Coaching Staff Mark "Bomber" Thompson - Will present the Jock McHale Medal for 2023 - 4/9

[hurlygurdy]

I think you see that there are some differences. They definitely move the ball a lot faster by hand and foot. This is meaning we move the opposition around and with equal fitness to the opposition we'll finish games harder. The defence and the forward line both look very different. The kids coming through are Thompson's choices.

The point I'm trying to make is that there's been a definite tweaking of the game plan and they have trained for that. Call Hird coach and call Thompson the coach of coaches and team manager!

We have been getting better every year under Hird. This year has been no different except that we have actually lost an early game. By definition if the team is getting better there will be things that look different. Speed of ball movement is a pretty damn likely one. I love Bomber to bits, but people are getting totally carried away in thinking he is making a huge difference right now.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I am not turning on Hird. Far from it. I want us to support him to be even better this time.

I want the club to go VERY HARD behind the scenes to make sure Gil is not the head man going forward. In three years time from now we can laugh that Hird is a premiership coach and Vlad, Gil and Finnis are finished in this industry .... and Caro isn't welcome at the club. It would also be great if Little had no presence in the media, Evans and Hird had kissed and made up and Sheedy was back at the club as an unofficial ring master doing heaps of media work with Thompson, Watson, Madden and Long.

No, I understand that completely. I don't think anyone has "turned on" Hird based on Bomber's form, even if more people want Bomber to stay than before.

My point is that that's the perception.

I want nothing more than a Ben Cousins type scenario where Bomber and Jobe call Hird up onto the podium and all three of them hold up the cup.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

I want nothing more than a Ben Cousins type scenario where Bomber and Jobe call Hird up onto the podium and all three of them hold up the cup.

God no.

Don't make me go on my Bob Rush rant.

 

[fishardansin]

How about Hirdy popping out of a cake to present the cup?

However, having Hird, Thompson and Watson together on the podium would be special ... three premiership captains together!!

 

[Kaiser Powser]

How about Hirdy popping out of a cake to present the cup?

However, having Hird, Thompson and Watson together on the podium would be special ... three premiership captains together!!

Cake, parachuting, the batmobile, whatever, it just needs to be a big entrance.

 

[MNC Bomber]

Hey,
Its less than 20 weeks ( (4 1/2 mths) until our main man returns to coach the side he & Bomba have set up for a serious tilt at a flag.

Thats F__ken great news!

Can't wait to see what Bomba chooses to do next year. The way his interview on the hanger went, and from previous comments, I think he wouldn't mind looking at a "footy operations" type role, with some development thrown in. He really wants our club to be strong in all every way, on field & off.
An develop kids.

 

[rines]

I remember proposing a similar thing when Sheedy was on the way out.. keep Sheedy for marketing/management/guidance.. but get a younger coach to be the senior coach for gameday and training etc etc...

I can see the same type of thing working beautifully at EFC cause, surprise surprise, it has been for the last two years.. Thompson is there to lend a hand with development, bounce ideas off.. see 'out of the square' match ups or whatever.. drive training standards etc etc.. And Hird is the senior coach who is 'under' his mentorship..

 

[Jam123]

The logical thing is to have Hird as an assistant to Bomber for a couple of years and then swap the two. Bomber is the premiership winning coach who knows how to get it done and Hird can take notes. It helps the club, the players and Hird. What many people seem to miss in all this is the players.

If Hird comes straight back as a senior coach, the media and the general public will be circling Essendon like vultures. Yeah the players stood up in adversity, but for how long can they do that? They are human. Who would want journalists following them around while training? The club needs to move on from the saga and this is the way to do it.

2015 and beyond should be about the club and the players, not just about one person.

The public pressure and backlash in 2015 will be huge if Hird comes straight back as a senior coach.

Plus, Bomber is a two-time premiership coach that put together arguably the most dominant team in the modern era.

So Bomber the present/near-future and Hird the future.

 

[Kaiser Powser]

The logical thing is to have Hird as an assistant to Bomber for a couple of years and then swap the two. Bomber is the premiership winning coach who knows how to get it done and Hird can take notes. It helps the club, the players and Hird. What many people seem to miss in all this is the players.

If Hird comes straight back as a senior coach, the media and the general public will be circling Essendon like vultures. Yeah the players stood up in adversity, but for how long can they do that? They are human. Who would want journalists following them around while training? The club needs to move on from the saga and this is the way to do it.

2015 and beyond should be about the club and the players, not just about one person.

The public pressure and backlash in 2015 will be huge if Hird comes straight back as a senior coach.

Plus, Bomber is a two-time premiership coach that put together arguably the most dominant team in the modern era.

So Bomber the present/near-future and Hird the future.

Why should there be backlash if Hird comes back? Hird's contract extension was made the moment he was suspended and that has been accepted and people will have had 12 months to come to terms with it.

Sure the media will scratch around trying to stir up trouble, but only the flogs on here will show faux outrage as usual. Most people will acknowledge that he has served his suspension and he has the right to come back into the fold.

 

[rines]

I still don't understand how Bomber came out of this smelling like roses to both media and posters on this board.. while Hird gets crucified.

Thompson bought Robinson to the club, supported the appointment of Dank and the use of supplements (which he has admitted he DID use in Geelong).. but yeah Hird was the lone wolf right?!!

I mean sweet jesus.. Hird has a contract. hird is a good coach. Hird will coach.

 

[Jam123]

Why should there be backlash if Hird comes back? Hird's contract extension was made the moment he was suspended and that has been accepted and people will have had 12 months to come to terms with it.

Sure the media will scratch around trying to stir up trouble, but only the flogs on here will show faux outrage as usual. Most people will acknowledge that he has served his suspension and he has the right to come back into the fold.

The backlash will come from the controversy. Hird has been painted by the media and the public as one of the important figures in the scandal. Having him come back after serving the suspension is like saying to the public "here is the man that was responsible for this". Of course there will be backlash.

Anyways this is only a part of the reason why I would want Hird as an assistant to Bomber, should Bomber want to take the position.

 

[Doss]

I still don't understand how Bomber came out of this smelling like roses to both media and posters on this board.. while Hird gets crucified.

Thompson bought Robinson to the club, supported the appointment of Dank and the use of supplements (which he has admitted he DID use in Geelong).. but yeah Hird was the lone wolf right?!!

Is there anyone in this thread who is claiming that? I can't see anyone doing so.

The argument from those whose preference is Thompson, almost to a man, is that they believe he's a better coach. Personally speaking, it is 100% behind what forms my view. The ASADA stuff is neither here nor there in terms of who I believe is more likely to take us to a premiership. And that's why football clubs exist ultimately- to win premierships.

I think we can have the discussion of who you would rather coaches next year without turning it into a 'blame off' between Hird and Thompson.

 

[Kaiser Powser]

Is there anyone in this thread who is claiming that? I can't see anyone doing so.

The argument from those whose preference is Thompson, almost to a man, is that they believe he's a better coach. Personally speaking, it is 100% behind what forms my view. The ASADA stuff is neither here nor there in terms of who I believe is more likely to take us to a premiership. And that's why football clubs exist ultimately- to win premierships.

I think we can have the discussion of who you would rather coaches next year without turning it into a 'blame off' between Hird and Thompson.

Exactly, which is why Rines and I are saying the 'backlash' argument is not a valid reason for Hird not to come back as coach.

 

[rines]

Exactly, which is why Rines and I are saying the 'backlash' argument is not a valid reason for Hird not to come back as coach.

Thank you. I was like "what the"... thought it was pretty clear how this line of argument came about.

And I also think Hird is a better choice moving forward.. I think he will be a better coach than Thompson.

 

[Doss]

Exactly, which is why Rines and I are saying the 'backlash' argument is not a valid reason for Hird not to come back as coach.

The backlash factor isn't particularly important, I agree.

However, there is a difference, and quite a large one, between ruminating about how much backlash there would be, and actually laying the blame for everything at Hird's feet.

I don't see anyone in this thread doing that, so I'm unsure why it's relevant here. We all know the media and a lot of people have blamed Hird for everything. That would influence the backlash but the whole question of 'Hird's fault' is not really what is being debated here. It's been done to death elsewhere.

 

[Kaiser Powser]

Thank you. I was like "what the"... thought it was pretty clear how this line of argument came about.

And I also think Hird is a better choice moving forward.. I think he will be a better coach than Thompson.

I think what will be very hard is for people to look at Essendon, and this is assuming that we continue playing great footy, and remember that we were great last year and the list is a season more advanced, the gameplan is a season more advanced, and not just say "wow Bomber has really turned them into a great team".

I mean out of that panel of so called experts commentating the last game, only Matthews recalled that we were actually a good team last year and that we would naturally be better developed and placed this year.

You only had to look at all the ladder forecasts of us around 8-12th this year to see people didn't rate us.

So people will see us do well and credit a "turnaround" to Bomber, even though this is not really the case.

And while those within the club and many astute Essendon supporters will know that view is misleading, the noise will never-the-less grow proportionally with how well we are playing. Which is like the opposite of a silver lining. What ever that would be called. Maybe 'UV radiation on a sunny day' or something.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Thank you. I was like "what the"... thought it was pretty clear how this line of argument came about.

And I also think Hird is a better choice moving forward.. I think he will be a better coach than Thompson.

You think he will be a better coach?

Guess what, based on all the evidence available so far, Thompson comes out as the better coach.

He's more experienced, he's actually got to the top twice and his match-day strategy has been perfection to date.

There's simply nothing so far to suggest Hird is a better coach. Nothing but blind fanboy/girl hope.

To throw away arguably the best coach in the league because a guy who has coached for three years only has a 60-point plus finals loss to show for it to date is not better than Thompson.

 

[rines]

Spot On KP. Spot On. Everyone sort of 'missed' the fact that we were awesome for the first 3/4 of last year and under immense pressure.

Its like we come out and start well and everyone goes.. wow Bomber is a GOD coach.. hmmm yeah maybe.. or maybe we have just quietly built one of the best lists in the league, have excellent facilities, a great game plan and guys all hitting their 'window' in terms of development.

I think that is also why Hird would be spewing.. he would have known that we were going to do special things this year.. his team is primed for success, just as planned.

 

[rines]

You think he will be a better coach?

Guess what, based on all the evidence available so far, Thompson comes out as the better coach.

He's more experienced, he's actually got to the top twice and his match-day strategy has been perfection to date.

There's simply nothing so far to suggest Hird is a better coach. Nothing but blind fanboy/girl hope.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Hird might end up with five flags.. you don't ******* know.. cause HIRD has had TWO ******* years.. after taking over a near a disaster case of a club both on and off field!!!

Yes Thompson has done it before.. yep.. Hird can't beat that record YET, you are right.. but that is like saying Slattery is a better half back than Hibberd because Slattery has played more games and had more career wins?!!!

Stupid illogical argument.. Hird hasn't had the chance to put the runs on the board yet.. let's compare their records after two years? Hird in front. I'm guessing when you compare them after 7 years.. Hird will be WELL in front..

 

[Kaiser Powser]

You think he will be a better coach?

Guess what, based on all the evidence available so far, Thompson comes out as the better coach.

He's more experienced, he's actually got to the top twice and his match-day strategy has been perfection to date.

There's simply nothing so far to suggest Hird is a better coach. Nothing but blind fanboy/girl hope.

To throw away arguably the best coach in the league because a guy who has coached for three years only has a 60-point plus finals loss to show for it to date is not better than Thompson.

Bomber is a better coach.

But we are not simply throwing him away. The point you are missing is that Bomber doesn't want to be head coach. He wants to coach from the sidelines. He agreed to do it for 9 months to get us through a s**t situation that he feels partially to blame for.

We can keep Bomber and all his strengths, yet have Hird, our coaching future, take the front seat and continue what was started under the guidance from Thompson. I don't think this situation can work the other way around. I honestly don't think the relationship could suddenly switch 180 degrees with Hird being 2IC.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Hird has had 3 years. In any case, I think there is a strong argument to say that Hird has been the better coach in his first 3 years than Thompson was in his 3 years and that is the argument Rines is making. Additionally, it isn't wrong to have the opinion that Hird could become a better coach after looking back at their whole coaching careers.

 

[rines]

Hird has had 3 years. In any case, I think there is a strong argument to say that Hird has been the better coach in his first 3 years than Thompson was in his 3 years and that is the argument Rines is making. Additionally, it isn't wrong to have the opinion that Hird could become a better coach after looking back at their whole coaching careers.

Thank you. That is exactly the point I am trying to make.

I think Hird has started better and will/could finish better at the end of his career.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Hird might end up with five flags.. you don't ******* know.. cause HIRD has had TWO ******* years.. after taking over a near a disaster case of a club both on and off field!!!

Yes Thompson has done it before.. yep.. Hird can't beat that record YET, you are right.. but that is like saying Slattery is a better half back than Hibberd because Slattery has played more games and had more career wins?!!!

Stupid illogical argument.. Hird hasn't had the chance to put the runs on the board yet.. let's compare their records after two years? Hird in front. I'm guessing when you compare them after 7 years.. Hird will be WELL in front..

He might end up with five flags? You could use that argument to appoint any pleb off the street.

He had three years and has one 60-point plus final loss to show for it back in 2011. To compare Hird's record and credentials with that of Thompson's is laughable.

To further Ben's comparison before, it's like deciding between Gary Ablett Jnr and an international rookie from Ireland to play in a Grand Final. And no, that comparisons not a stretch, Hird had zero experience whatsoever in coaching before coming to the club (Under 9's doesn't count) and hasn't set the world on fire since.

And again, he's been here for three years. Since you bring up stupid illogical arguments, can you tell me in what world the logical thinker would choose a man with no previous coaching experience with a solitary 60-point plus finals loss to show for three seasons over a two-time premiership coach who currently has us playing the best football we've played since 2001?

Just LOL at you comparing Thompson and Hird after their second years. Again, you have the hide to call my arguments stupid and illogical?

Far out.

 

[The Prosecutor]

How do you even compare the two after two years?

How do you even compare the different playing lists, state of the competition and resources available to each club and apply that to each scenario?

It just boggles the mind that you could use that as any sort of basis to say Hird is a better coach.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Rines was comparing like for like (first three years) and having an opinion of who could become the better coach after their coaching careers are over...