Review Interim Captain thoughts

[FR0GGY]

Have no argument with how inspirational Danger is, but I'd argue it comes from his speed, skill and technical brilliance (yeah I know, apart from his disposal), not his leadership and while important, I think its vital not to confuse inspiration and leadership. And no I wouldn't due in a ditch if Danger became captain - just genuinely think Sloane would be better at this point.

Although im not sure if there is enough of a difference between sloane and vb, while i think sloane is a better player his inspiration and leadership would come from hard work, courageousness and gut running (much like vb) where as dangers would be sensational, miraculous, spectacular to go along with his hard work getting the ball out. But as i said before either will be great.

 

[dylan123]

Have no argument with how inspirational Danger is, but I'd argue it comes from his speed, skill and technical brilliance (yeah I know, apart from his disposal), not his leadership and while important, I think its vital not to confuse inspiration and leadership. And no I wouldn't die in a ditch if Danger became captain - just genuinely think Sloane would be better at this point.

What about his attack on the ball? His never die attitude (both of which Sloane also possess). These are the things that would make him a great leader much like Selwood. Dangerfield never gives in and you always know he's going to go at every pack 100%. He leads in a way of I do, you follow sort of thing.

As many have said, we've got two very strong captain options in Sloane and Dangerfield if we decide to consider them. I don't think you'd find a supporter upset if we chose one over the other. I'd personally go for Dangerfield but if we were to go for Sloane instead he'd have my full support.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Have no argument with how inspirational Danger is, but I'd argue it comes from his speed, skill and technical brilliance (yeah I know, apart from his disposal), not his leadership and while important, I think its vital not to confuse inspiration and leadership. And no I wouldn't die in a ditch if Danger became captain - just genuinely think Sloane would be better at this point.

I'm interested to know why you think Sloane would be better than Dangerfield.

They are both inspirational in their own way on-field.

Off-field, Danger appears more comfortable in the splotlight.

... which for me makes the perfect combination Danger (c), Sloane (vc), & with Talia (dvc) & Douglas (dvc)

 

[1970crow]

Good post.

I actually don't think there's any harm that can come from the 'interrim' tag. Like I said, it worked for Tredrea. I think the drawbacks are overrated.

If the change becomes permanent at the end of the year due to Danger's performance as captain, then he's earned it, rather than getting it due to the incumbent's injury. IMO that's a better position for him going forward. If it doesn't work, no harm done. You could go back to vB for a year, and then go in a different direction having more information about Danger as a captain.

I also don't think that anyone would actually have the 'interrim' tag fresh in their minds at any point. The oval etc is going to be fresh anyway. I think it's pretty silly to suggest that 'freshness' is held back because we've got a guy who has been recognised as captain sitting on the injury list.

Also: I think it's to misuse the proverb. It would be equally insane to change everything for the sake of it in the face of failure. The changes need to be identified. That's not to say that the captaincy isn't such a change.

my recollection might be a bit sketchy but i'm reasonably confident that it worked for Tredrea while he was captain. where it didn't work too well for port was when primus came back and could barely get on the park after taking the captaincy back in 2005. the issue is not whether danger will do a good job as interim captain in 2014, it's what happens after vb puts his hand back up in 2015 after returning from serious injury. that's where it could potentially go pear shaped for the club. just like it did with primus.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

I'm glad this didn't turn into a Van Berlo bashing thread.

If Scott Thompson somehow doesn't take the reigns, Dangerfield (C), Sloane (VC) or vice versa would be the only option surely.

Danger because he has the ability to single handedly lift the team through inspirational courage, frightening speed and technical ability.

Sloane would also be an excellent choice as he is one of the hardest working, most effective player's we have.

 

[FR0GGY]

Thommo while i love him and all should not be a candidate. These i see are the options, new captain either sloane or danger, interim with an eye on the future either sloane or danger or old head interim - truck.

 

[Vader]

Thommo while i love him and all should not be a candidate. These i see are the options, new captain either sloane or danger, interim with an eye on the future either sloane or danger or old head interim - truck.

What makes you think Truck is the old head interim? Thommo was VC last year, not Truck.

Just curious...

 

[1970crow]

Thommo while i love him and all should not be a candidate. These i see are the options, new captain either sloane or danger, interim with an eye on the future either sloane or danger or old head interim - truck.

i don't want to dis-respect thommo, but i reckon he gives away too many cheap/unnecessary free kicks. it's deflating enough watching him jump on the back of an opponent whose already on the ground, if he was captain and it happened at a critical time in the game it would be even worse. i'm not sure if i think that happens more than it actually does, but he seems to do something like that at least a couple of times per game.

 

[FR0GGY]

What makes you think Truck is the old head interim? Thommo was VC last year, not Truck.

Just curious...

I just see truck as more of a leader, Thommo had a poor year probably due to injury from all reports he was the one who kept saying he was good to go when clearly he wasn't. Is that a team thing to do? Truck doesn't seem to make the clangers Thommo does.

 

[Vader]

No argument that Thommo is our Clanger King - and led the league in that stat quite comprehensively for a few years. I made the same comment many, many times over the last few seasons.

However, the fact that he was our VC last year, with Sloane & Dangerfield as his deputies, Rutten not even making the reduced leadership group, would tend to indicate that the club don't see things the same way that you do.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Thommo would have been a good option 2 years ago (or even when VB became captain), when he was in his prime, but given is output in 2013 was well down on his previous yellow-jacket standard, time has passed him by.

 

[Vader]

Thommo would have been a good option 2 years ago (or even when VB became captain), when he was in his prime, but given is output in 2013 was well down on his previous yellow-jacket standard, time has passed him by.

As a permanent replacement? Definitely.
As a temporary replacement, with VB returning to take the reins again? I wouldn't rule out the possibility.

 

[JP Sauce]

I'm against an interim captain. I'm against vB staying captain anyway but that's not what we're discussing.

The two options as I see them are:
1) Keeping things as they are, with vB our captain out injured and Thommo our vice-captain assuming the role on match days. If vB is the captain we want to keep for 2015 then having anyone other than Thommo leading the team makes no sense at all (unless we are changing vice-captains and dropping Thommo from the role).

2) Making Danger/Sloane captain, officially.

Let's say Danger is made interim captain and let's also say:
- the team improves and makes the finals
- Danger's own performances get even better and he's one of the Brownlow favourites
- Danger shows great on field leadership and inspires the team to victories
- Danger shines in the media and is a brilliant face of the club

Now, most of us would be confident that the above 4 things would happen no matter who the captain is, but if they happen with Danger as captain then, well... you think there's chatter about making Danger captain now? The noise would be deafening this time next year, and not just from BigFooty, but from EVERYWHERE. That puts tonnes pressure on the club, vB, Danger and the rest of the players.

An interim captain makes no sense. Either Thommo (or a new VC) steps up or a new captain is put in permanently.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

As a permanent replacement? Definitely.
As a temporary replacement, with VB returning to take the reins again? I wouldn't rule out the possibility.

It's a possibility of occurring - I just don't think it will be the right move given Thommo is now on the decline.

 

[1970crow]

No argument that Thommo is our Clanger King - and led the league in that stat quite comprehensively for a few years. I made the same comment many, many times over the last few seasons.

However, the fact that he was our VC last year, with Sloane & Dangerfield as his deputies, Rutten not even making the reduced leadership group, would tend to indicate that the club don't see things the same way that you do.

the club doesn't always get everything right. and thommo being vc last indicates that if vb had ruptured his achilles in january of 2013, then he would have likely been elevated into the interim captaincy role. what has changed is that the 2013 season has been completed which resulted in thommo and vb being a year older and having had poor seasons by their standards. the club has a year's worth of information at his hands now that it didn't have in january 2013. things change vader and form and value in football can change very quickly. how many 5 year contracts were handed out in the few years following the mercuri debacle.

 

[dylan123]

It's a possibility of occurring - I just don't think it will be the right move given Thommo is now on the decline.

Would love to see Thompson bounce back and his 2013 season being poor due to injury rather then age. Guess we'll find out soon enough (although it's hardly ideal with him missing a chunk of the pre season for something he could have had fixed much earlier last season).

 

[Vader]

the club doesn't always get everything right. and thommo being vc last indicates that if vb had ruptured his achilles in january of 2013, then he would have likely been elevated into the interim captaincy role. what has changed is that the 2013 season has been completed which resulted in thommo and vb being a year older and having had poor seasons by their standards. the club has a year's worth of information at his hands now that it didn't have in january 2013. things change vader and form and value in football can change very quickly. how many 5 year contracts were handed out in the few years following the mercuri debacle.

True to a point. How much of Thompson's bad year was due to his groin problems? Presumably those have been fixed with his post-season surgery. That said, he's another year older now and I don't know how long he can last after using his body as a battering ram for so many seasons.

I've never argued that VB had a good season last year. It was easily the worst of his career. I think he was a victim of Sando stuffing up the pre-season, combined with VB being given a variety of jobs and not allowed to spend the whole season in one position. I was expecting him to return to his previous form this year, which would have shut up all the doubters almost instantly.

I must confess that I'm having a good laugh today, reading the attributes which would supposedly make Sloane such a great Captain - the very same attributes where VB himself excels.

 

[FR0GGY]

True to a point. How much of Thompson's bad year was due to his groin problems? Presumably those have been fixed with his post-season surgery. That said, he's another year older now and I don't know how long he can last after using his body as a battering ram for so many seasons.
I've never argued that VB had a good season last year. It was easily the worst of his career. I think he was a victim of Sando stuffing up the pre-season, combined with VB being given a variety of jobs and not allowed to spend the whole season in one position. I was expecting him to return to his previous form this year, which would have shut up all the doubters almost instantly.

I must confess that I'm having a good laugh today, reading the attributes which would supposedly make Sloane such a great Captain - the very same attributes where VB himself excels.

Although im not sure if there is enough of a difference between sloane and vb, while i think sloane is a far better player than vb his inspiration and leadership would come from hard work, courageousness and gut running (much like vb) where as dangers would be sensational, miraculous, spectacular to go along with his hard work getting the ball out. But as i said before either will be great.

as mentioned earlier

 

[Allefgib]

Good post.

I actually don't think there's any harm that can come from the 'interrim' tag. Like I said, it worked for Tredrea. I think the drawbacks are overrated.

If the change becomes permanent at the end of the year due to Danger's performance as captain, then he's earned it, rather than getting it due to the incumbent's injury. IMO that's a better position for him going forward. If it doesn't work, no harm done. You could go back to vB for a year, and then go in a different direction having more information about Danger as a captain.

I also don't think that anyone would actually have the 'interrim' tag fresh in their minds at any point. The oval etc is going to be fresh anyway. I think it's pretty silly to suggest that 'freshness' is held back because we've got a guy who has been recognised as captain sitting on the injury list.

Also: I think it's to misuse the proverb. It would be equally insane to change everything for the sake of it in the face of failure. The changes need to be identified. That's not to say that the captaincy isn't such a change.

Don't mind this thinking at all.

I'd also consider co-interim-captains. Then you can pick sloane, danger or VB for the captain from 2015 onwards based on how things evolve this year. whoever is then captain in 2015 we will know is the right guy for the job.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Would love to see Thompson bounce back and his 2013 season being poor due to injury rather then age. Guess we'll find out soon enough (although it's hardly ideal with him missing a chunk of the pre season for something he could have had fixed much earlier last season).

I think Thommo will bounce back from carrying an injury ... but IMO it would be poor timing to load him up with the captaincy when he is looking to bounce back.

 

[1970crow]

True to a point. How much of Thompson's bad year was due to his groin problems? Presumably those have been fixed with his post-season surgery. That said, he's another year older now and I don't know how long he can last after using his body as a battering ram for so many seasons.

I've never argued that VB had a good season last year. It was easily the worst of his career. I think he was a victim of Sando stuffing up the pre-season, combined with VB being given a variety of jobs and not allowed to spend the whole season in one position. I was expecting him to return to his previous form this year, which would have shut up all the doubters almost instantly.

I must confess that I'm having a good laugh today, reading the attributes which would supposedly make Sloane such a great Captain - the very same attributes where VB himself excels.

agree with most of that. except i don't think you should be laughing too hard about sloane. every now and again to impress his girl friend he strips naked, goes to his into his walk-through robe and returns wearing nothing but a yellow jacket and a HUGE smile.

i don't think many people have questioned the qualities that vb brings to leadership. the main issue is what occurred last year in that he wasn't bringing a lot of good football to the table. i understand and certainly agree that if his fitness was compromised last year he could return to being a certain best 22 player. same can be said for thommo, except swap out 22 with 10. but, i'm not sure where you get the idea that they stuffed up his pre-season, i presume he torched the rest of the field in the runs as he usually does. i certainly don't remember reading anything about him being beaten, which i presume would make a news outlet or 2 had it happened. my personal feeling is that he is on the decline and i don't want our club to end up going through a cassisi scenario. even worse for our club because at the time, boak hadn't signed and hartlett was/is still cruising, so they didn't have the stand out candidate(s) that we had.

and "almost instantly" vader, really. you should know us a lot better by now. and surely we're entitled to be as slow to change our view on whether a player warrants a spot in the 22 as the highly paid guys running the football dept are.

 

[Southerntakeover]

That's a risk anytime you appoint a captain.

Of course it is.

The point is that it would be an error to only consider the risks in using an interim appointment.

 

[Slippery Pete]

Thommo would have been a good option 2 years ago (or even when VB became captain), when he was in his prime, but given is output in 2013 was well down on his previous yellow-jacket standard, time has passed him by.

Surely people aren't serious with the suggestion of Scott Thompson. It's 2014, not 2010.

This discussion is outrageous. The captain-in-waiting is sitting there, waiting to be named - it's as obvious as a dog with two dicks - and we are throwing around names like Thompson, a great club servant no question, but a 31 year old, in the twilight of his career, a guy who at times was barely in the best 22 last year, and who has artificial groins, hamstrings and toes.

C'mon people. I know you might be suffering from heat stress but this is absurd.

 

[MRB37]

Surely people aren't serious with the suggestion of Scott Thompson. It's 2014, not 2010.

This discussion is outrageous. The captain-in-waiting is sitting there, waiting to be named - it's as obvious as a dog with two dicks - and we are throwing around names like Thompson, a great club servant no question, but a 31 year old, in the twilight of his career, a guy who at times was barely in the best 22 last year, and who has artificial groins, hamstrings and toes.

C'mon people. I know you might be suffering from heat stress but this is absurd.

It's not so much that I think Thompson is the best choice, I don't, but people high up in the club are seemingly so in love with VB that it seems apparent that they'll be bringing him back as Captain as soon as they can. Makes no sense to name Dangerfield in that situation.

 

[JP Sauce]

It's not so much that I think Thompson is the best choice, I don't, but people high up in the club are seemingly so in love with VB that it seems apparent that they'll be bringing him back as Captain as soon as they can. Makes no sense to name Dangerfield in that situation.

Agreed. As I said a few posts earlier, it either has to be Thommo for a season or Danger/Sloane permanently. You can't have Danger/Sloane then go back to vB.