Maybe its not thompson?

[catempire]

There is no question that Wallace certainly DID get the Dogs to play above themselves in 1997 and 1998.

Sorry mate, but they played to their ability, not above it.

 

[thegerman]

To me Scarlett's attitude is representative of the cancer that has pervaded this group. If Scarlett fires up as he did against Carlton then more often than not we win. If Scarlett decides that he cannot be bothered then we almost always lose. He is the stereotypical barometer of our team's performance.

What really pisses me off his his arrogance. To think that the guy is probably on $500,000 plus and decides to play only when he wants to is outrageous. If he won't play for the jumper then he should at least be professional enough to try and vindicate his enormous salary.

Maybe he would also respond to another coach?

My exact thoughts, and what I wrote about a couple of nights back, yet no-one seemed to care, more bothered about the loss.

GFC has more than one problem, i.e. the coach. Sure the coach can and should motivate all he likes, but it is whether the players actually take it on board.

I'd say Scarlett, Hunt, SJ (for a while), Mooney (odd occasion), and one or two others barely get by some games. Especially Scarlett, he has one major chip on his shoulders.

What makes these guys great, and just average is the difference. It is the difference to us as a team, to play together. We seem to have the same guys in the leadership roles, even though Chappy sounds out about these guys consistently, which he gets the cold shoulder.

It is amazing that Chappy and Bartel are constantly in the best, yet never get a look in for leadership stuff.

Is it a cancer down there ??? Are players leading the roost ??

 

[nananana catman]

People like to blame Thompson because sacking him is a perceived quick fix and it gives them hope for next year.

 

[GeeCats07]

I think you can blame on either. Obviously most of our Gameplan revolves around bringing it back into the corridor, as we do that 8 times out of 10. It works sometimes, but as you all say, it's teams and coaches figuring it out.
It's also work ethic and mental as well. So often if we are going down the wings, or even around the middle, half the team doesn't lead, or they offer half assed leads. We've been doing it for a couple of years now and it sucks. Another one is giving the handball and immediately laying the sheperd. So many of our players fail to do this regulary. Mooney does it all the time, so do Bartel and Chapman, but you watch Ling, and as soon as his handball is off he stops. I agree with the papers in saying that most of our players don't care, or just arn't that into it.
All that being said, i still think Thompson has to go, he's just created some sort of culture there that hasn't helped us.

 

[martyk]

People like to blame Thompson because sacking him is a perceived quick fix and it gives them hope for next year.

Quick fix? You couldn't be more wrong I'm afraid. When a coach like Thompson is on 400k+ it is not financially viable to just give him the flick. A coach or anyone for that matter on such a large salary must perform, Thompson isn't. His job is to prepare the team for each game and make important decisions on game day, he is failing.

Why don't you tell us what the long term fix is? When a team of players, whom the majority is underperforming week in week out and are obviously stale and uninterested, a new coach is the obvious change. Thompson has no excuses.... no major injuries, good pre-season... he is out of ideas and out of time.

 

[nananana catman]

Quick fix? You couldn't be more wrong I'm afraid. When a coach like Thompson is on 400k+ it is not financially viable to just give him the flick. A coach or anyone for that matter on such a large salary must perform, Thompson isn't. His job is to prepare the team for each game and make important decisions on game day, he is failing.

Why don't you tell us what the long term fix is? When a team of players, whom the majority is underperforming week in week out and are obviously stale and uninterested, a new coach is the obvious change. Thompson has no excuses.... no major injuries, good pre-season... he is out of ideas and out of time.

A wage doesn't really have much to do with whether or not sacking him is a quick fix... People assume that he is the root of all evil and sacking him will spur the playing group into life. I dont believe it, but a lot of people around here seem to. I cannot see how a new coach will teach both Coreys to suddenly have good foot skills when they have been playing footy for 15 years. I dont see how it will stop weak injuries to key players etc.

As for a long term fix... well Hawkins Selwood Varcoe and co are well on the right track, i think our core is good but really lacks the cream. We wont be overly consistent with young key forwards, despite them being the best prospects in years.

Enividably, I dont think Thompson will be round when we challenege next, but I dont think the current poor showings are as much his fault as people make out. Like I said people want to Blame him because he is easier to get rid of than accepting the majority of our list is crap and waiting another 5-6 years to build it again.

 

[catempire]

A wage doesn't really have much to do with whether or not sacking him is a quick fix... People assume that he is the root of all evil and sacking him will spur the playing group into life. I dont believe it, but a lot of people around here seem to. I cannot see how a new coach will teach both Coreys to suddenly have good foot skills when they have been playing footy for 15 years. I dont see how it will stop weak injuries to key players etc.

As for a long term fix... well Hawkins Selwood Varcoe and co are well on the right track, i think our core is good but really lacks the cream. We wont be overly consistent with young key forwards, despite them being the best prospects in years.

Enividably, I dont think Thompson will be round when we challenege next, but I dont think the current poor showings are as much his fault as people make out. Like I said people want to Blame him because he is easier to get rid of than accepting the majority of our list is crap and waiting another 5-6 years to build it again.

People don't want a quick fix. People want a new coach who will give us a long term future. Thompson has no future with this side. Surely this is clear to everyone now.

 

[nananana catman]

People don't want a quick fix. People want a new coach who will give us a long term future. Thompson has no future with this side. Surely this is clear to everyone now.

I didnt say people WANT a quick fix, I am saying people expect the side to magically turnaround if Thompson goes.

 

[catempire]

I didnt say people WANT a quick fix, I am saying people expect the side to magically turnaround if Thompson goes.

I haven't seen any evidence of that.

I don't know of one person that thinks our season will turn around if Thompson is sacked now. They all think that it is in our long term interest though.

 

[nananana catman]

I haven't seen any evidence of that.

I don't know of one person that thinks our season will turn around if Thompson is sacked now. They all think that it is in our long term interest though.

Sorry, implication was talk has been to sack at end of a season (see end of last year for example...)

 

[catempire]

Sorry, implication was talk has been to sack at end of a season (see end of last year for example...)

In that case, I don't think that's a quick fix. A coach who has a full pre-season to mould the team has a decent chance.

I've got no doubt a new coach at the end of last season would have us in a better position now and a new coach at the end of this season will have us in a better position in 2008.

 

[nananana catman]

In that case, I don't think that's a quick fix. A coach who has a full pre-season to mould the team has a decent chance.

I've got no doubt a new coach at the end of last season would have us in a better position now and a new coach at the end of this season will have us in a better position in 2008.

forget the term 'quick fix' I think it is adding confusion to the debate

Your last point is exactly what I am trying to say, people expect us to improve on the back of Thompson leaving. They seem to think he is a massive cancer that is holding back the playing group and that getting rid of him will see us start winning lots of games again. We've seen on a few occasions a new coach take over at a club for immediate impacts, we only have to looks at our last 3 coaches to see that it happens. I think we need to have a harder look for problems than just Thompson though.

 

[catempire]

forget the term 'quick fix' I think it is adding confusion to the debate

Your last point is exactly what I am trying to say, people expect us to improve on the back of Thompson leaving. They seem to think he is a massive cancer that is holding back the playing group and that getting rid of him will see us start winning lots of games again. We've seen on a few occasions a new coach take over at a club for immediate impacts, we only have to looks at our last 3 coaches to see that it happens. I think we need to have a harder look for problems than just Thompson though.

No doubt.

One of the good side effects of getting rid of Thompson will be that everyone will go under the microscope with a fresh perspective. No more favourites.

 

[nananana catman]

No doubt.

One of the good side effects of getting rid of Thompson will be that everyone will go under the microscope with a fresh perspective. No more favourites.

It may also mean hacks that have been around for 3-4 years already get another season to prove themselves under a new coach (Gardiner, King Byrnes)

 

[catempire]

It may also mean hacks that have been around for 3-4 years already get another season to prove themselves under a new coach (Gardiner, King Byrnes)

I actually think they'll be the first to go.

It's the players like Tenace, Callan and others who haven't flourished but who also haven't had many opportunities that will get another chance.

 

[rizzo]

Bump, well whose a believer now

 

[CF]

rizzo please stop bumping old threads

 

[rizzo]

rizzo please stop bumping old threads

i only bumped one, Fair to say that my point has been proved though?

 

[catempire]

rizzo, I don't think you've proved anything.

Yes, the team is playing well at the moment, but what's new? They've played like this before under Thompson. That was never a contentious issue.

It was (and is) Thompson's ability to produce this consistently from his team and to ensure that there aren't lapses. So far, so good but the job isn't done yet.

You might say that this is the team finally taking on responsibility and showing some maturity. That may be so. But the acid test will come when times are tough. Let's see who stands tall then. Let's see how our leadership fares both on and off the field.