Peter Jackson circa 2007

[kelvin_sheedy]

Deadline on Matthew Knights to get Bombers airborne. (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/dons-deadline-on-knights/story-e6frf9if-1111114719574)

I think it sums up our plight right now. Complete and utter mismanagement.

"I will get kicked up the bum I suppose, and Matthew is going to be the first one to kick me for putting a time line on these things, but three years from now, which is 2010, I think you'd expect Essendon to be pushing up to a top-four spot if these kids are as a good as we think they are,"

"If they're not then we aren't good judges and we probably shouldn't be there."

[Call Me Cake]

ESSENDON boss Peter Jackson has put enormous pressure on new coach Matthew Knights, saying the club should play finals in 2009 and "push for top four" in 2010.

We technically did play finals in 2009. Sure, we did it with 10 wins, 11 losses and a draw, but regardless of making the finals, we did improve in 2009 by losing 3 less games overall. And I know people will harp on about us just scarping in, but what about Carlton this year for example? On the verge of making the top 8 with the same amount of losses (11), or Hawthorn? Getting over the line with 1 more win than us. But no one is giving them shit, are they? It's finals!

Give me a break.

Why are other teams allowed a "shock year" when things just don't go according to plan, but we aren't? Did we somehow win a premiership in 2009, or in 2008, and we're disappointed because we should have went back2back? Why is it so hard to understand that no one could have predicted our situation 3 years ago. No one. And by situation, I mean the players we have, the structure we're addressing, the teams that we've been playing, the draw we've had or the injuries and suspensions. Why is it so hard to understand that this year, is most likely the first year in 2 or so years that our youngsters are finally feeling the pressure of responsibility... on their own?

Let's take a trip to Knights' "first year" as coach...

Hooker had only played 2 games, Pears with 5 and Hurley hadn't even arrived yet. This is, today, the back-line that we are now relying upon. None of them were regulars or getting games ahead of anyone else in 2008. Gumbleton was too injured (with only 5 games in 2007 to boot). Zaharakis, like Hurley, was not here, and neither were the young promising prospects in Melksham, Colyer, Hardingham, ect;

Believe it or not, there was a dramatic difference when it comes to the teams we have regularly played in 2008 (1st year) and 2009 (2nd year), particularly for a new coach on the block. It goes to show how new our side really was in 2009, and how messy 2008 was for anyone with the intentions of 'starting all over' or 'creating a new era'. Thus, in my eyes, 2009 was really Knights' first year as coach.

2010 (3rd year, this year) was even newer, with Gumbleton taking first priority up forward after Lloyd and Lucas' departure (did people see this coming in 2007?) and Hurley going back to accommodate an injured Pears/Hooker throughout the year, with Neagle to come back in and try to make a name for himself. These players, for the first time in 2 years, have finally had to deal with the entire pressures of what football consistency asks of them on a weekly basis. And this is without any wooden spoons to boot. Experience is what we need to blood into these new guys we've inherited, and that only comes with time, and doing it on your own.

2-3 years is quite a time lapse in football, but in these circumstances, it almost seems like it's just not enough.

I'm not making excuses, I'm as disappointed as anyone else. But that's before I saw the reality of where we're sitting. That's my 2 cents.

[bombre-boy]

Maybe we should also look at the things we were promised by Knights....
Year 1 imporve skills
Year 2 improve skills, implement a defensive side to our all out attack game plan.
Year 3 improve skills, implement a defensive side to our all out attack game plan.

Sorry, but on these key, but basic (IMHO) things, Knights has been a complete failure.
Our side has no direction, no confidence, looks disenchanted and seemingly puts in little effort in portions of the game.
The fact that at round 15 it was stated that the coaching staff still didnt know who our best 22 were, is an indictment on the whole coaching staff and their philosophies.

Do not forget....we were told 3 years ago that our list was good and we would be competetive.

Yes injuries can affect team performance, but until a 3 weeks ago we had a pretty good run this year.
I think we have done OK with recruiting over the last 3 years.

The plain and ugly facts are we have gone nowhere for the last 3 years.

[stander]

Deadline on Matthew Knights to get Bombers airborne. (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/dons-deadline-on-knights/story-e6frf9if-1111114719574)

I think it sums up our plight right now. Complete and utter mismanagement.

I like the bit about $2M net profit.

[Ludwig van Bertstare]

Been on saveessendon.com, kelvin?

[DapperDon]

Been on saveessendon.com, kelvin?

Lol, didn't even know that was a website until now.

Some people have WAY too much time on their hands.

[JD11]

What CMC said.

[kelvin_sheedy]

I'd love to hear his thoughts on todays events.

[stander]

I'd love to hear his thoughts on todays events.


I heard "C'est la vie", or "we backed the wrong horse"

The choice is yours.

[TeamHurley]

lol @ that website.