Best Walls article I've read

[spindoctor]

Ayres has reason to Crow

By Robert Walls
July 6, 2004

So Adelaide, under new coach Neil Craig, records its best win of the season as 40,000 one-eyed fans urge on the home-town heroes. The Crows not only win, they blow away top-class opposition in the red-hot Demons. After the game, they sing the club song with gusto. Wayne Carey is forgotten, as Scott Welsh kicks a career-best eight goals. All of a sudden, there is new hope, smiles on faces, pats on backs. Talk even turns towards finals.

But spare a thought for Gary Ayres. How do you think he would be feeling? Ayres had coached the Crows in the previous 107 games - a club record.

Since leaving the club after being told that his services wouldn't be required in 2005, Ayres has gone to ground. He would be hurting. You wonder what his motives are for being reclusive, but that's his business. After a decade of attending compulsory press conferences, I'm sure he feels good about being able to do his own thing. I doubt, though, that he would have felt good about seeing the Crows blitz as they did. There would be a part of him that would want the Crows to lose.

When you have been replaced, you don't want your successor to succeed. I know I didn't. Twice, I was sacked mid-season and on both occasions the team won the next week. I experienced a range of emotions. The first time was in mid-1989. On the Monday morning I was told it was all over, I was in a state of shock, anger and relief. The question I was keen to have answered was, who was going to replace me? When told it was my former teammate Alex Jesaulenko, I was even more shocked. Alex was living in Canberra and, after finishing up as coach of St Kilda in 1982, had been nowhere near the AFL scene.

I reasoned that part of the decision to select Alex was to opt for a "favourite son", as it would soften the blow and appease the supporters - little more than 18 months earlier, I had coached the Blues to a premiership. The next week under Alex, the Blues went to Sydney. I didn't watch or listen to the game, but I hoped they would lose. They didn't.

advertisement

advertisement

Why did I want them to lose? Several reasons. First, I didn't want the people who decided to sack me to get the satisfaction, to feel that their decision was seen to be justified. And there were the players in the team that I felt hadn't been committed, so now that I was gone, I didn't want them to play well. There were other players that I truly rated and respected. In my mind, I reasoned that I wanted them to play well, but not in winning teams.

In the end, your pride is hurt. You feel as though you have failed and I guess you want your successor to fail so that you don't look so bad.

It is not a pleasant time in one's life. The feeling lasted for the remainder of the season and the next. Some 18 months. By then, I had been appointed coach of Brisbane, and being busy meant that I began to forget my old club and stop feeling sorry for myself.

The second time I got the dreaded Monday morning call was after round 17, 1997. I was into my second year as Richmond coach with a 17-22 record. My replacement was the then assistant coach Jeff Gieschen. This time, there wasn't as much shock and anger. With just five games to go before season's end, I thought it was a petty decision. And I reasoned to myself that if that's the way those involved in the decision thought, I was far better off being away from them.

On the Saturday, the Tigers played the Western Bulldogs at Optus Oval. I had been down to Geelong to see my son play for Carlton reserves. Driving home, I listened in and heard that the Tigers had got up. To be honest, I would have preferred them to lose. You can't help how you feel when the wounds are raw.

I know that on that day, a young Joel Bowden played extremely well. I was pleased for him because I knew he had real talent and he was a quality young man.

The Tigers, in fact, won four of their last five games. It made it look as if the right decision had been made. History shows that Jesaulenko and Gieschen didn't last long in the positions they inherited from me. Did that give me satisfaction? Not really, I was over it by then.

What you do tend to do in the weeks and months after a sacking is reflect on how you could have done things differently. Ayres would no doubt be doing that now. I would encourage him not to dwell on it. Learn from mistakes but don't keep fantasising on what could have been. He also would be angry with some people within the Crows establishment. With time, he has to let that pass.

Above all, Ayres needs to get busy. After the Richmond sacking, I resolved to accept every invitation that came my way. I travelled Australia taking coaching courses, speaking at functions and tried my hand in the media. I even went back and did some teaching. The temptation is to retreat. So far, that is what Ayres has done. For his own wellbeing, he needs to get out and about as soon as possible.

Ayres played in five premierships, captained his club, repeatedly made All-Australian, won two Norm Smith medals and has coached more than 200 AFL games. Most of us who played the game at the elite level achieved nothing like that.

Makes Rucci's aspersions on Ayres and slathering over Craig look very stupid.

Very honest and the best thing I've seen from Walls.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Excellent article, particularly as there is no love lost between these two.

 

[jmorg1]

If it was Rucci, he'd probably say, 'Ayres decision to remain silent is revealing. Most telling is blah blah blah. The question must be asked blah blah blah. I am a stupid ferrethead blah blah blah. This proves that Port can handle finals pressure.'

 

[macca23]

Originally posted by spindoctor
Makes Rucci's aspersions on Ayres and slathering over Craig look very stupid.

Very honest and the best thing I've seen from Walls.

There's a lot to be got from that article. As has already been said there was no love lost between Walls and Ayres so it would be a pretty genuine article.

Firstly, that the players nearly always react for the interim coach after letting the previous coach down badly.

Secondly, that the success rate of interim coaches usually tapers off once euphoria is replaced by reality and the need for hard work.

I hope the AFC read that article and absorb it before getting carried away with interim coaches.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Re: Re: Best Walls article I've read

Originally posted by macca23
There's a lot to be got from that article. As has already been said there was no love lost between Walls and Ayres so it would be a pretty genuine article.

Firstly, that the players nearly always react for the interim coach after letting the previous coach down badly.

Secondly, that the success rate of interim coaches usually tapers off once euphoria is replaced by reality and the need for hard work.

I hope the AFC read that article and absorb it before getting carried away with interim coaches.

You sure your not a politician

I'd like you as my next campaign manager

 

[spindoctor]

Originally posted by jmorg1
I am a stupid ferrethead blah blah blah.

I think he should make this point more often

 

[macca23]

Re: Re: Re: Best Walls article I've read

Originally posted by Wayne's-World

You sure your not a politician

Boy, you sure know how to hurt a guy's feelings!!

Being accused of being Rucci was small fry compared to that one!!

 

[Stiffy_18]

Re: Re: Best Walls article I've read

Originally posted by macca23
There's a lot to be got from that article. As has already been said there was no love lost between Walls and Ayres so it would be a pretty genuine article.

Firstly, that the players nearly always react for the interim coach after letting the previous coach down badly.

Secondly, that the success rate of interim coaches usually tapers off once euphoria is replaced by reality and the need for hard work.

I hope the AFC read that article and absorb it before getting carried away with interim coaches.

Are you Terry Wallace's manager?????? Cos you sure as hell know how to sell him

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Re: Re: Re: Best Walls article I've read

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
Are you Terry Wallace's manager?????? Cos you sure as hell know how to sell him

Stiffy, you learn to sell people if you know it's in your best interests.

Good to read an article from Walls that was obviously from the heart based on his past experiences for a change.

 

[Crow-mosone]

I am not surprised, Robert Walls is a champion of the game and has a rare understanding of it.

It is a wonderfully articulate and informative article.

 

[noddy]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Best Walls article I've read

Originally posted by macca23
Boy, you sure know how to hurt a guy's feelings!!

Being accused of being Rucci was small fry compared to that one!!

Alexander Downer anyone ??

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by Crow-mosone
I am not surprised, Robert Walls is a champion of the game and has a rare understanding of it.

It is a wonderfully articulate and informative article.

Agree, but he sure had it in for Ayres since the day Gary accepted the coaching job of the AFC.

 

[napsyd]

A good article, but typically Walls can't help going over the top windbagging about himself.

Hopefully he still bleeds about that second sacking.

 

[jmorg1]

Originally posted by napsyd
A good article, but typically Walls can't help going over the top windbagging about himself.

Hopefully he still bleeds about that second sacking.

LOL I'm always tempted to call talkback radio to tell him what good memories I have of that memorable day in Round 17 1997.