Football Factory or Blip on the Radar?

[Frederlick]

There seems to be lots of relatively positive talk about Collingwood's recruiting and development of young players in the last 2 to 3 years. Before that, there are a number of differing opinions, but the identification and development of young player appeared somewhat haphazard. Is this culture changing at Collingwood or is this a short term aberation? What has been the catalyst? New recruiters, money, The Lexus Centre, Coaching staff, Williamstown even! Whats the general consensus from those with an eye for these things? Is Collingwood's dream of a 'football factory' at Lexus really happening, and if so why?

 

[MarkT]

To put it into perspective we were crap, finished low and got early draft picks so we almost had to draft better. The introduction of Hine and demotion of Judkins would have been a plus and spending a lot more money should help. I am please that we are now putting our resources into the single most important aspect of running a football club – getting quality onto the list.

The piece in the HS this morning was merely MM pumping up a longer contract and the club justifying the article about how much they spend. We don’t have to justify anything. I’d be more than happy to spend a lot more on recruiting. If it gets 1 player every two or three years that you would other wise miss out on then it can pay for itself 10fold in flags.

 

[Frederlick]

To put it into perspective we were crap, finished low and got early draft picks so we almost had to draft better. The introduction of Hine and demotion of Judkins would have been a plus and spending a lot more money should help. I am please that we are now putting our resources into the single most important aspect of running a football club – getting quality onto the list.

The piece in the HS this morning was merely MM pumping up a longer contract and the club justifying the article about how much they spend. We don’t have to justify anything. I’d be more than happy to spend a lot more on recruiting. If it gets 1 player every two or three years that you would other wise miss out on then it can pay for itself 10fold in flags.

What was the piece in the Herald Sun? I'm not in Australia ATM. Good point though, 2 top 10 draft picks last year cost us Tarrant. Year before crap finish, year before crap finish, are things that bad? You are right, we can't keep trading Tarrants for draft picks. Maybe this scholarship thing will be a bonus, as it allows a bit of flexibility outside the salary cap (before they are drafted) from my understanding. Still a long term gamble when all said and done.

 

[Collingwoodrow]

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/club-figures/2007/05/02/1177788209144.html


There was an article in the age that accompanied these figures about how Collingwood is leading the way in spending on its football department, particularly in recruitment and coaching for the kids.

 

[MarkT]

What was the piece in the Herald Sun?

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21662264%5E19763,00.html

 

[ChipDouglas]

To put it into perspective we were crap, finished low and got early draft picks so we almost had to draft better. The introduction of Hine and demotion of Judkins would have been a plus and spending a lot more money should help. I am please that we are now putting our resources into the single most important aspect of running a football club – getting quality onto the list.

The piece in the HS this morning was merely MM pumping up a longer contract and the club justifying the article about how much they spend. We don’t have to justify anything. I’d be more than happy to spend a lot more on recruiting. If it gets 1 player every two or three years that you would other wise miss out on then it can pay for itself 10fold in flags.

Thats a bit cynical Mark, do your really believe Mick is plumbing for a new contract? or could it be he is genuinely exited about the emerging young players. For years clubs like the Eagles and Crows have out spent the Victorian clubs with regards to player development, in fact many clubs look to penny pinch and cut back on football spending because they lack the resources. We have no such proplems and according to the figures now spend significantly more on developing players than the Weagles (and It doesn't appear to have done them any harm) and the fruits of which we are only just now beginning to enjoy.

 

[MarkT]

Thats a bit cynical Mark, do your really believe Mick is plumbing for a new contract? or could it be he is genuinely exited about the emerging young players.

He may well be extremely excited but why the article and the preceding articles and comments - for mass consumption? Basically we have had to rebuild when we should have been winning premierships and now we have to sell that fact having realised (too) late last year and in the final that our list simply wasn’t capable of winning a flag and that pending retirements mean we have to do a SUBSTANTIAL rebuild to the list.

Mick and Eddie are in PR mode, make no mistake about it. Mick will get a 2+ year extension to see it through. I can feel it in my bones.

For years clubs like the Eagles and Crows have out spent the Victorian clubs with regards to player development, in fact many clubs look to penny pinch and cut back on football spending because they lack the resources. We have no such proplems and according to the figures now spend significantly more on developing players than the Weagles (and It doesn't appear to have done them any harm) and the fruits of which we are only just now beginning to enjoy.

Trust me I am not against spending on recruitment and development, Ramp it up, then double it and then turbo boost it please. I don’t care if we make a $1m loss for the next 3 years if we spend it all on recruitment and development and do a good job of it. I don’t care if we send a recruitment officer to Sudan on the off chance he’ll find a player running from a bullet. Find ‘em, get ‘em and develop ‘em. Spend what it takes. We don’t need another million dollar profit we can’t pay players with it anyway and we have financial security. In any event, if we win a flag with Eddie as President you can bet your life we’ll make a $5m profit the following year at current spending levels – but the profit isn’t what we are here for.

 

[DWil6]

Obviously we were very close to winning a flag 2 years running, whether that be by excellent coaching of a good but not great squad or not, then we had 2 horror years with injury. Those 2 years have helped us to build this squad. I do think we missed our window in the early part of the 2000's and now we are having another dip. 2 years in the wilderness isn't a bad payment to make for what we might be building towards. I think MM has done as well as anyone could, but how can we honestly know without replaying the last 5 years with a different coach?

 

[david_345]

I have been a person who in the past has constantly criticised MM's actions and I thought the recent extension to his contract was a little too generous.

But I got to say, if this list of new kids fulfills their potential I'm going to be eating my words (gladly, too!).

Eddie and Co. have put us in a position where we a financially stable and exceeding every other club in income. To see that translate directly into the footy dept. with our recruiting is excellent stuff.

Here's hoping Mick can get the best possible out of these players.

 

[Jabso]

MarkT the article in The Age had nothing to do with Malthouse or Eddie manipulating the media. It was an investigative piece by Niall and was basically trying to see how the Vic clubs stack up against the interstate clubs financially. It had one short comment from Arocca only.

If you mean MM talking up the young player, perhaps you are right. But I don't think he is doing it any more so than any other coach does.