Gentlemanly discussion on the coaching future of Adam Simpson

When do we replace Simpson?

  • End of 2017

  • End of 2018

  • ASAP

  • Extend his contract


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UpsideDown

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The team, coach, and players getting absolutely flogged in the media. Everyone's taking a chance to jump on the bandwagon. Here it's the usual melts of getting rid of anyone that has anything to do with the current coaching team.

Changing a coach won't do shit if the same old slow senior players are chosen and players have the same soft attitude. Simmo can only work with what he's got. A lot has to do with our slow defensive aspect of the mid-field as has been already identified here. Guys like Yeo Duggan Nelson are trying to bring the ferocity and speed but you need more than just a handful of players to see out all 4 qtrs strongly. Even Shuey has dropped the ball (yes) with his speed and tackling since getting the extension.

Simmo needs to make a statement (and he knows it) by dropping Priddis (for good) Lecras (for good) Vardy (he's cooked big time) Shuey and Shcoey.
 

greatwhiteshark

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The team, coach, and players getting absolutely flogged in the media. Everyone's taking a chance to jump on the bandwagon. Here it's the usual melts of getting rid of anyone that has anything to do with the current coaching team.

Changing a coach won't do shit if the same old slow senior players are chosen and players have the same soft attitude. Simmo can only work with what he's got. A lot has to do with our slow defensive aspect of the mid-field as has been already identified here. Guys like Yeo Duggan Nelson are trying to bring the ferocity and speed but you need more than just a handful of players to see out all 4 qtrs strongly. Even Shuey has dropped the ball (yes) with his speed and tackling since getting the extension.

Simmo needs to make a statement (and he knows it) by dropping Priddis (for good) Lecras (for good) Vardy (he's cooked big time) Shuey and Shcoey.
Bit harsh on Vardy, he is 26 with plenty of good footy in front of him as a key forward, not as a fill in ruck where he has never played before. Shuey WTF??? He is our only gun mid.
Agree Priddis and Schofield, Lecras in the current team is probably done but in a side with a half decent midfield would still be an asset.
 

Eagleboy68

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Making a change for the sake of making a change isn't always the answer. Look at Brisbane axing Voss, Gold Coast axing McKenna. The coaches they got to replace them weren't any better and they've languished ever since.m

Sometimes you're better off trying to make it work with the one you're with rather than throwing yourself back in the dating pool.
Didn't say make. Change for the sake of it.

My opinion is that Simpson has lost confidence in his own ability to lead this team and performances show this.
He looks lost.

It's time for a change cause he is treading water right now with no clear direction.

Edit. He is sinking not treading water.
 
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avishka5

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I posted that ricky nixon thing on the hawks board and i got this response
I was at a fundraiser 2 weeks ago, where several Hawks from the 1970's spoke. It was a fascinating night, and I still haven't washed my hand after shaking hands with some of my favourite players from that era!

One of them, who is closely associated with Sam Mitchell, had some interesting comments about how he was moved on. He stated that Sam and Al Clarkson were not very close, in fact, quite the opposite.
He said that Clarko was pointedly not invited to a farewell for Mitch, which included some players and some of Mitch's ex-coaches.

i got the impression that Mitch was pretty difficult to handle.
Cheers Davo for the response.
 

UpsideDown

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Bit harsh on Vardy, he is 26 with plenty of good footy in front of him as a key forward, not as a fill in ruck where he has never played before. Shuey WTF??? He is our only gun mid.
Agree Priddis and Schofield, Lecras in the current team is probably done but in a side with a half decent midfield would still be an asset.
Vardy can barely run around atm. He needs a one game rest. Shuey has some sort of niggle he needs to get over so he needs a rest as well. The other three can stay out.
 

frenchconnection

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Gold Coast sacking McKenna was one of the dumbest moves ever made. If Gaz hadn't done that shoulder they'd of played finals, Bluey would still be coach, Matt Priddis wouldn't be a Brownlow medalist and we probably wouldn't be having this discussion.

Brisbane looks like they've landed the right coach now. Gold Coast might get lucky on their next one too.

The interesting thing about West Coast and Simpson though is that Woosha wasn't sacked, he raised the white flag and basically conceded that turning this core group of players into a Premiership side was beyond his capability as an elite leader and manager of men. Which despite being an absolute inditement on the senior players that has since proven to be entirely justified, meant that the circumstances Adam Simpson found himself in coming into the club were extremely unique. Usually a coach comes in and is starting fresh with a club that has probably just hit rock bottom. He's not just a breath of fresh air his vision and leadership and ability are things the club desperately needs, he's the most important man in the organisation by a long way at that point and that is something coaches thrive on. It wasn't really the case when Simpson took over. The Eagles had missed finals in 2013 but gone deep in 2011/12 and were ready to go straight back into the 8. He wasn't really hired to do anything but tweak an outfit that was up and running.

Woosha pretty much created a spontaneous handover scenario, more like the situation Buckley, Longmire, Goodwin found themselves in except Simpson wasn't on the inside and didn't have the advantage of intimate knowledge of the playing group as at Collingwood, Sydney, Melbourne. Consequently everyone got a clean slate under Simpson and he's wasted 4 years discovering the same things about the same players that Worsfold knew were beyond any coaches ability to change as far back as 2012.
In saying that however this team did make the GF in 2015, albeit they forgot to turn up on the day. I sometimes ask the question did they give absolutely everything they had to get that far, and then had nothing more to give, particularly the older players. They have been on the slippery slope ever since. Obviously Nic covered up a lot of cracks.
 

frenchconnection

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Who were these young guys who were dropped?

Cole hadn't trained due to an ankle injury, the others who went out were Butler (inj) Masten and Redden.
Wasnt Karpany another one that was also dropped? Also Redden had just played his best game so still didn't make sense. Think Masten came in the week after along with Priddis etc so Masten didn't play in that particular game from my recollection.
 

frenchconnection

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The coach is not only responsible for the game plans and the systems but also the man management of players because players play football not robots.

Any failures by the players are the coaches responsibility ultimately.
One off incidents or brain fades happen but consistent fade outs and coughing up games we were in prime positions to win are the direct responsibility of the coach.

Whether you like it or not if it continues to happen Simpson will be sacked.

He either removes the players responsible or he is removed.

It's that cut a dried no matter how many posts you post to the contrary.
Where Simmo's hands are tied a bit, amongst the players playing in the 2s there's not too many holding up their hands to be picked (with the exception of Partington) as any others who would probably get a game are out injured (Venables, Rioli). The biggest problem has been the lack of development - why hasn't Lamb come on amongst others - he's been in the system long enough.
 

Moose1414

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In saying that however this team did make the GF in 2015, albeit they forgot to turn up on the day. I sometimes ask the question did they give absolutely everything they had to get that far, and then had nothing more to give, particularly the older players. They have been on the slippery slope ever since. Obviously Nic covered up a lot of cracks.
I sometimes wonder if we would not of been better off losing by 4 points to North Melbourne in that Prelim. I think that loss in the big show was just too severe for many to recover from, instead of motivating them to seek redemption it seems to have permanently destroyed any shred of self belief. Probably a narrow loss to North in a prelim we have a different vibe in the pre-season and don't have the baggage of that GF loss hanging over our head in every game we've played since. Maybe Simpson is right when he says the leaders are trying too hard, they've got the football equivalent of post traumatic stress to deal with. The pressure must me incredible, its probably no wonder the shit the bed every time the spectre of bad loss raises its head. Paralysed by fear.
 

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Miguel Sanchez

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Wasnt Karpany another one that was also dropped? Also Redden had just played his best game so still didn't make sense. Think Masten came in the week after along with Priddis etc so Masten didn't play in that particular game from my recollection.
The changes following the Bulldogs game were Hurn, Priddis, LeCras, Lycett for Butler (inj), Cole (inj, wasn't initially disclosed), Masten and Redden.

Hurn for Butler was obvious, Priddis for Redden was a howler, LeCras for Masten was meh, Lycett needed to come in but Cole coming out made us top heavy.

No young players were dropped, which was my initial point. Unless you count Redden as a young player which some people apparently do.
 

The Dodger

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Adam Simpson to Sam Mitchell:
"Ah, there’s nothing more exciting than coaching... You get all the fun of sitting still, being quiet, writing down numbers, paying attention…Yes, coaching has it all."

"Ok...Ruck Contest...we lost the clearance...ok another ruck contest oh we lost the clearance...ruck contest...we lost the...no wait I think we wo...nevermind we lost the ground ball scrap...are you writing this down Sam?"
 

paran

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The changes following the Bulldogs game were Hurn, Priddis, LeCras, Lycett for Butler (inj), Cole (inj, wasn't initially disclosed), Masten and Redden.

Hurn for Butler was obvious, Priddis for Redden was a howler, LeCras for Masten was meh, Lycett needed to come in but Cole coming out made us top heavy.

No young players were dropped, which was my initial point. Unless you count Redden as a young player which some people apparently do.
I think Lycett needed another week in the 2nds, he was underdone. I think Hurn for Butler would have been enough. Give Priddis another week, give the youngsters a chance and allow the team to build something.
 

ziad

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Simmo is facing a real challenge, he is inexperienced and has to work his way through it. I think he is on the right track based in his presser. he has to be given space and time to turn over a list that includes long term mates and a few that don't give enough and must go. This will be tough but glimpses of the kids following Mitch, Darling having a crack, Redden and Hurn etc are all good signs. Sad but some have to be cut. No organisation can go through such change without some distress.
 

Cuzz09

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Adam Simpson to Sam Mitchell:
"Ah, there’s nothing more exciting than coaching... You get all the fun of sitting still, being quiet, writing down numbers, paying attention…Yes, coaching has it all."

I picture the board like super nintendo Chalmers if Simpson wants to drop Priddis/LeCras.... "Skiiiinner!!!"

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Seadog

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I want to put it out there as a big critic of the mercenaries pulling on our jumper these days, Simmo could be John Kennedy Snr and even he couldn't get this pack of Y gen'rs to accept responsibility for their insipid efforts. We have a pack of "Rock up to get Paid" introverts who don't like to get dirty nor hurt, players like SPP don't fit the hipster types we want to be the image of our club after the naughty's drug fiasco and you all better get used to WCE being mediocre for a long time to come.
Goodo for you, what a man.
 

Dark Sharks

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Whoever is going to take this team of marshmallows anywhere, has to lay the hard truth on the playing group that they simply don't wan't it.

The whole team (and apparently club for that matter) looks quite content in just finishing middle of the ladder every season. Beating the top teams requires effort and a level of hunger which is just simply too hard for some players to conjure up. It's easier just losing to those sorts of teams.

Now beating shit teams on the other hand, that's something they can rock up and do and be content that they are playing AFL and no matter where the team finishes, they will be payed X amount of dollars as per their contract, and it's all good so long as they are playing AFL and doing what they always wanted.

There's no desire (from an external perspective anyway) from anyone to lift the club to a premiership. You can see it in the bruise free, go to water when challenged, wet their pants when someone puts a bump on gamestyle we play. The soft, meek body language of our players :screamcat:


Personally i'm looking at the bigger picture. Wouldn't be adverse to us bottoming out properly so the pressure mounts on individuals to resign.
 

Eagleboy68

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I want to put it out there as a big critic of the mercenaries pulling on our jumper these days, Simmo could be John Kennedy Snr and even he couldn't get this pack of Y gen'rs to accept responsibility for their insipid efforts. We have a pack of "Rock up to get Paid" introverts who don't like to get dirty nor hurt, players like SPP don't fit the hipster types we want to be the image of our club after the naughty's drug fiasco and you all better get used to WCE being mediocre for a long time to come.
Maybe, but unlike simmo John Kennedy snr would have dropped and delisted them.
 

eagles rule

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Gold Coast sacking McKenna was one of the dumbest moves ever made. If Gaz hadn't done that shoulder they'd of played finals, Bluey would still be coach, Matt Priddis wouldn't be a Brownlow medalist and we probably wouldn't be having this discussion.

Brisbane looks like they've landed the right coach now. Gold Coast might get lucky on their next one too.

The interesting thing about West Coast and Simpson though is that Woosha wasn't sacked, he raised the white flag and basically conceded that turning this core group of players into a Premiership side was beyond his capability as an elite leader and manager of men. Which despite being an absolute inditement on the senior players that has since proven to be entirely justified, meant that the circumstances Adam Simpson found himself in coming into the club were extremely unique. Usually a coach comes in and is starting fresh with a club that has probably just hit rock bottom. He's not just a breath of fresh air his vision and leadership and ability are things the club desperately needs, he's the most important man in the organisation by a long way at that point and that is something coaches thrive on. It wasn't really the case when Simpson took over. The Eagles had missed finals in 2013 but gone deep in 2011/12 and were ready to go straight back into the 8. He wasn't really hired to do anything but tweak an outfit that was up and running.

Woosha pretty much created a spontaneous handover scenario, more like the situation Buckley, Longmire, Goodwin found themselves in except Simpson wasn't on the inside and didn't have the advantage of intimate knowledge of the playing group as at Collingwood, Sydney, Melbourne. Consequently everyone got a clean slate under Simpson and he's wasted 4 years discovering the same things about the same players that Worsfold knew were beyond any coaches ability to change as far back as 2012.
Your giving Simmo too much leeway isn't he the one who said we're Bringing in some A Graders in a 32 yr old Priddis and a 30 yr old Leccras talking about a dreamer who hasn't a clue ..
 
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