it well; you said that Lake never leaves the defensive fifty, yet one of the things that sets him apart from the likes of Presti, Glass, Rutten etc is the drive he creates from the backline.
Yes, that involves a lot of leaving the defensive fifty.
I have been quoted of context.
YES, he does attack from the defensive 50 and occasionally plays forward.
no drama.;)
table tennis
22 Aug 2010, 09:41
Even so yaco. It is still funny
Guys back on topic please!!