Curley quits

[holy diver]

and it begins...

Grand Finals here we come...

 

[apuchar]

I'm not saying it is. But we're heading into a second consecutive season with a depleted coaching staff, and at some point bad luck becomes bad management.

To be honest Clay I can barely remember what I had for lunch but if I remember correctly, we were not happy with what was available last year so we recruited from within. Seems we were a little happier with Lyon and Suma so we brought them in. Personally, I thought Curly was lucky to survive the cut before this year. Maybe the mistake Freo made was not having a complete clean out. Would have been pretty costly though.

 

[apuchar]

and it begins...

If it's too hot in the kitchen for the staff at Freo then they have the option to leave. Not everyone will want to live and breathe football so they will move on and will be replaced with people who are prepared to put in the time and effort needed to work with Lyon. I wouldn't personally, but there are plenty of people who would.

 

[Jezzitizle]

Interesting to read the character assassinations. Pretty stupid to blame Bond for this. Based only upon assumption. Sometimes people leave companies even when they get on very well with everyone there, and even like the work, just because another position would suit them better. Does anyone commenting on Bell's horrible character actually know him personally? Didn't think so.. and no having met him once at a fan day, or having heard something from someone who knows a mysterious character who allegedly works/ed at the club isn't a qualification either..

Horrible to lose an important coach going into round one. The real measure of good management will be our succession planning. I can't imagine that bringing in someone from outside the football club would be a great solution at this stage, could be disruptive more than anything. Wouldn't know our game plan, and it's hard to teach what you don't know. Vale the dodger.

 

[dockshark]

Does anyone commenting on Bell's horrible character actually know him personally?

Yes, Peter hasn't only played football in Perth

 

[E Shed]

Hang on, isn't everything the Steves's fault? I'm confused.

On Bell I ran into him the other day riding his bike to the NAB game against Hawks. He was very pleasant, stopped for a chat. I'm sold!

 

[apuchar]

Yes, Peter hasn't only played football in Perth

My only regret is that Bell didn't white ant Connolly out of the club sooner. It would have saved about 4 or 5 wasted years.

 

[Nickos66]

I'm not saying it is. But we're heading into a second consecutive season with a depleted coaching staff, and at some point bad luck becomes bad management.

Last year, this concerned me. This year? If Lyon's got someone in mind who is prepared to dedicate 100% of his time to his role i'd be happy. My inkling is that if he wants someone else, the club will let him replace Curley, if that doesn't happen it'll be because Ross doesn't deem it neccesary for him to be replaced, now I don't know about you, but I'd feel more confident in Lyon telling the club if he needs another lefty rather than leave the decision to Harves & Bondy last year.

Oh yeah, and Apuchar, Suma may have handled the mids & forwardline in the last but Curley was in charge of the backline. I don't know if that changes things.. But if what somebody said is true and Roger & Lyon are gonna handle the backline coaching in the interim, it doesn't sound all bad.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

More questions need to be raised about Chris Bond's effectiveness. Assistant coach leaving four days before the season starts is hardly ideal.

Chris Bond decided to offer Curley a job with someone else a week before the season started.

Seriously, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Just on the Belly thing, I think he's the sort of man that is only divisive when he can see blatant flaws in gameplan or argument, and as a result, speaks his mind accordingly.

There's nothing wrong with someone calling bullshit when they're correct, that's good leadership.

 

[bruzaar62]

He's one of many (six to seven) from the football department to voluntarily leave in the past 18 months outside of the fallout from the Harvey-Lyon coup, and without receiving a substantial promotion at another club. Last year we went in understaffed in the coaches box, and it looks like this year we will too, though not as badly.

That kind of turnover and a coach leaving not long before the season starts hardly suggests the person heading the footy department is on top of things.

Just out of interest who are the 6 or 7 you are referring to ?? Barry Mitchell would be one ,but hardly Bondys doing seeing his son was Sydney bound

 

[Moo]

Piss poor by Curley TBH - you get this close to the season and you are impacting others.

 

[Sman-21]

Didnt i see or read in a Bell interview somewhere he even said that he hated where the club was going an felt it was headed down the wrong track so he stood up to them?

Pretty sure it was when asked about if he was interested as being an assistant here.
He said the club looks to be headed in the right direction now so wasnt interested.

Always seemed to me he had clubs best interests at heart.

Notice the dramas last year with Melbourne, there was also abit of a player revolt(white anting) going on there.
Some players had massive concerns over what was going on off field an started to try an do something about it.

Back on Curley
We will never know the real reason he could of been shown the door etc etc.
So not gonna criticise him for leaving at such a bad time.
Would have to find out from guys at training how involved Curley was(if they even know him) to get an idea if he was pushed.
Find it hard to beleive if he was a truly valued staff member unless the job was a HUGE offer, they would allow him to leave at this time as i would think he would have a contract.

 

[Proud Bogan]

He was challenged by Lyon to improve his performance.

He didn't like it.

He was offered a gracious exit, to save face.

End of story.

Not good enough, regardless of the timing.

Next.

 

[Jezzitizle]

He was challenged by Lyon to improve his performance.

He didn't like it.

He was offered a gracious exit, to save face.

End of story.

Not good enough, regardless of the timing.

Next.

Um, or he got a job offer he preferred.. and quit. Like the rest of the world does.

Why does everything always have to be daggers in the dark?
It can't be Fremantle without the drama.

 

[Proud Bogan]

Um, or he got a job offer he preferred.. and quit. Like the rest of the world does.

Why does everything always have to be daggers in the dark?
It can't be Fremantle without the drama.

Umm..that is, of course, the company line.

No daggers in the dark.

Just real life in an industry with a high media profile.

 

[Clay Davis]

He was challenged by Lyon to improve his performance.

He didn't like it.

He was offered a gracious exit, to save face.

End of story.

Not good enough, regardless of the timing.

Next.

Umm..that is, of course, the company line.

No daggers in the dark.

Just real life in an industry with a high media profile.

Completely agree.

 

[Alfonz]

It isn't Bell's fault he realised what a moron Connolly was. The "white-anting nasty piece of work" bullshit is tiresome. The guy is smarter than most involved in football, was a natural leader, and can't tolerate incompetence from others. Sounds like good qualities to me. If he comes to the club, I would be happy.

And who really cares about Curley? Never got the impression he really did that much. I would have thought he was easily replaceable, even on the cusp of the season.

 

[sportsmaniac89]

Ross said on the Channel 7 News tonight that the timing of Todd leaving isn't exactly great, however both he and Roger Hayden will handle the back line structures this weekend.

So if the backline ****s up and we get flogged this weekend (here's hoping not as I believe we can win) blame Ross Lyon

I can live with that

 

[Clay Davis]

Last year, this concerned me. This year? If Lyon's got someone in mind who is prepared to dedicate 100% of his time to his role i'd be happy. My inkling is that if he wants someone else, the club will let him replace Curley, if that doesn't happen it'll be because Ross doesn't deem it neccesary for him to be replaced, now I don't know about you, but I'd feel more confident in Lyon telling the club if he needs another lefty rather than leave the decision to Harves & Bondy last year.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think it will affect us anywhere near as much as last year. Better head coach, still up on quality support staff. But losing a coach four days out from game one is still poor preparation. The reason why you have a head of the football department is to minimise occurrences like this. The role doesn't exist for its own sake.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

Well, I'm now bond fan, I think he has been part of the problem in the last few years, however i'm not sure he can be blamed for this one.

This is pretty ordinary from curly, he is the one i'm blaming, four days before the season starts, he now quits.... I know in my industry you give 4 weeks notice or else you become black listed, in the footy industry quiting 4 days before the season should do the same.

On those saying Ross has demanded so much more from the coaches, that could well be correct, but seriously, what evidence is there that this has happened other than pie in the sky guesswork?

 

[JimDocker]

When Ross Lyon saw an opportunity due to a loophole in his contract at the end of last year, Fremantle FC and Ross moved very quickly to do a deal.

Once the reality of the situation was realised, all parties moved to make it happen quickly. It left St Kilda in a difficult situation as most top line coaches had been interviewd and signed. But business is business and Ross and the FFC did what was best in their interests, not anybody elses.

Todd Curley has his situation change when he sees a window of opportunity to move elswhere and takes it. Same thing. A decision made, based on what he sees as best for himself and his family.

Hope all goes well for him.

Hope Fremantle get a good replacement as soon as possible.

 

[Harry Reems]

So if the backline ****s up and we get flogged this weekend (here's hoping not as I believe we can win) blame Ross Lyon

I can live with that

Ross said in the interview that before he was a senior coach he was a defensive coach and therefore would handle the job personally on Saturday whilst assisted by Roger Hayden. So I did a little digging and here's what I found.

Ross was the defense coach for Richmond under Robert Walls in 1996 and at Carlton under David Parkin and Denis Pagan from 2000 to 2004.

He then became a mid-field coach for the Sydney Swans in 2004 until becoming the senior coach at St Kilda in 2007 after Grant Thomas was sacked.

Lyon began his first season as coach with a victory against Melbourne in Round 1 of 2007 and the Saints then won four of their first seven games. Injuries hit the club badly in Round 8, however, with St Kilda having only 24 out of a possible 38 players to choose from against the Hawks.

Lyon was criticised for flooding excessively and many became angry with the more defensive style of St Kilda over the subsequent weeks.

 

[Jezzitizle]

Umm..that is, of course, the company line.

No daggers in the dark.

Just real life in an industry with a high media profile.

And so Curly is happy to come out and say its his doing, looking like a shit bloke in the process? Seems to me if they weren't happy with him, they wouldn't be choosing now to sack him. Its too horrible a time. It would be at the end of the season. Unless you believe he was pretty much the worst assistant coach in the AFL by a long way, actually having a net negative impact? Reason I think the statement is the truth is because it makes the most sense.

 

[Dockersman]

Peter Bell?

Ideal, don't sweat fella's. There are dozens of ex footballers or ex coaches looking for a plumb job. Can anyone tell me who the remaining assistant coaches are at Fremantle?