New Football Manager

[cartwright]

we've appointed a Football Manager
Matthew Drain

http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=52518

 

[Oh When the Saints]

Matthew Drain, Football Operations Manager (formerly WB, Ess and Cricket Australia manager)
Tim Barber, Club Doctor (formerly Australian Olypmic Team Doctor)
Andrew Wallace, Physio/Conditioning (former Melbourne Victory physiotherapist)
David Misson, Training Services Manager (former training services at the Swans).


St Kilda are attracting good football people for the first time I can remember.

Credit to Archie Fraser.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Top Stuff!

 

[Kildonan]

This is FANTASTIC news.

The Saints are about to approach football with a first rate coach and first rate support staff. They are about to start this preseason on a level playing field.

Sure... Collingwood might still have a few tricks up their sleeve. Let them sleep in their oxygen tents. Let them sip away at their human collostrum. We are catching up to them hand over fist where it really counts.

Thank you Archie and thank you footy first for allowing it to happen.

 

[sainter]

It's been an excellent off-season really.

Many people talked up the apparent board room turmoil but in reality our supporters were given a choice and the transfer of power was done without the need to go through a costly and divisive Extraordinary General Meeting.

We've since picked up a very experienced and highly regarded man to lead our football department and the 3 additions to our fitness and medical department look to be first class.

And most importantly we did some very good work in trade week, strengthening in the areas of midfield speed, goal kicking and rucking for a relatively small price.

I was beginning to feel a bit dispirited but this has certainly given me a lift going into next season and hopefully the players will get a boost out of the changes.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Can you tell me more about Matthew Drain? What are his strengths and weaknesses coming into the job? I'm willing to believe you all when you say he's great, but would just like to know a bit more about why.

 

[cartwright]

from what I've read he's had a bit of experience at bulldogs, essendon and with cricket, working with ACB setting up center of excellence

this might help:

http://www.saintsational.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37377&sid=aba567e7740e80baf88c715c99dbe7a2

also .... apparently we almost had him in 05 but someone with the initials GT ..... opposed it.

 

[bubblegoose]

Can you tell me more about Matthew Drain? What are his strengths and weaknesses coming into the job? I'm willing to believe you all when you say he's great, but would just like to know a bit more about why.

And a very fair question too PS. I can't help you, but also await an informed response.

 

[Oh When the Saints]

Drain was a successful district cricketer, who went on to establish the Australian Cricket Centre of Excellence academy. He also coached the Australia Women's Cricket Team briefly.

Joined Essendon as Football Operations Manager in 1997, and was in that position with the Bombers until 2002. Have heard rave reviews from his time there, particularly with regard to his management skills.

Became High Performance Manager at the Bulldogs at the end of 2004 when Eade was appointed. Highly regarded by both Eade and Sheedy. Spent time in the box on match day, as well as being responsible for player development and the initiation of new training and management techniques.

 

[Kildonan]

Price war for support staff
19 October 2007
Herald Sun
Mark Stevens

...But it is also a fine time to be a talented support staffer -- assistant coach, fitness guru, development man, boxing coach . . . whatever you like.

The playing resources of cashed-up clubs are limited by the salary cap, but they are spending like never before in the back rooms.

It's poaching season. Those with spare dollars are creating positions, not only to keep up with the Joneses, but to stay ahead of the pack.

Melbourne chief executive Steve Harris touched on it in a detailed report released in May, warning of a spiralling "arms race" off the ground. He was on to something.

Carlton, once the pauper, is leading the way on the inflationary spiral. If the Blues, with the clout of billionaire Dick Pratt, want their man, they get him.

Justin Cordy, ex-Bulldogs and Cricket Australia fitness man, was appointed last week. He is highly regarded and the Blues were not alone in chasing him.

The hired gun didn't come cheaply. The buzz in the industry is the Blues were prepared to pay as much as $300,000 a year for him.

St Kilda, with the backing of the new board, has beefed up its footy department.

David Misson, regarded as the master-mind behind the Swans' amazing injury-free run, was lured to Moorabbin.

He too, has a background in cricket. Again, he wouldn't have come cheaply -- even if he is not in Cordy's ball-park.

Matthew Drain is headed for Moorabbin, too, as head of football after being lured from the Bulldogs.

Once, all the cash went into extra assistants. Now, its being poured into "development".

The Hawks were able to lure away rock-solid Melbourne football manager Chris Fagan for a role dubbed "head of coaching and development".

It's an appealing job, and you can understand Fagan wanting to go after the demise of close friend Neale Daniher, but it is understood Fagan's move also involved more coin.

Richmond is also putting more resources into off-field support, with Tigers director of football Greg Miller spruiking that the club is significantly increasing its welfare and development program.

Now, they're chasing the Bulldogs' recruiting manager Scott Clayton as well.

The salary cap on playing talent has created a reasonably even competition.

But off-field, the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening.

"The non-capped areas of football department spending remain an arms race and the bigger spending clubs account for most Grand Final appearances and premierships," Harris said in a detailed report this year.

Harris said he feared the AFL could turn into a version of the English Premier League, where the rich dominate.

"The AFL risks a league within a league," he said.

You can't blame Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley for pushing strongly for a ramped-up footy department. He can see what's going on around him.

Sources say annual lists of football department spending can be misleading.

The Dogs, Kangas and Demons -- all receiving AFL support -- have to account for every penny. Their figures are spot on, but there are suspicions the powerful clubs tell fibs when it comes to total spending on footy.

The idea of a salary cap on coaching and support staff isn't new. And if powerful clubs are seen to be spending too much, it may be introduced.

Those cashed up will argue clubs deserve some reward for making profits. Fair enough. What else is Collingwood going to do with all its spare cash?

However some clubs, particularly those receiving special distribution help from the AFL, will struggle to keep up.

The AFL, which has in the past kept a close eye on football department expenditure and told clubs to curb costs, will be watching.

No one wants to see the arms race end up in Harris' league within a league.

 

[Persevering Saint]

One extra thing this article raises is this: do we think that there should be a salary cap on support staff, coaching staff, etc? Where would we want to draw the line? Runners? Banner-makers?

 

[Cardio Carl]

One extra thing this article raises is this: do we think that there should be a salary cap on support staff, coaching staff, etc? Where would we want to draw the line? Runners? Banner-makers?

My thoughts are no.

Salary cap on players ok as it ensures level playing field.

Payments to coaching, support staff is we clubs can generate maximum 'output' from their squad. We appoint the board to make these decisions - they have the expertise to generate revenue and pay wages.

Previous board had different agenda in regard to $$ to football dept. - lets see how FF changes this and profit levels after their actions

At this stage things are ramping up very well.