Coaching Staff Former Coach Ben "Truck" Rutten - Sacked for real this time - 21/8

[Lore]

Was having a chat with my GM the other day, amongst the chat which I pretty quickly dismissed as management speak was something he called the circles of control – it wasn’t until I got home that I realised I quite liked the idea and pursued it further.

Anyhow I reckon when applied to our footy club it may speak volumes..

im sure you all know it, but there are three circles, the circle of control, the outer circle of influence then the perimeter circle of concern.

View attachment 748286


The circle of control is what we can directly control by our actions, this is where proactive people operate.
The circle of influence are things we can influence via our relationships or actions but have no absolute control of its outcomes
The circle of concern are things that we are aware of that can impact us but have little or no control over. Reactive people operate a lot here.

Heres a go at us

View attachment 748287


Anyhow, after ruminating on it, I reckon we are a really reactive footy club who spend more time reacting to the circle of concern (addressing rumours, spruiking big club status, whining about fixtures, complaining about weather, worrying what others think of us, worrying what the media say about us, creating succession plans to appease baying media, asking for clarification on umpiring mistakes, trying to copy other teams game plans or poach their staff……. Rather than really controlling what we can control in the middle.

If what is written is right, the successful people work in the inner circle and work on things in the second circle knowing they have no control over the third.

as some bloke said "focus on what you can control, don't waste energy on the things you cannot"

clearly a quiet day in the office here... but im running with this.

Worsfold and the players frequently trot out the old control the controllables line in press conferences and such, but I think you’re pretty close to the mark with how the senior management/board of directors might be approaching things.

On a very macro level they do have some say in fixture requests and how we respond to (or ignore) the media, umpiring, etc. so it is more inside their sphere of influence than it is for players, coach or spectators, but even still.

 

[Maddogm]

Sounds like we s**t the bed when Don got sacked and started trying to make everyone happy. Rarely works imo.

That's why the rumours of this handover happening started weeks before Don got sacked - we panicked so hard we did it weeks/months in advance

 

[Kwality]

That's why the rumours of this handover happening started weeks before Don got sacked - we panicked so hard we did it weeks/months in advance

any future for X, is he any good?

 

[hurlygurdy]

Seems like a reasonable idea. Keeps those for and against the sacking sort of onside.
Except for the the angry internet mob who can't comprehend a world where Essendon not winning isn't actually really anybodies fault.

 

[ant555]

How would that work when games are on at the same time?

Development coaches spread over forwards / midfield / defenders. They become in part assistant line coaches to the senior group. When there is a clash they are at the VFL. When there is not a clash the senior line coaches are at VFL games. We are currently looking for a senior type coach to be the head of development, the job offered to Allen Richardson.

 

[CBombers17]

That's why the rumours of this handover happening started weeks before Don got sacked - we panicked so hard we did it weeks/months in advance

So it came out of the Blue that Don was in trouble at Adelaide?

What's your opinion on all this then?

 

[Nifft]

I don't get the 'stability' argument. If people are arguing we get continuity then I can see a point there but this doesn't provide extra stability to the club. There are several likely scenarios where this turns out poorly or the wheels fall off the arrangement (or it looks farcical) and very little upside imo. The stable option is to high five John saying blah blah great job done but results aren't what we hoped for after 4 years - clean break and get on with a new regime and head coach that's up for the tactics and implementation of a modern day football system.

This reeks of optics and arse covering because of a poor contract extension made by XC for mine but I'm happy to be proven wrong and next year is a great year for the club of course.

Sounds like Rutten will be pretty much coaching next year (and from then on), and Worsfold will be director providing advice next year. I don't see a problem with that. Rutten can take control and still have a senior figure he can get support from. Also Worsfold can take the pressure of the media so Rutten doesn't have to deal with that straight away.

Given we'd have to pay Worsfold anyway next year if we sacked him, why not keep him around and and get some value from him? Also sacking him would've been a kick in the gut to Worsfold after he took us on in a difficult time, so this way we come out the good guy and still get to utilise his experience.

 

[Maddogm]

So it came out of the Blue that Don was in trouble at Adelaide?

What's your opinion on all this then?

That this isn't a sacking like the drama queen nuffies want it to be. This John wanting to see his family in the near future and all parties finding a way that this can happen in a mature, professional manner.

 

[Call Me Cake]

So Woosh can't coach well... and we want someone new. So in the effort of shaking things up and needing to instil someone who will make that crucial change for our future, in a way that Woosh couldn't................................................... we appoint a baby who needs to have his held by................... WOOSH??!!

MAKING SENSE HAS LEFT THE SERVER.

 

[Duckworth]

Too many people making sense in this thread... I'm out.

 

[Mercurial89]

That this isn't a sacking like the drama queen nuffies want it to be. This John wanting to see his family in the near future and all parties finding a way that this can happen in a mature, professional manner.

This industry (and I include supporters) in this need to move on from this sacking and next coach off the line mindset.

If you "fail" at being a senior coach you shouldnt be consigned to the scrap heap as it appears to be currently.
It also doesn't mean that senior coaches aren't suitable for other roles. In fact they most undoubtedly are better suited after a stint in the top job.
We also need to understand good assistant Coaches or line coaches aren't necessarily good head coaches. They may be incredibly intelligent capable people but are often in charge of a very small aspect of the footy club, that makes them great but can also be an issue when moving up into the big seat.
I don't understand why people would want John gone completely from the club, that we need to somehow cleanse the club of his presence?

He is absolutely perfect to have as someone overseeing a coaching group, I'd have him as a footy boss in a second. His whole schtick is delegation, learning and process. It's hard to think of someone better suited on their core values.

Somehow we seem to have gone from John can't be a Matchday coach to John shouldn't be here at all we should sack him absorb the financial hit "coz we are E$$don!" And move on.

 

[Call Me Cake]

This industry (and I include supporters) in this need to move on from this sacking and next coach off the line mindset.

If you "fail" at being a senior coach you shouldnt be consigned to the scrap heap as it appears to be currently.
It also doesn't mean that senior coaches aren't suitable for other roles. In fact they most undoubtedly are better suited after a stint in the top job.
We also need to understand good assistant Coaches or line coaches aren't necessarily good head coaches. They may be incredibly intelligent capable people but are often in charge of a very small aspect of the footy club, that makes them great but can also be an issue when moving up into the big seat.
I don't understand why people would want John gone completely from the club, that we need to somehow cleanse the club of his presence?

He is absolutely perfect to have as someone overseeing a coaching group, I'd have him as a footy boss in a second. His whole schtick is delegation, learning and process. It's hard to think of someone better suited on their core values.

Somehow we seem to have gone from John can't be a Matchday coach to John shouldn't be here at all we should sack him absorb the financial hit "coz we are E$$don!" And move on.

Sitting on a fence promotes the acceptance of mediocrity. It bleeds no confidence in what you're aiming for. Your analogy is akin to a guy being a lapdog to a woman who is a user and a cheat - rather than being a ******* man and cutting her out of his life (and all the other s**t) in order to uphold a sense of self-respect and a need to focus on the real s**t that matters. There is no self-respect in being a fence-sitter or one that treads water in order to feel safe. True leadership means not being afraid to make the tough calls when they're due.

 

[ghostdog]

Was having a chat with my GM the other day, amongst the chat which I pretty quickly dismissed as management speak was something he called the circles of control – it wasn’t until I got home that I realised I quite liked the idea and pursued it further.

Anyhow I reckon when applied to our footy club it may speak volumes..

im sure you all know it, but there are three circles, the circle of control, the outer circle of influence then the perimeter circle of concern.

View attachment 748286


The circle of control is what we can directly control by our actions, this is where proactive people operate.
The circle of influence are things we can influence via our relationships or actions but have no absolute control of its outcomes
The circle of concern are things that we are aware of that can impact us but have little or no control over. Reactive people operate a lot here.

Heres a go at us

View attachment 748287


Anyhow, after ruminating on it, I reckon we are a really reactive footy club who spend more time reacting to the circle of concern (addressing rumours, spruiking big club status, whining about fixtures, complaining about weather, worrying what others think of us, worrying what the media say about us, creating succession plans to appease baying media, asking for clarification on umpiring mistakes, trying to copy other teams game plans or poach their staff……. Rather than really controlling what we can control in the middle.

If what is written is right, the successful people work in the inner circle and work on things in the second circle knowing they have no control over the third.

as some bloke said "focus on what you can control, don't waste energy on the things you cannot"

clearly a quiet day in the office here... but im running with this.

It sounds Spartan. I like it. We will fight in the shade.

 

[brain taylor]

Regardless of how good Rutten is tactically, at least we'll be able to say our coach can defeat all the other coaches in hand-to-hand combat.

 

[Mercurial89]

Sitting on a fence promotes the acceptance of mediocrity. It bleeds no confidence in what you're aiming for. Your analogy is akin to a guy being a lapdog to a woman who is a user and a cheat - rather than being a ******* man and cutting her out of his life (and all the other s**t) in order to uphold a sense of self-respect and a need to focus on the real s**t that matters. There is no self-respect in being a fence-sitter or one that treads water in order to feel safe. True leadership means not being afraid to make the tough calls when they're due.

Yes.

 

[Capriati]

Sitting on a fence promotes the acceptance of mediocrity. It bleeds no confidence in what you're aiming for. Your analogy is akin to a guy being a lapdog to a woman who is a user and a cheat - rather than being a ******* man and cutting her out of his life (and all the other s**t) in order to uphold a sense of self-respect and a need to focus on the real s**t that matters. There is no self-respect in being a fence-sitter or one that treads water in order to feel safe. True leadership means not being afraid to make the tough calls when they're due.

I come in peace!

As an outsider, this is really interesting! And it makes me pause for a moment and reflect on what Patty Dangerfield was talking about early last week. The idea that when a team wins, the players tend to get much of the credit, and when a team loses (especially if they perform below expectation) it is the coach that cops it.

Without going in depth about the coaching arrangements at Essendon particularly, have we as an AFL community become too trigger happy with blaming coaches for a team's lack of success? I would probably say yes. For every example of a coach change resulting an upturn in club fortunes, such as Lyon at Freo, there is many more examples where a club has changed coaches and seen their fortunes deteriorate even further. Richmond post 1980 is maybe the most famous example.

I am not sure changing coach is the silver bullet that many believe it to be. Especially in an era of decentralised coaching with many assistants and other moving parts.

For what it is worth, I think Woosha wrapping up his time at EFC is probably in everyone's best interest, and a succession plan is the smoothest way to manage that transition. As a WCE fan who grew up watching Woosha captain the Eagles, I was pretty angry at what I thought was scape goating Woosha, but it's all in the past now I hope.

Good luck next season. Wishing Woosha and your club every success (except against the Eagles).

 

[CBombers17]

I'm still unsure in terms of all this stability the club's creating, why the need to announce any of this? If there's no real change from the current set up then why not just move into 2020 it as it is and say nothing - Woosha as coach and Rutten as a Senior assistant ?

 

[Lore]

I'm still unsure in terms of all this stability the club's creating, why the need to announce any of this? If there's no real change from the current set up then why not just move into 2020 it as it is and say nothing - Woosha as coach and Rutten as a Senior assistant ?

Because announcing it gets the media off our backs and makes us more stable that way too without the constant speculation and destabilisation that causes.

 

[fairbump_playon]

I'm still unsure in terms of all this stability the club's creating, why the need to announce any of this? If there's no real change from the current set up then why not just move into 2020 it as it is and say nothing - Woosha as coach and Rutten as a Senior assistant ?

Because for the last 5 months there has been media speculation about Worsfold's future about 20 times every week. That was just going to balloon next year.
And now - there won't be.
Knowing what's going to happen into the future - stability.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Huge missed opportunity to stick it up everyone by making Hird senior coach, director of coaching and director of director of coaching.

 

[DapperJong]

Sitting on a fence promotes the acceptance of mediocrity. It bleeds no confidence in what you're aiming for. Your analogy is akin to a guy being a lapdog to a woman who is a user and a cheat - rather than being a ******* man and cutting her out of his life (and all the other s**t) in order to uphold a sense of self-respect and a need to focus on the real s**t that matters. There is no self-respect in being a fence-sitter or one that treads water in order to feel safe. True leadership means not being afraid to make the tough calls when they're due.

I reckon you're projecting. Coaching being compared with cuckholdery. Just lol.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Sitting on a fence promotes the acceptance of mediocrity. It bleeds no confidence in what you're aiming for. Your analogy is akin to a guy being a lapdog to a woman who is a user and a cheat - rather than being a ******* man and cutting her out of his life (and all the other s**t) in order to uphold a sense of self-respect and a need to focus on the real s**t that matters. There is no self-respect in being a fence-sitter or one that treads water in order to feel safe. True leadership means not being afraid to make the tough calls when they're due.

indeed

 

[CBombers17]

Because announcing it gets the media off our backs and makes us more stable that way too without the constant speculation and destabilisation that causes.

So if we perform poorly next year, instead of moving John on and appointing Rutten (as JW would expect) we will have to ride it out with this arrangement? Surely we won't now sack the interim coach under any circumstances? How could they sack him now - it's not really his plan after all. He's more of a leader than a coach...

If we poor - again - next year, how do you see this playing out?

 

[Kwality]

not being afraid to make the tough calls when they're due

Be sure not to miss your own performance, put up or shut up ...

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Huge missed opportunity to stick it up everyone by making Hird senior coach, director of coaching and director of director of coaching.

Don’t worry, we can still make him high performance manager.