Coach IF (unlikely) we are appointing a new coach, what are realistic options

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geoffjennings79

geoffjennings79

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Apr 4, 2006
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This isn't an opinion on Beveridge, so not really part of the "faith in Bevo" circular descent to madness thread, but thought I'd pull my own post out of there:

geoffjennings79 said:
The concern is our recent history of coaching appointments that follow successful coaches.
Wallace, regardless of how his tenure ended, was a success in the 1997-2000 era.
Replaced by Rohde.
Eade, regardless of how his tenure ended, was a success in the 2006-2010 era.
Replaced by McCartney.
Beveridge - well there's 2015, 2016 and 2021.
Replaced by....?

Anyway, if and when he is no longer coach, history shows that recycled coaches who have not won a flag at their first gig, almost never win a flag at their second.

Malthouse and Blight are the only exceptions since at least the 1930s.

And while premiership coaches who are recycled do win flags at their second club, I would prefer a rated assistant with fresh ideas.

At this stage I have no idea who that would be, but the training pathways and industry knowledge would hopefully avoid another Rohde/McCartney appointment. But then again, this is our club we're talking about....
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Personally I can't see us parting ways with Bevo at either his or the club's instigation this year, and fully expect him to coach in 2024... but an hour/day/week is a long time in football!

Even if he ceased to coach today - surely Lade would be the only viable interim option?
If it was Spangher, Webb or Smith I'd suggest there would be barbarians at the gates of VUWO.

But in a fantasy world where the club was considering a new coach sometime soon, who are the realistic options?

Hardwick? Doubt we could afford him, or he'd be interested tbh.

Dew? Leon Cameron? As I wrote in the quoted post, coaches who don't win flags at their first gig, almost invariably don't at their second. Eade as an example (twice!), Ross Lyon, Gary Ayres, etc.

Someone in another thread suggested Simpson. I'd say he'd be burnt out from the past few years, and I'd be steering clear even if available.

An upcoming assistant? Caracella? Been around awhile, but is he up to the main gig? Lade? Yze?

Beveridge himself was an inspired appointment (although tbh anyone was going to be better than McCartney at that point).

Are there other standout assistants?

(Personally I would be looking at untried assistants EXCLUSIVELY - see Hardwick, Bomber Thompson, Clarkson, Beveridge, Longmire, Chris Scott, Goodwin.)
 
Per fred cook's reply to my post in the other thread, other feasible options could include:
Josh Carr
Matthew Boyd

I also omitted the wide-spread practice - except at VUWO! - of having a former senior coach on the panel, e.g. Leppitsch, Williams, Richardson, etc
 

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geoffjennings79 said:
Interesting to see where King goes at the end of the year. I can't see Hardwick happening- wouldn't be against it though! Forgot Gia, thanks.
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Personally hardwick is the only one I'd move bevo for. Otherwise he can choose to stay with less power/new assistants or walk on his own. I can't see king staying at the Suns if he gets overlooked for the top job, same for mini at tigers so he could also be an option although I think he gets the main gig at tigerland.
 
Head coach must be way way more than the best tactical football brain. He must be able to manage the playing list, coaching staff, and all the physical and psychological staff that are in a modern football club. He and in the near future, potentially a she, is the central figure of any football program. They obviously need self confidence but also flexibility to change and the wisdom to know when to do each. Love them or hate them the Scott brothers are very good at this. I’d love to get Chris Scott with this list. John Longmire, Don Pike?? Bevo had done the proper complete apprenticeship before taking our job, who out there has a similar CV who hasn’t coached senior AFL football yet? I don’t want Hardwick, he seems a bit unbalanced in life at moment?
Other assistants to think about; Joel Corey, Lenny Hayes…
 
I'd be still having a chat with Buckley to see if he has the desire to coach again.

This list is an attractive one both short term and long term for many coaches. We have a core group of players capable of winning a flag in the next couple of years with the right coaching group and astute list management. We also have a core group of elite young players who are slowly hitting their straps together (English, Naughton, JUH, Weightman, Richards, Baz + hopefully Busslinger, O'Donnell, Jones etc.)
 
Heaps out there:

Jaymie Graham just missed out on the Collingwood job.

Jarrad Schofield: won a heap of flags at WAFL level. Was midfield coach at Port for a few years, they turned to s**t when he left.

Don Pyke- has a 60% win rate at AFL level. Also had the best offensive game plan for a few years.

Steven King is meant to be well liked around the traps.
 
History is heavily against both Pyke and Buckley. Peak Blight and peak Malthouse managed flags at club #2 after falling short at club #1 (Malthouse the lone member of the group to also achieve a flag at club #3).

I'd favour Buckley of those 2 at this stage purely on their public personas (lucky I wouldn't be on the interview/selection panel!), but would still prefer a fresh face.
 

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Freshwater said:
Head coach must be way way more than the best tactical football brain. He must be able to manage the playing list, coaching staff, and all the physical and psychological staff that are in a modern football club. He and in the near future, potentially a she, is the central figure of any football program. They obviously need self confidence but also flexibility to change and the wisdom to know when to do each. Love them or hate them the Scott brothers are very good at this. I’d love to get Chris Scott with this list. John Longmire, Don Pike?? Bevo had done the proper complete apprenticeship before taking our job, who out there has a similar CV who hasn’t coached senior AFL football yet? I don’t want Hardwick, he seems a bit unbalanced in life at moment?
Other assistants to think about; Joel Corey, Lenny Hayes…
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Freshwater said:
Lenny Hayes… NO NO
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If we're trying to predict a likely result, I think there's a huge chance our next coach is one of Gia, King, Hansen, Carr, Boyd. Reasoning being all have strong links to our club in one way or another, and we seem to avoid looking too wide when recruiting (Carr the less obvious one, but spent a few years coaching at Freo where our ex-players have taken over the administration). I'd really rather avoid recycled coaches, and also would rather avoid the guys who have regularly been overlooked for senior roles (if they're not good enough for Essendon/Carlton, do we really want them?).

It's tough to know how suitable some of these guys are, and how much their clubs' success can be attributed to them individually, but it seems a lot of the better senior coaches emerge from the dynasty teams. We saw Simpson, Bevo, Hardwick, Cameron and Fagan (among others) all come from Hawthorn.

The interesting thing to observe is how many are now emerging from that Richmond dynasty. Their 2019 coaching panel had:
Andrew McQualter (Richmond caretaker)
Adam Kingsley (GWS senior coach)
Craig McRae (Pies senior coach)

Blake Caracella is the one from Richmond's dynasty who is constantly linked to senior roles without having secured one. He coached in Geelong's 2011 flag, was present for the entirety of Richmond's flag run, and has since been at Essendon. Other than him, there's also Adem Yze who coached Hawthorn's defence during their dynasty, and has been in charge of Melbourne's midfield from 2021 onwards. Was reported to have narrowly missed out on the GWS and Essendon senior coaching positions.

Purely on their resumes, it's one of Caracella or Yze for me. My primary concern is how many times these guys have been overlooked, but you can't deny their credentials.
 
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geoffjennings79 said:
History is heavily against both Pyke and Buckley. Peak Blight and peak Malthouse managed flags at club #2 after falling short at club #1 (Malthouse the lone member of the group to also achieve a flag at club #3).

I'd favour Buckley of those 2 at this stage purely on their public personas (lucky I wouldn't be on the interview/selection panel!), but would still prefer a fresh face.
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Treloar sad reacts to this.
 
Does Yze's name/nickname (pronunciation, not spelling!) lend itself more readily to marketing purposes?
Ooze - booze, choose, cruise (bruise, lose, abuse, excuse ☹)
Yze - grey, play, weigh, stray, ballet, buffet, pray!

Pyke - hmmm

Bucks - 😲

Gia and Bont - strong Italian flavour combination. Game plans labelled "mortadella" or "prosciutto" might confuse oppo coaches!
Gia to runner: "tell those forwards to assume the gorgonzola formation"!
 
darklake said:
Have never liked him. Didn't lile the way he treated Aker mainly. Do you think he can coach?
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He's pretty highly rated in the industry.
He's actually pretty quiet and reserved IRL so my concern is the 'inspire' part of the equation.
 
It is time for Co- Coaches? Bob/Boyd combo bring in dale as assistant. Think they compliment each other well with Bob being more day to day personable and boyd being more hard line footy.

This is half a joke but also could be fun
 
LovevShaqBB13 said:
It is time for Co- Coaches? Bob/Boyd combo bring in dale as assistant. Think they compliment each other well with Bob being more day to day personable and boyd being more hard line footy.

This is half a joke but also could be fun
Click to expand...
I'm all for co coaches now. Think one on the bench one in the box on game day is the way to go.
 
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