Coaches writing their teams off

[Daniel]

What is it with coaches prematurely writing off their teams' finals chances? In the AFL, I have noticed that it has become popular among coaches to declare “we can’t make the finals”, or less severely “we’re not even thinking about the finals” and other such pessimistic statements while their seasons are still alive. Why do they do that?

In American football, the focus is Superbowl, Superbowl, Superbowl until it is mathematically (gee, I hope I don’t get criticised for spelling that incorrectly) impossible to make the playoffs. As all the AFL players say, the reason they play the game is to win premierships. Their sole motivating focus in every game should be the premiership: each game is a stepping stone to the ultimate goal. So why do we see coaches stating they probably won’t reach the finals as if it is the accepted thing to say?

Last year, Malcolm Blight wrote off his Crows before time and Ken Judge is doing the same thing at West Coast when his team is only half a game out of the top eight. At Collingwood, Mick Malthouse scoffs at any journalist with the temerity to mention the word ‘finals’, which really translates to ‘premiership’. Would it not be more positive for these teams to be talking up their Grand Final chances?

At press conferences, the coach should say “We intend to win the premiership and we will stop at nothing to achieve that until it is impossible for us to do so”, instead of “we’re struggling at the moment and the players need to show that they are good enough to make the list next year”. I cannot understand why teams talk of development and going through a rebuilding in the middle of a season when it is still possible to reach the finals! It is foolish to be so negative and, I think, frustrating for the supporters. Rebuilding and development can be done in the off season. The premiership season is for winning!

Coaches should be 100% committed to putting their best side on the field in the belief they can turn any situation around and that once they reach the top eight they will win the flag. The premiership is the ultimate and only prize. Isn’t winning it what football is all about?

Why are teams so afraid to make public statements of self-belief? Making the finals, in itself, means nothing. Teams should be striving to win the premiership throughout the entire season and shouldn’t necessarily be averse to declaring that intention.

 

[Dan26]

Daniel,

I'm sure deep dow and "in-house", they all talk up their chances of winning the flag

But publicly, perhaps they just want everyone to write them off. You know, an extra source of motivation. Obvioulsy all the teams are trying to win every game.

 

[jod23]

i hear you Daniel Judge writes us off when weve got 5 of our last 8 games at home and three of them are against the swans freo and the saints damn him we want mick back.

2000 the year of the Eagle<---it isnt mathematically impossible yet

 

[Pessimistic]

As I said before, Ken Judge tends to talk up his own position, regardless of his skills as coach

 

[Daniel]

But do the struggling clubs *really* have the belief they can win the premiership, when it is still possible for them to do so? Are they simply lying when they tell the media they are rebuilding? I definitely believe that in some situations clubs start the so-called rebuilding process earlier than they should.

Naturally they are trying to win every game, but couldn't more be achieved if teams always had the greater goal in mind? Trying to create a negative aura about a club's situation doesn't seem terribly productive to me.

It would be bold and novel if a coach did declare that his team *will* win the premiership and a public statement of self-belief could inspire the players. I would hate to reach the American situation where players and constantly and arrogantly talking up their own chances, but I think AFL teams could be a bit more positive.

I'm inclined to agree with Malcolm Blight's belief that extra motivational material like criticism in the press does not actually help a player win the ball, and if they need that for inspiration then they are playing for the wrong reasons.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Thats a bit rich coming from Malcolm Blight don't you think ?

He is an absolute MASTER at using the media to psychologically manipulate his players.

remember the "pathetic Pittman" jibe ?

- worked a treat.

 

[Shinboners]

Have you noticed that the coaches prefer to put the pressure on other clubs though? I still remember Kevin Sheedy's comment back in '98 about how if North didn't win a second flag with the squad we had, it would've been a waste of talent. Interestingly David Parkin this week said that it wasn't going to be an easy premiership to win.

At the moment, I reckon that there are three teams that are capable of tripping up Essendon come finals time: Carlton, North Melbourne, and Adelaide. North and Adelaide do have question marks over them. With North, it's a question of form, injuries, and a forward line that doesn't work properly. With Adelaide, it's a matter of how high up they finish and Ayre's coaching/tactics. But consider this...a couple of good wins and North could come into form. For Adelaide, if they were to get through the first week of finals, then they are effectively on an equal footing with the other five remaining finalists, and as we saw in '98, Adelaide are prefectly capable of winning away from home. But the last thing that needs to be recognised is this.....take a look at today's newspaper and count the number of premiership players and people who have played in Grand Finals in the Carlton, North Melbourne, and Adelaide sides. These players have done it before and they can do it again.

 

[Daniel]

Bloodstained Angel,

The media made much more of that than really existed. Blight deserves a lot of credit for some coaching masterpieces, but don’t give him too much credit.

He didn't actually label Pittman pathetic, IIRC, and was probably as surprised as the rest of us at how that turned out.

 

[gocrows24]

Originally posted by Daniel:
Bloodstained Angel,

The media made much more of that than really existed. Blight deserves a lot of credit for some coaching masterpieces, but don’t give him too much credit.

He didn't actually label Pittman pathetic, IIRC, and was probably as surprised as the rest of us at how that turned out.

Daniel thats right you recall correctly. Blights actual words were "that was the most pathetic effort by Pittman ...".

Pathetic effort, not pathetic Pittman. Its truly surprising how this misquote lives on and on.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Ok I've misquoted Blight and probably out of context too - but do you take my point about Blight anyway ?

He has shown in the past that he is quite prepared to use the media to try and gain psychological control of his players, in fact he is a master at the tactic.

I'm not knocking Blight, and I'm not knocking the practice of exploiting the media to play mind games with your players. - I'm just questioning Blight because on one hand he plays these mind games, then on the other hand he criticises everyone else for doing the same.

Thats all I was trying to point out ...

[This message has been edited by Bloodstained Angel (edited 19 June 2000).]

 

[Daniel]

I haven't seen it, but that's not to say it hasn't happened. I thought Blight's point about motivation was a valid one and I can't recall him using the media to that effect.

Perhaps Blight sees utilising press clippings for on-field motivation and exploiting other media to make a point to his players as two separate practises. I don't know.