Although I've made a few comments in some of the threads, I think it now warrants a thread of it's own. I think he has been struggling both this year and last year and the captaincy is ill-fitting. McVeigh often cops more that his fair share of crap, but he is definitely an on-field leader and has the ability to take games by the scruff of the neck and really impact them. I can't remember Jack being the difference in a win and a loss, or putting on a inspiring display to lift the rest of the team. If we're going to continue with this co-captaincy nonsense (which I don't think we should do - McVeigh is the true captain and deserves to be the sole one), then we need to relinquish the responsibility from Jack and give it to someone else, probably Parker.
But there is one thing that frustrates me the most about Keiren Jack's game. More than his lack of leadership. More than his ability to be completely invisible. More than his lack of two-way running.
I'm sure you've noticed it too ...
KEIREN JACK DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT FOOT.
Oscar Pistorius would have a higher chance of kicking a goal off his right foot. Hell, even Ricky Mott would have a higher chance of kicking a goal off his right foot. Yes, I went there. Ricky Mott!
Twice tonight in the first quarter, Jack had a chance to kick a goal to quell the Hawks' momentum. Twice he had a kick from 30m out directly in front that he failed to convert. Both times he was being pressured onto his right-hand side and simply refused to kick on his non-preferred foot. Instead he tried to kick dinky kicks off the outside of his foot - one that missed by a fair margin and one that would've missed, but didn't even make the distance.
The most frustrating thing is this is almost exactly what happened in the Game That Shall Not Be Named from last year. Twice, Jack had a chance to kick a goal to stem the flow and twice he was unable to kick on his right foot and instead tried to dance around his opponent onto his left. Twice, he was tackled and a goal went begging.
It's simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH for a professional footballer not to be able to kick a snap on their non-preferred foot!!!
Surely Keiren Jack is aware of this deficiency and should've been embarrassed by his efforts on that fateful day at the end of last season. Why wasn't his whole off-season dedicated to making sure he wasn't caught out by this massive flaw again? Is it simply arrogance? Are the coaches not onto this?
If I was the coach, I'd drop him to the 2s until he can prove that he can kick a goal from 30m on the run on his right foot. No ifs or buts.
Thoughts?
PS - And yes, I know that it might not have changed the end result, but missing easy goals saps the whole team's spirit and putting one of those through could've evened up that first quarter a lot.
PPS - And yes, I know there were plenty of other efforts from other players that deserve to cop some heat. Start a thread for them if you want.
PPPS - This doesn't make me "not a real" Swans fan.
PPPPS - I still have faith (probably naively) that we can win the premiership.
But there is one thing that frustrates me the most about Keiren Jack's game. More than his lack of leadership. More than his ability to be completely invisible. More than his lack of two-way running.
I'm sure you've noticed it too ...
KEIREN JACK DOES NOT HAVE A RIGHT FOOT.
Oscar Pistorius would have a higher chance of kicking a goal off his right foot. Hell, even Ricky Mott would have a higher chance of kicking a goal off his right foot. Yes, I went there. Ricky Mott!
Twice tonight in the first quarter, Jack had a chance to kick a goal to quell the Hawks' momentum. Twice he had a kick from 30m out directly in front that he failed to convert. Both times he was being pressured onto his right-hand side and simply refused to kick on his non-preferred foot. Instead he tried to kick dinky kicks off the outside of his foot - one that missed by a fair margin and one that would've missed, but didn't even make the distance.
The most frustrating thing is this is almost exactly what happened in the Game That Shall Not Be Named from last year. Twice, Jack had a chance to kick a goal to stem the flow and twice he was unable to kick on his right foot and instead tried to dance around his opponent onto his left. Twice, he was tackled and a goal went begging.
It's simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH for a professional footballer not to be able to kick a snap on their non-preferred foot!!!
Surely Keiren Jack is aware of this deficiency and should've been embarrassed by his efforts on that fateful day at the end of last season. Why wasn't his whole off-season dedicated to making sure he wasn't caught out by this massive flaw again? Is it simply arrogance? Are the coaches not onto this?
If I was the coach, I'd drop him to the 2s until he can prove that he can kick a goal from 30m on the run on his right foot. No ifs or buts.
Thoughts?
PS - And yes, I know that it might not have changed the end result, but missing easy goals saps the whole team's spirit and putting one of those through could've evened up that first quarter a lot.
PPS - And yes, I know there were plenty of other efforts from other players that deserve to cop some heat. Start a thread for them if you want.
PPPS - This doesn't make me "not a real" Swans fan.
PPPPS - I still have faith (probably naively) that we can win the premiership.