Discussion Nick Walsh, Head of High Performance and Conditioning quits

[XhazzafootyX]

Everyone was praising this guy last year. It’s a very bad loss

 

[Dr Spaceman]

No need to panic.

Replacement will be announced this morning

 

[George]

seems like a non story to me... or as george would say "seems super suss and a bad look cant help but thing ross is going to drive this club into the ground and don't get me started on that lethlean character, something something daddy"

sTeELe iS a pOoR LeAdER - MoLtEn gAnGLaNdS, 2023

 

[George]

lol you are overstating his influence just a tad. Players effort and intensity have 0% to do with Nick Walsh and everything to do with Lyon and the new coaching set up.

If it is Misson who pushed him out that is a good thing cause Misson has a huge amount of experience at elite sporting organisations. Attributing everything good to Walsh as the hold over from the precious regime and not the new influences (Lyon and Misson) is very strange. Walsh was around for all the bad stuff previously, including us not being fit enough under Ratten.

Rubbish. Players effort and intensity in this gameplan has to come from a level of fitness required to sustain it. Nick has gotten us to that point. We weren't fit under Ratten because it was Ratten's decision to let the players do their own programs, can't blame Walsh for that.

Find it strange how some are so quick to downplay this. If you've watched us play this year you know we are super fit and the soft tissue injuries are overstated and nothing out of the ordinary when compared to other clubs. For everything we have seen, without bias, he was doing a good job. There should be cause for concern if there's internal politics going on.

 

[saintmike65]

My first thought was Misson has been stepping on his toes.

Yeah I wondered how the dynamic of 2 fitness guru’s would work!

 

[George]

That suited my narrative then, now this guy is gone he was a massive spud and did everything wrong. Honestly don't think it's a huge deal though, they'd still have his program from early in the year and Misson will probably take over the role until we can fill it.

Like freaking out that the dishwasher will be irreplaceable. We got Lyon for exactly this reason, to raise standards across the board. In the past we would keep staff on no matter what they did. Lyon is going to push standards high and some staff won't take it well and move on. At the end of the day we want to be more professional and have the best people in all roles. This gives us that opportunity.

Yeah lol, whoever leaves was always shit anyway and whoever we bring on board is the best appointment of all time. Makes me laugh sometimes.

I'm not so much worried about the resignation as I am of Misson potentially micromanaging his staff or creating internal shithousery. The fact that Walsh seems to be doing a good job just makes it worse.

Comments by Melbourne supporters about Misson and his time at the Dees is interesting too.

Regardless, IMO whoever has the potential to create fractures within the club needs to go immediately. We seem to finally have our ducks in a row and ruining that chemistry is probably the worst thing that can happen to us at this point. And that may have been Walsh for all we know, I just doubt it.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Interesting caller to SEN this morning.

Suggested that Walsh’s lack of qualifications was a factor (or at least a reason why him leaving isn’t an issue)

He also said that there was a young bloke working under Walsh (who is now at another club) who was responsible for all the running programs, etc


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[saintmike65]

It's really just Ross Coffield McKenzie Jones Campbell King right?

McKenzie and Jones are just injury prone, well before Walsh.

Campbell hadn't done his achilles it was just a strain.

Leaves Ross Coffield King with genuine soft tissue injuries. I'd say it's normal for clubs to have a few soft tissues on the list?

Walsh gave them a program that netted results either way you slice it I reckon. We are running over the top of sides consistently and as mentioned a majority of the group came back for pre-season the fittest they've been.

I thought Walsh was doing a great job. Many in here commended the effort and intensity we've played at. We're annoyed about the injuries but I don't think I ever saw Walsh mentioned, people here were just putting it down to bad luck.

I wouldn't be surprised if Misson is overstepping the mark and trying to tell Walsh how to do his job. That's a pretty believable scenario and I don't think it's a coincidence that Walsh has been here a few years and as soon as Misson takes over Geoff Walsh's position, becoming Nick Walsh's boss, that it only takes about a month for it to end like this.

Don’t forget Keeler was out for about 4 months after a 1 month injury, youngsters McLennan and Hotton both with long term back issues!
Jack Hayes should be well and truly back playing by now but is still a long way off..we track watchers have been very bemused at what’s been happening on the injury front!!

 

[MordySaint]

No-one leaves a job if they are extremely good at it and they are happy and content with what they are doing.

Our injuries have been huge.. FACT ... our great start to the season may not have anything to do with Nick Wash. Its probably more to do with our coaching, recruitment and other changes at the club.

If he wants to "leave" then I have no problems with it.

 

[George]

Don’t forget Keeler was out for about 4 months after a 1 month injury, youngsters McLennan and Hotton both with long term back issues!
Jack Hayes should be well and truly back playing by now but is still a long way off..we track watchers have been very bemused at what’s been happening on the injury front!!

Hotton already had issues that wouldn't have been attributed to the current program. Maybe the same for Keeler and McLennan, I don't know their history well enough.

 

[George]

Interesting caller to SEN this morning.

Suggested that Walsh’s lack of qualifications was a factor (or at least a reason why him leaving isn’t an issue)

He also said that there was a young bloke working under Walsh (who is now at another club) who was responsible for all the running programs, etc


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't quite understand this. So the caller is saying Nick left to go and study? Or that Nick was not qualified to do what Misson and co were asking? How can you be in the job and not be qualified lol

 

[Dard Ball Get]

How can you be in the job and not be qualified lol

Quite easily, look around - people like this are everywhere

 

[George]

Quite easily, look around - people like this are everywhere

It was rhetorical, chief!

 

[g_TRAIN]

Hotton already had issues that wouldn't have been attributed to the current program. Maybe the same for Keeler and McLennan, I don't know their history well enough.

Hotton and McLennan were always going to be LTIs

The other guys just have not seemed to be able to rehab themselves to a timeframe that is typical for the injuries they have had.

At least for an outside observer, it appears that way when looking at the timeframes the club initially gave to what has actually transpired.

• Keeler was initially quoted as 5-6 weeks
• Membery 2-3 weeks initially
• Hayes 10 weeks (Its still 10-12 weeks now according to the latest update)

And there have been others.

 

[George]

Hotton and McLennan were always going to be LTIs

The other guys just have not seemed to be able to rehab themselves to a timeframe that is typical for the injuries they have had.

At least for an outside observer, it appears that way when looking at the timeframes the club initially gave to what has actually transpired.

• Keeler was initially quoted as 5-6 weeks
• Membery 2-3 weeks initially
• Hayes 10 weeks (Its still 10-12 weeks now according to the latest update)

And there have been others.

Why is this only an issue now? Walsh has been here a few years and we haven't had issues with recovery from injury that I can remember. Only time it's become an issue during Walsh's tenure is when Misson arrived.

 

[bird_man]

Why is this only an issue now? Walsh has been here a few years and we haven't had issues with recovery from injury that I can remember. Only time it's become an issue during Walsh's tenure is when Misson arrived.

Hes been here for about 15 months I believe

 

[g_TRAIN]

Why is this only an issue now? Walsh has been here a few years and we haven't had issues with recovery from injury that I can remember. Only time it's become an issue during Walsh's tenure is when Misson arrived.

Not sure mate and I don't think anything is conclusive.

But something has seemed a little off and it's certainly possible that the two are connected.

 

[George]

Hes been here for about 15 months I believe

Looks like he was here for 2021 and 2022

 

[George]

Club statement

Walsh departs Saints

Head of Performance and Conditioning Nick Walsh has departed St Kilda Football Club.

www.saints.com.au

Wanted to take a career break apparently. The immediate resignation thing is still odd though, it doesn't seem like it had been planned or anything.

 

[bird_man]

Looks like he was here for 2021 and 2022

Yes you are correct

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

I don't quite understand this. So the caller is saying Nick left to go and study? Or that Nick was not qualified to do what Misson and co were asking? How can you be in the job and not be qualified lol

I missed the bit before the guy called in (assume Tim & Gary were all doom & glooming it) but he was basically saying Walsh was a nice fellow but shouldn't have been in that position due to is lack of quals (most fitness heads at AFL clubs have not only sports science degrees but also post grad studies too).

Why he was brought in is probably a question to ask Satan.

Maybe the sudden resignation wasn't sudden to those in the inner sanctum.

 

[Saintbloke]

Rubbish. Players effort and intensity in this gameplan has to come from a level of fitness required to sustain it. Nick has gotten us to that point. We weren't fit under Ratten because it was Ratten's decision to let the players do their own programs, can't blame Walsh for that.

Find it strange how some are so quick to downplay this. If you've watched us play this year you know we are super fit and the soft tissue injuries are overstated and nothing out of the ordinary when compared to other clubs. For everything we have seen, without bias, he was doing a good job. There should be cause for concern if there's internal politics going on.

I remember at the start of last season, how observers were saying how fit the Saints looked, but I guess as the year went on, the game above the shoulders dropped away. Seem to be more mentally together as a unit this season so far.

 

[BucketsandBanger]

Rubbish. Players effort and intensity in this gameplan has to come from a level of fitness required to sustain it. Nick has gotten us to that point. We weren't fit under Ratten because it was Ratten's decision to let the players do their own programs, can't blame Walsh for that.

Find it strange how some are so quick to downplay this. If you've watched us play this year you know we are super fit and the soft tissue injuries are overstated and nothing out of the ordinary when compared to other clubs. For everything we have seen, without bias, he was doing a good job. There should be cause for concern if there's internal politics going on.

Lyon literally said in his first press conference the one thing he knows we can do is run. That ability has always been there, it hasn’t magically appeared overnight. It is the entirely new football program installed by Lyon and overseen by Misson that has brought the improvement across the board, including fitness, not the same fitness coach who has been there for years.

 

[bergholt]

ps doubt you will hear from Walsh (other than background whispers from Caro & all those other journos who are ITK or make it up as they go along!!!) - probably paid out & in return signed a non disclosure agreement.

Regardless of NDA, if he ever wants a job in footy ever again then you won't hear from him publicly. Clubs don't hire people who make trouble after they leave.

 

[The Cobra]

Club statement

Walsh departs Saints

Head of Performance and Conditioning Nick Walsh has departed St Kilda Football Club.

www.saints.com.au

Wanted to take a career break apparently. The immediate resignation thing is still odd though, it doesn't seem like it had been planned or anything.

Maybe he did want to take a break - only he & the Club really know- but the timing is extremely unusual to say the least!