How is what he did really all that different to what weve done? SOS said it's easy to build a top 8 side. They had a top 8 side and tried to turn it into a flag winning side. Made sacrifices to build a flag winning side and got mighty close.
We've done the inverse, sacrifice success in the short term and go through immense pain to build a side capable of winning flags. Like with the aints...if it works, SOS is a hero.....if it doesn't...well you know the rest.
That difference is yet to be seen, as we are not a mid table side
I believe Saints made some errors prior to Lyon. Sacking Thomas (as fickle as he was), after finishing 6th is really unheard of in the past and today. From the moment Lyon walked in the door, they traded out valuable picks to top up on talent, instead of constantly regenerating the list with top end youth, (conceding that it was difficult to do without FA which came into effect 2012)
The most important period of the direction of a list, is when you are mid table and higher, overrate your list, by topping up on senior players with poor trades and it can have devastating, medium to long term effects. Lyon did the same thing with the Dockers, yet this time he remained to rebuild that list
While Clarkson has many points on the board by winning 4 flags, they seem to have gone down a similar path, with adding he likes of Mitchell and O'Meara, while still young players, they too have sacrificed picks to keep the list relevant, but what happens when many of their senior better players, (11 at 29+ at the start of next year) retire? Time will tell if he is a genius or a madman