Ross Lyon favourite for Saints' job
11 October 2006 Herald-Sun
Mike Sheahan and Mark Robinson
ROSS Lyon has emerged as the white-hot favourite to coach St Kilda next year, a move backed by sacked coach Grant Thomas.
Lyon, the surprise late candidate for the senior role, is understood to have been given the nod yesterday by the Saints' coaching sub-committee.
St Kilda president Rod Butterss offered a firm ``no comment'' when asked yesterday afternoon whether Lyon was to take the reins.
But it is understood Lyon, an assistant coach at Sydney, will be named today or tomorrow.
As of late last night the other candidates _ Bulldogs assistant coach Chris Bond, Swans assistant coach John Longmire and Collingwood's Guy McKenna, had not heard from the club.
If Lyon is to win the St Kilda job as expected, no one will be happier than the man he replaces.
Thomas last night said the Saints would be in expert hands under Lyon's control, and that he would feel both pleased and vindicated.
The former coach confirmed he had tried to lure Lyon from Sydney to Moorabbin a year ago. He made a two-hour pitch to Lyon at his Brighton home soon after the season, finally offering him a senior role.
Lyon called him a few days later to say he felt honour-bound to complete a commitment to the Swans and a personal commitment to coach Paul Roos.
``I would love to see him take over this group,'' Thomas said.
``I was desperate to get him and I know he could fill the requirements of the role.
``I think he's extremely capable of getting into the driver's seat of this juggernaut and driving it straight ahead straight away.
``I know what he's like and I certainly know what the playing group's like, and I think he's a fantastic fit.''
``That's based on intimate understanding I have of where St Kilda has been, where it currently is and, more importantly, where it needs to go,'' Thomas said. ``He would quickly move everyone in the club forward, which would be good.''
Thomas said he meant no disrespect to the other candidates, only that he knew Lyon and liked what he knew.
The pair go back to 1985, Lyon's first year at Fitzroy and Thomas's last year at AFL level.
``I've got enormous respect for the way he played the game,'' Thomas said. ``If I had to pick a side from the blokes I played with, not that I played in a lot of great sides, he'd be one of the first picked.
``The main reasons I wanted him were that I think he's got great character, great integrity.
``The thing that came through was his absolute selflessness.
``We had a motto at the footy club: You can achieve amazing things when nobody cares who gets the credit. He fits that motto.
``I remember both of us leaving our meeting excited. Basically, in the end, he's a very loyal person and he felt he needed to show his loyalty to his club and to Roosy.
``That personified his character and integrity.''
Thomas, sacked a month ago, said he was ``more desperate than ever'' for St Kilda to have success.
``As I've said, I never had to be the one standing on the dais (on Grand Final day),'' Thomas said.
11 October 2006 Herald-Sun
Mike Sheahan and Mark Robinson
ROSS Lyon has emerged as the white-hot favourite to coach St Kilda next year, a move backed by sacked coach Grant Thomas.
Lyon, the surprise late candidate for the senior role, is understood to have been given the nod yesterday by the Saints' coaching sub-committee.
St Kilda president Rod Butterss offered a firm ``no comment'' when asked yesterday afternoon whether Lyon was to take the reins.
But it is understood Lyon, an assistant coach at Sydney, will be named today or tomorrow.
As of late last night the other candidates _ Bulldogs assistant coach Chris Bond, Swans assistant coach John Longmire and Collingwood's Guy McKenna, had not heard from the club.
If Lyon is to win the St Kilda job as expected, no one will be happier than the man he replaces.
Thomas last night said the Saints would be in expert hands under Lyon's control, and that he would feel both pleased and vindicated.
The former coach confirmed he had tried to lure Lyon from Sydney to Moorabbin a year ago. He made a two-hour pitch to Lyon at his Brighton home soon after the season, finally offering him a senior role.
Lyon called him a few days later to say he felt honour-bound to complete a commitment to the Swans and a personal commitment to coach Paul Roos.
``I would love to see him take over this group,'' Thomas said.
``I was desperate to get him and I know he could fill the requirements of the role.
``I think he's extremely capable of getting into the driver's seat of this juggernaut and driving it straight ahead straight away.
``I know what he's like and I certainly know what the playing group's like, and I think he's a fantastic fit.''
``That's based on intimate understanding I have of where St Kilda has been, where it currently is and, more importantly, where it needs to go,'' Thomas said. ``He would quickly move everyone in the club forward, which would be good.''
Thomas said he meant no disrespect to the other candidates, only that he knew Lyon and liked what he knew.
The pair go back to 1985, Lyon's first year at Fitzroy and Thomas's last year at AFL level.
``I've got enormous respect for the way he played the game,'' Thomas said. ``If I had to pick a side from the blokes I played with, not that I played in a lot of great sides, he'd be one of the first picked.
``The main reasons I wanted him were that I think he's got great character, great integrity.
``The thing that came through was his absolute selflessness.
``We had a motto at the footy club: You can achieve amazing things when nobody cares who gets the credit. He fits that motto.
``I remember both of us leaving our meeting excited. Basically, in the end, he's a very loyal person and he felt he needed to show his loyalty to his club and to Roosy.
``That personified his character and integrity.''
Thomas, sacked a month ago, said he was ``more desperate than ever'' for St Kilda to have success.
``As I've said, I never had to be the one standing on the dais (on Grand Final day),'' Thomas said.

