News Leppitsch's contract extended until 2017

[Hollow Knight]

Full article.

BRISBANE Lions coach Justin Leppitsch will soon be awarded a single-year extension on a contract set to run out at season’s end.

The Herald Sun understands the Lions are working through the details of a deal that will give him security until 2017, aware of a horror early fixture.

I know some posters including Quigley can't countenance the idea of a contract extension at this point but I am personally very happy with this.

With our first half of the fixture, the bloodsport for Leppa would be on for young and old in the media which is just a shitload of negativity our club doesn't need, and a distraction for the players.

Considering our list turnover, I think a one year extension is pretty prudent. It's not overcommitting but sends a message that he is being given a chance to implement a plan, and also a message to any remaining players who feel like doing a bit of tail wagging the dog.

This gives Leppa 2016 without the hounds at the door and time for Lambert to put some processes in place off-field. If 2016 is an utter disaster for Leppitsch he can still be moved on regardless of the extra year. If things go great beyond expectations, they can extend it further.

I'm really happy with this decision. Come at me.

 

[CarloLion]

I know some posters including Quigley can't countenance the idea of a contract extension at this point but I am personally very happy with this.

With our first half of the fixture, the bloodsport for Leppa would be on for young and old in the media which is just a shitload of negativity our club doesn't need, and a distraction for the players.

Considering our list turnover, I think a one year extension is pretty prudent. It's not overcommitting but sends a message that he is being given a chance to implement a plan, and also a message to any remaining players who feel like doing a bit of tail wagging the dog.

This gives Leppa 2016 without the hounds at the door and time for Lambert to put some processes in place off-field. If 2016 is an utter disaster for Leppitsch he can still be moved on regardless of the extra year. If things go great beyond expectations, they can extend it further.

I'm really happy with this decision. Come at me.

Agreed, great work Swanny and Lions!

 

[Harris Specter]

Come under fire from all supporters of other clubs due to incidents like O'Brien, but let's face it, it has been grossly exaggerated from pulling his jumper to grabbing his throat, classic media. As for Redden, he never really delivered on his promise he showed, and we got a bigger bodied replacement who can actually do something useful with the ball other than just tackle.

Let's see how Leppa goes without a disastrous injury toll like last year, when the trio of Hanley, Beams and Rockliff only managed 2.5 full games.

A lot of people will be surprised at how much quality we've got at our disposal, and frankly, Leppa is the one who has built this team. Interested to see how we perform in the first 8 weeks of the fixture.

 

[Davemonkey]

Yeah it feels like the right thing. It is a tough draw early and I agree, we don't need the negative publicity that comes with the speculation. Leppa has something resembling the list he wants, lets see what he can do with it.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

As you say TBD, this is probably more about sending a message to players and the footy World than it is a show of faith in Leppa. But I would like nothing more than for us to have a successful year and for Leppa to get a full-on contract extension at year's end

 

[M Malice]

i like the decision and agree with Rubix WingMan, this is leppas team now, we need to give him a few years to see it through. many coaches over the years have had a lot of pressure on them and appeared on the verge of the sack and turned it around. in recent years both mark thompson and alistair clarkson had huge pressure on them to perform and look what happened from there.
although i do think that if we have a terrible start to the season, not necessarily losses but the manner of them the contract extension will not in any way stop the media from calling for his head. it is a great message to send to the players though, they can see a little bit further down the road now.

 

[AFLQLD]

I always think that you develop a plan, put the elements in place to bring the plan to fruition and then put the plan into action diligently, without wavering. If the club is confident that the plan is right and Leppa is part of it then extending looks like the right decision. For the first time in years, we seem to have the whole club together working. Stay the course.

 

[Simba Moyo]

Good news, stability is crucial right now. Let's hope this has a flow on effect and the contract extensions keep on coming

 

[WA Lion]

good decision by club. Previously I was an advocate for Leppa to get a 2 year extension, but on reflection perhaps a 1 year extension is more appropriate given some of the coach/player issues last year

 

[Elixuh]

Good decision. If we are to have a poor first half of the season this will at least take away a further distraction and allow us to work on implementing a consistent plan.

 

[carnthemlions]

Good move, we couldn't have the kind of instability a soon to be out of contract coach on a struggling team tends to attract. It would've just set us up to fail this year.

 

[Quigley]

As noted in the first post I think it is a bloody stupid decision.

Leppa has shown zero ability to coach to date. He has cut savagely into the list creating an excuse for himself and then implemented a training program which resulted in injury after injury. Despite that there has been talent at his disposal and the players have consistently performed below their talent level as a team. There is no structure going forward or defending and every stat backs this up. There were stacks of knives in Voss' back at the end but we have gone backwards at a rate of knots under Leppa.

So management in their wisdom give him an extra year. Based on what criteria exactly? Hopium is obviously being pumped into the board room of late. If things are a disaster this year and we decide to part ways we are going to have to fork out another half mill or so that we can ill afford to spend. This is the kind of decision a loss making entity should not be making. Surely it would be prudent to wait and see how we go. If it was based on past performance he would not be in a job.

I honestly hope I am wrong but I really just do not see how such a decision could be made.

 

[Pacman82]

Good move, we couldn't have the kind of instability a soon to be out of contract coach on a struggling team tends to attract. It would've just set us up to fail this year.

Agreed. Plus, give the man a shot with barrels fully loaded.

 

[carnthemlions]

As noted in the first post I think it is a bloody stupid decision.

Leppa has shown zero ability to coach to date. He has cut savagely into the list creating an excuse for himself and then implemented a training program which resulted in injury after injury. Despite that there has been talent at his disposal and the players have consistently performed below their talent level as a team. There is no structure going forward or defending and every stat backs this up. There were stacks of knives in Voss' back at the end but we have gone backwards at a rate of knots under Leppa.

So management in their wisdom give him an extra year. Based on what criteria exactly? Hopium is obviously being pumped into the board room of late. If things are a disaster this year and we decide to part ways we are going to have to fork out another half mill or so that we can ill afford to spend. This is the kind of decision a loss making entity should not be making. Surely it would be prudent to wait and see how we go. If it was based on past performance he would not be in a job.

I honestly hope I am wrong but I really just do not see how such a decision could be made.

If things are as bad as you say, we should've sacked Leppa at the end of last season. That clearly wasn't going to happen, and the club's chosen the only viable option (a short contract extension). The alternative was going into the season with a lame duck coach, not a hard decision for me.

 

[Always a Lion]

Thumbs up from me.

I reckon we're where we're at by design. Now he gets a couple of years to show his coaching ability, with a steadier younger list.

Onwards and upwards.

 

[WA Lion]

As noted in the first post I think it is a bloody stupid decision.

Leppa has shown zero ability to coach to date. He has cut savagely into the list creating an excuse for himself and then implemented a training program which resulted in injury after injury. Despite that there has been talent at his disposal and the players have consistently performed below their talent level as a team. There is no structure going forward or defending and every stat backs this up. There were stacks of knives in Voss' back at the end but we have gone backwards at a rate of knots under Leppa.

So management in their wisdom give him an extra year. Based on what criteria exactly? Hopium is obviously being pumped into the board room of late. If things are a disaster this year and we decide to part ways we are going to have to fork out another half mill or so that we can ill afford to spend. This is the kind of decision a loss making entity should not be making. Surely it would be prudent to wait and see how we go. If it was based on past performance he would not be in a job.

I honestly hope I am wrong but I really just do not see how such a decision could be made.

I have to say you have interpreted a couple of things very interestingly!

Your comment about the list cut making an excuse for him is remarkable, if you truly believe we didn't need a list cull and that our list pre-Leppa was a premiership capable one then we will have to agree to disagree. The list was poor and shallow.

And I wonder on what basis/evidence you make the comment about the training program being responsible for the high rate of injuries? Particularly bearing in mind just how many of our injuries were collision based, not the type caused by overtraining.

I agree that at times we lacked structure going forwards and at the back, but what do you expect with forward and backlines filled with teenagers or ruckmen?

I certainly don't feel we have gone backwards under Leppa. At the very least we have gutted a list that needed gutting and got a whole heap of talented teenagers in.

 

[Ironmonger]

Personally, I really don't understand why we'd do this. A one year extension doesn't give players certainty of who's in charge in anything other than the short term, and it makes it harder for us bring in someone new if we don't show any significant improvement over the season.

It's not like there's a lot of competition for his services.

Some posters were worried about the media speculation he'd face in the last year of his contract. I don't think that's a good enough reason to extend his contract, but even if it was, there'll be negative media coverage either way if we're not showing signs of improvement, and this lukewarm endorsement won't do much to offset that.

You don't have to look too hard to see that changing coaches isn't necessarily something to fear. Port Adelaide, West Coast and the Bulldogs had rapid improvements shortly after a change in leadership. Stability is great, but if you're successful then stability will follow. There's nothing stable about footy clubs that lose most of their games, no matter when the coach's contract runs out.

So it's hard to see what this decision really gets us.

I guess the board have decided that no matter what happens in 2016, they'll give Leppa another year to show what he can do. I'd have thought that his record was so bad that there's a very strong chance that we won't need another full year to make a final judgement on his capacity to do the job.

It's not like we have nothing to lose. If there's no improvement, and we do decide to let Leppa's contract expire at the end of 2017, then we've just wasted a year. That means our strongest group of players - those in their mid 20s, like Rockliff, Beams, Hanley, Christensen, Robinson and Zorko - will be a year older and closer to retirement. It means another year heading down Leppitsch's plan, which seems to involve a great deal of list turnover, and a worryingly large number of players who fall into a run of bad form and never get out of it.

It's another year where we could be bringing in someone with new ideas, who could bring the best out of this team. Of course, we could equally bring in someone who'll be even worse, but we don't really have much further to fall right now.

I hope the confidence that the board, and most of the regular contributors on this forum, have in Leppitsch proves to be justified. More than anything I hope that in a few months time we'll be showing big strides forward and this will all prove to be redundant. Sadly, I just don't see the path forward others see under this guy

 

[SizeMatters]

Good decision. 1 year is probably what is warranted. Gives Leppa a bit of breathing room to implement and finalise the foundation for his 10 year plan, and on the other hand gives us some leeway to dump him if he further fractures the playing group or doesn't get the improvement we should be seeing. Let's hope he can get a full squad on the park this season so he can see out those who fit into his plan. Leppa wants to see this through and I hope he is paid accordingly if we do improve. Wouldn't want him leaving half way through if we only offer him peanuts.

I wonder if he has any other plans on who he wants to be surrounded with. A guaranteed longer stay here might tempt him to bring in more personnel that he wants. Another discussion maybe and honestly we probably couldn't afford it anyway

 

[Back2Back2Back]

Good. Each season up to now he's coached with one hand tied behind his back in terms of the team's ability. Players got injured, upset the team balance with their 'will they or won't they stay' bullshh..... (Aish I'm staring directly at you, you little plick), we've had admin overhauls, new strength and conditioning coaches...

Let's get a bit of a roll going before we decide to upturn the apple cart again, hey?

 

[leaper]

I think we were all guilty of expecting too much last season. I was excited before the Collingwood game and I believed the hype that we were going to be the big improver. This was all dashed by round 2's end. I don't think I have had a more disappointing season. Even though we had many excuses our game plan didn't hold up and we lacked depth.
I am pleased with Leppa's extension. We have the basis of a good team, I am expecting 8 wins anything beyond that will be a bonus. 2017 should be the year we start to move up. If Leppa can't do that he won't be there in 2018. He can get on with putting his mark on the team this year without the pressure of being sacked. I like it.

 

[Lionheart182]

Personally, I really don't understand why we'd do this. A one year extension doesn't give players certainty of who's in charge in anything other than the short term, and it makes it harder for us bring in someone new if we don't show any significant improvement over the season.

It's not like there's a lot of competition for his services.

Some posters were worried about the media speculation he'd face in the last year of his contract. I don't think that's a good enough reason to extend his contract, but even if it was, there'll be negative media coverage either way if we're not showing signs of improvement, and this lukewarm endorsement won't do much to offset that.

You don't have to look too hard to see that changing coaches isn't necessarily something to fear. Port Adelaide, West Coast and the Bulldogs had rapid improvements shortly after a change in leadership. Stability is great, but if you're successful then stability will follow. There's nothing stable about footy clubs that lose most of their games, no matter when the coach's contract runs out.

So it's hard to see what this decision really gets us.

I guess the board have decided that no matter what happens in 2016, they'll give Leppa another year to show what he can do. I'd have thought that his record was so bad that there's a very strong chance that we won't need another full year to make a final judgement on his capacity to do the job.

It's not like we have nothing to lose. If there's no improvement, and we do decide to let Leppa's contract expire at the end of 2017, then we've just wasted a year. That means our strongest group of players - those in their mid 20s, like Rockliff, Beams, Hanley, Christensen, Robinson and Zorko - will be a year older and closer to retirement. It means another year heading down Leppitsch's plan, which seems to involve a great deal of list turnover, and a worryingly large number of players who fall into a run of bad form and never get out of it.

It's another year where we could be bringing in someone with new ideas, who could bring the best out of this team. Of course, we could equally bring in someone who'll be even worse, but we don't really have much further to fall right now.

I hope the confidence that the board, and most of the regular contributors on this forum, have in Leppitsch proves to be justified. More than anything I hope that in a few months time we'll be showing big strides forward and this will all prove to be redundant. Sadly, I just don't see the path forward others see under this guy

You say it a lot better than I can but I absolutely agree.

The last two years in the first 7 rounds we are what, 3 wins and 11 losses or thereabouts? And that's without even taking into the account the manner of these losses which were, at times, horrific. That gives the media plenty of ammunition to go after Leppa regardless of whether we give him a one year extension on a modest contract or not. OP mentions players being made aware that the tail doesn't wag the dog but honestly, is warding off media attention a better reason to extend? I would hope not. Just don't see it.

And this is without even mentioning having to pay him out should we move him on. This decision benefits nobody (except Leppa of course).

Edit: Just looked it up and we are indeed 3-11 over two years. Bloodthirsty media perspective on extending his contract is completely redundant if we were to repeat this form again this year, horror draw or not.

 

[WA Lion]

You say it a lot better than I can but I absolutely agree.

The last three years in the first 7 rounds we are what, 5 wins and 16 losses or thereabouts? And that's without even taking into the account the manner of these losses which were, at times, horrific. That gives the media plenty of ammunition to go after Leppa regardless of whether we give him a one year extension on a modest contract or not. OP mentions players being made aware that the tail doesn't wag the dog but honestly, is warding off media attention a better reason to extend? I would hope not. Just don't see it.

And this is without even mentioning having to pay him out should we move him on. This decision benefits nobody (except Leppa of course).

Edit: Just looked it up and we are indeed 5-16 over the first 7 games the past three years. Bloodthirsty media perspective on extending his contract is completely redundant if we were to repeat this form again this year.

Whilst this isn't aimed at yourself, (more a discussion point) I find it interesting that the posters against the extension raise concerns about re-signing a coach to ward off media attention not being a legitimate reason for extending, but then flag concerns about paying out any such extension such he be sacked.

I would argue that if media attention isn't a legitimate reason to extend, then avoiding a contract payout is equally not a legitimate reason to put off re-signing.

Interested in others thoughts?

 

[Lionheart182]

Whilst this isn't aimed at yourself, (more a discussion point) I find it interesting that the posters against the extension raise concerns about re-signing a coach to ward off media attention not being a legitimate reason for extending, but then flag concerns about paying out any such extension such he be sacked.

I would argue that if media attention isn't a legitimate reason to extend, then avoiding a contract payout is equally not a legitimate reason to put off re-signing.

Interested in others thoughts?

More importantly though, does he warrant an extension based on his performance so far, taking all these factors out of it?

 

[blackpowerlappin]

I'm happy to extend him by a year, would have been equally to give him 2. The blokes been crucified by injuries and has made some tough and required calls on players and improved the list. We just can't get them on the park at the same time. Seems to me to be a bit of bad luck tbh.

I think our list is better than most think, personal view. When we are 4 and 4 after 8, the Melbourne journos will be saying " oh, but they've had a good list it was injuries that set them back".

 

[WA Lion]

More importantly though, does he warrant an extension based on his performance so far, taking all these factors out of it?

There lies the truly difficult question! Taking the feeling of this thread as a very small sample of fan feeling, you would suggest externally at least it's roughly 70-30 or 80-20 in favour of a short-extension.

Internally is the big one for me. Whilst being in favour of the short extension myself, my one area of concern was the player relationship issues. I am more than prepared to accept that injuries, list turnover (a necessary evil) and lack of resources have hindered his first 2 years, as these are largely beyond his control. Yes he instigated the list turnover but I don't believe he had any choice given the state of our list prior to his tenure.

The area that is within his control which clearly encountered issues was his relationship with the players. This is the area I would want immediate improvement in. External stories suggest things have much improved in that department, but time will tell.