Will Mathew Nicks get fired before he coaches a win?

[thebirdman 24]

I think considering what Nicks has to work with he is doing a good job.

He has the worst coaching department in the nation and the worst list going around at the very beginning of a long-term rebuild. It will be a while before we have enough talent to push through back to the 8 because of our lack of investment in the future.

During the past 5 years we have only allowed a very small trickle of young players into the team and usually they would serve a year or two apprenticeship in the seconds. This year we are playing them all in the firsts as we have no other choice but to see what we have got.

Yes I wish Nicks gave the youngsters more of a prominent role on the field at expense of proven mediocre players (Crouch x2) but on the whole he is playing the players we want to see. I hope to see more of Davis, Stengle & Schoenberg throughout the year and work out who we want to keep persisting with.

 

[spenze]

He will win a game before he gets sacked

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

In 2005 Clarkson’s Hawks were 1-6 with a percentage of 88

We are 0-5 with a percentage of 53

The problem isn’t that we are losing, it is that we aren’t competitive.

Thats pretty damning with the talent they had on that list. Difference is, we dont have the talent and the two main leaders Sloane and Tex are cooked. Nicks isnt at fault for the list position.

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

Except no one is upset we're not winning.

And we're not really, in any meaningful way, blooding youngsters. This board consistently overstates the extent to which we've begun playing youngsters.

We're playing a very experienced core in our team, and that experienced core is showing no signs of a game plan, or being motivated. How else would one appraise a coaches performance?

Or is the contention that we simply shouldnt appraise a coaches performance for years now because we rebuild?

Do we just start assessing his performance once the rebuild is finished? How long do we need to give him then?

Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because players have left?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because the club never played kids over the last 3 years?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because we picked Gibbs before Nicks came here?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because we lost draft picks in tippettgate?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because the people around him are s**t?

Why is everyone so glass half empty?

Maybe we should praise Nicks because Hamill has showed plenty this year?
Maybe we should praise Nicks because McAdam looks pretty good?
Maybe we should praise Nicks because Jones is finally getting time in the middle
Maybe we should praise Nicks because he played McAsey from day dot and left Hartigan out

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

I actually cannot believe that people are calling for Nicks already.
Rebuild
Young and inexperienced players
COVID-19
New game plan
No home games where players get to go home
Cooked senior group
Worst assistant coaches in the league

What the fu** did you expect people? WE DO NOT NEEDA SANDO BOUNCE!

Adelaide have the perfect storm of shitness riight now and none of it is Nicks fault, but he is the one who has to wade through this mess. I really feel sorry for him. There is only so much a coach can do.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Given how bad the fallout from the recent/new camp revelations and Riccuito's comments etc, sacking Nicks now/shortly would be the worst thing your club team can do.

Nicks may or may not have been the right man for the job (still early to tell on that) but unless he goes totally Mark Neeld (or Malthouse at Carlton) and becomes a really toxic influence on the playing group (which doesn't seem the case), all it takes is one win (which I am sure will come against a team like Melbourne or even my mob which are still as unreliable as a damaged kettle) and the whole feeling and mindset amongst the playing group will lift tenfold.

It really sucks and hurts as a fan, but you have to ride it out for a bit longer, know what it's like to see your club hit rock bottom as a fan, but your club and players really need to be United and have stability now more than ever...

 

[relapse]

Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because players have left?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because the club never played kids over the last 3 years?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because we picked Gibbs before Nicks came here?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because we lost draft picks in tippettgate?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because the people around him are sh*t?

Why is everyone so glass half empty?

Maybe we should praise Nicks because Hamill has showed plenty this year?
Maybe we should praise Nicks because McAdam looks pretty good?
Maybe we should praise Nicks because Jones is finally getting time in the middle
Maybe we should praise Nicks because he played McAsey from day dot and left Hartigan out

The sad thing is a few of the people who were big advocates of bottoming out and rebuilding are now the ones who are complaining that we aren't competitive enough.

 

[1970crow]

Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because players have left?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because the club never played kids over the last 3 years?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because we picked Gibbs before Nicks came here?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because we lost draft picks in tippettgate?
Should we label Nicks as someone who cant coach because the people around him are sh*t?

Why is everyone so glass half empty?

Maybe we should praise Nicks because Hamill has showed plenty this year?
Maybe we should praise Nicks because McAdam looks pretty good?
Maybe we should praise Nicks because Jones is finally getting time in the middle
Maybe we should praise Nicks because he played McAsey from day dot and left Hartigan out

Hamill only got a game after injuries. Should have gotten in off his own steam ahead of Kelly.
McAdam could have played earlier.
Jones doesn't get as much midfield time as he should or even deserves.
Hartigan was injured during preseason and we've dropped McAsey at first opportunity.

Each and every praise point is a break even at best. I don't blame him for the spit show prior.

 

[1970crow]

The sad thing is a few of the people who were big advocates of bottoming out and rebuilding are now the ones who are complaining that we aren't competitive enough.

That's rubbish. One complaint from Sunday is that we'd have been no worse with McAsey or Butts playing over Hartigan. Or Jones getting more midfield time. Those coaching decisions are a concern.

 

[SaltPeter]

That's rubbish. One complaint from Sunday is that we'd have been no worse with McAsey or Butts playing over Hartigan. Or Jones getting more midfield time. Those coaching decisions are a concern.

I wondered if Jones getting less midfield time was related to his knee?
Probably not, based on games to date

 

[relapse]

That's rubbish. One complaint from Sunday is that we'd have been no worse with McAsey or Butts playing over Hartigan. Or Jones getting more midfield time. Those coaching decisions are a concern.

I didn't agree with the selection of Hartigan over McAsey, but you can hardly criticise Nicks for not playing youngsters.

Personally I just don't understand what people are wanting. Everyone was frustrated last year when the club was trying to chase wins rather than developing players, now we're trying to play younger players trying to develop them and now people aren't happy about that.

"I would rather lose with McHenry, Jones etc in the side than chase wins with aging senior players", fast forward 12 months "OMG we're not winning, sack Nicks"

 

[marty36]

I didn't agree with the selection of Hartigan over McAsey, but you can hardly criticise Nicks for not playing youngsters.

Personally I just don't understand what people are wanting. Everyone was frustrated last year when the club was trying to chase wins rather than developing players, now we're trying to play younger players trying to develop them and now people aren't happy about that.

Happy to play younger players and see if our list is as crap as our ladder position or if it's any good



On SM-G965F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Scorpus]

I didn't agree with the selection of Hartigan over McAsey, but you can hardly criticise Nicks for not playing youngsters.

Personally I just don't understand what people are wanting. Everyone was frustrated last year when the club was trying to chase wins rather than developing players, now we're trying to play younger players trying to develop them and now people aren't happy about that.

I think people are quite comfortable with us playing juniors.

The frustration comes from seeing senior players obviously spudding it up and not being held accountable, while we simultaneously refuse to give much responsibility to young players who show fantastic glimpses when played in position

 

[relapse]

I think people are quite comfortable with us playing juniors.

The frustration comes from seeing senior players obviously spudding it up and not being held accountable, while we simultaneously refuse to give much responsibility to young players who show fantastic glimpses when played in position

I don't agree that senior players are not being held accountable.

We dropped Matt Crouch and Walker claimed that he was about to be dropped but was saved when Fog got injured at training.

I think this is going to take some time and we all need to have some degree of patience. The first step is actually getting these guys out on the park and giving them some exposure (which we're now finally doing). They will eventually get more and more exposure, but it's just going to take some time.

If we're still at this point in 12-18 months time then yeah Nicks will definitely be in the gun, but at the moment we're staring at Pick 1 and playing younger players so it's not all bad.

I am willing to give him this year and next year before making a call on him.

 

[Southerntakeover]

The sad thing is a few of the people who were big advocates of bottoming out and rebuilding are now the ones who are complaining that we aren't competitive enough.

Does repeating a lie make it true? No one is complaining that we're not competitive enough in itself.

 

[Southerntakeover]

I didn't agree with the selection of Hartigan over McAsey, but you can hardly criticise Nicks for not playing youngsters.

Personally I just don't understand what people are wanting. Everyone was frustrated last year when the club was trying to chase wins rather than developing players, now we're trying to play younger players trying to develop them and now people aren't happy about that.

"I would rather lose with McHenry, Jones etc in the side than chase wins with aging senior players", fast forward 12 months "OMG we're not winning, sack Nicks"

Wanting us to prioritise long term list development, and wanting a coach that can develop and install a game plan are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Cap]

The sad thing is a few of the people who were big advocates of bottoming out and rebuilding are now the ones who are complaining that we aren't competitive enough.

I think the key here is that what a rebuild is meant to look like is being narrowly defined to what is not perceived to be happening here.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Not all rebuilds are the same.

There's the WCE/Haw/Coll path of 'swooping' down the bottom and rebounding quickly. Or the Melb/Carl path of sinking like a stone, deeper and deeper into the muck.

 

[relapse]

Does repeating a lie make it true? No one is complaining that we're not competitive enough in itself.

In 2005 Clarkson’s Hawks were 1-6 with a percentage of 88

We are 0-5 with a percentage of 53

The problem isn’t that we are losing, it is that we aren’t competitive.

Clearly someone did made the point that the problem is that we're not being competitive enough.

I never said that you had made that claim, but just that people were complaining about it.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Clearly someone did made the point that the problem is that we're not being competitive enough.

I never said that you had made that claim, but just that people were complaining about it.

Fair, though I think 'of itself' in my reply does some work. I think Kulak was distinguishing the comparison between us and the early Clarkson era hawks at the time.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

Not all rebuilds are the same.

There's the WCE/Haw/Coll path of 'swooping' down the bottom and rebounding quickly. Or the Melb/Carl path of sinking like a stone, deeper and deeper into the muck.

Given we're living in the dark timeline and our once great club is run by a bunch of morons, I'm going to assume we get the Carlton/Melbourne "rebuild".

 

[relapse]

Wanting us to prioritise long term list development, and wanting a coach that can develop and install a game plan are not mutually exclusive.

You could be right about Nicks, I just think labelling him as a dud with no gameplan after five games is a bit premature.

I've said from day 1 that I wasn't enthused by his appointment, but would at least give him a chance.

I would like to think that the club will at least surround him with some semi competent assistants in 2021, so I'm happy to cut him some slack until then before writing him off.

 

[Southerntakeover]

You could be right about Nicks, I just think labelling him as a dud with no gameplan after five games is a bit premature.

I've said from day 1 that I wasn't enthused by his appointment, but would at least give him a chance.

I would like to think that the club will at least surround him with some semi competent assistants in 2021, so I'm happy to cut him some slack until then before writing him off.

It's more the combination of what is apparent watching us play, combined with the uninspiring resume, combined with the lack of an identifiable message about what his vision for us as a football team would be that has led me to form a view that there is a pessimistic outlook.

None the less, I haven't actually called for his sacking effective immediately (other than in game threads, which ought not be taken seriously), but I do think that there is a very real prospect that he will never win a game as a coach. It's plausible that we could lose every game this year. Would a coach survive a winless season?

 

[Thegibbsgamble]

Anyone heard Ross lyon and Wayne carey on the radio togerher?

What a waste

 

[Rotayjay]

Look I'm not going to pass final judgment on a bloke who is 5 games into his senior coaching career but the initial signs ain't good.

You know when an AFL coach gets sacked mid-season and the side then plays with a bit of spark and spirit and wins a few straight after the sacking? Not seeing any of that.

Nicks' resume wasn't exactly impressive. I hope he doesn't turn out to be the dud we got because we couldn't get anyone else, i.e. Ben Hart.