elbarton
All Australian
- Jun 27, 2020
- 739
- 1,909
- AFL Club
- Port Adelaide
…is the succession plan. Clearly contrived so that Kochie doesn’t have to make a tough call on Ken, in effect admitting he got it wrong, instead opting to let him leave in what will be described as ‘on his own terms’.
We will usher in the Carr era, a Port person who will bring the Facebook masses back on side immediately, without truly finding out what candidates are out there, ready, willing and able to take this strong list to the next level.
It has been mentioned elsewhere recently, but we have barely had a competitive, open coaching appointment in our AFL history - Cahill initially, handed over to his assistant Choco, replaced by caretaker-made-permanent Primus, a two-man race which turned into ‘last man standing’ with Ken, almost certainly to be succeeded by Carr.
My answer to the ‘who you gonna get?’ crowd, has always been ‘the best candidate’. It’a not my job, nor do I have the information, to name names, indeed no AFL fan has any idea which current assistant coach is actually good. No one can reliably pick their Watters, Tudors, Neelds or McCartneys from their McRaes, Kingsleys, Clarksons and so on.
So where this leaves us, is locked into, publicly, someone who may or may not be the best candidate. A decision/process determined by the same folks who have brought you 3 unnecessary Ken extensions (in so doing, endorsing his methods to Ken himself, the club and its members, and the wider footy industry). The board cannot be allowed to squib this vital upcoming decision that will shape the next 5-10 years of the club, with a list that a great coach has a huge opportunity to achieve what his predecessor couldn’t.
Now, this puts the club into another, completely avoidable (one could easily keep a list at this point) position, of potentially having to rescind its succession offer to Josh Carr (and no more difficult than for his premiership captain who will provide his input to the board). But it is far too important to get the right person than save face at this point. Unfortunately, 12 years of demonstrated performance indicates that our board will opt for the latter.
Somehow, some way, if we are to turn this club around, the board must commit to a competitive process to select our next coach.
We will usher in the Carr era, a Port person who will bring the Facebook masses back on side immediately, without truly finding out what candidates are out there, ready, willing and able to take this strong list to the next level.
It has been mentioned elsewhere recently, but we have barely had a competitive, open coaching appointment in our AFL history - Cahill initially, handed over to his assistant Choco, replaced by caretaker-made-permanent Primus, a two-man race which turned into ‘last man standing’ with Ken, almost certainly to be succeeded by Carr.
My answer to the ‘who you gonna get?’ crowd, has always been ‘the best candidate’. It’a not my job, nor do I have the information, to name names, indeed no AFL fan has any idea which current assistant coach is actually good. No one can reliably pick their Watters, Tudors, Neelds or McCartneys from their McRaes, Kingsleys, Clarksons and so on.
So where this leaves us, is locked into, publicly, someone who may or may not be the best candidate. A decision/process determined by the same folks who have brought you 3 unnecessary Ken extensions (in so doing, endorsing his methods to Ken himself, the club and its members, and the wider footy industry). The board cannot be allowed to squib this vital upcoming decision that will shape the next 5-10 years of the club, with a list that a great coach has a huge opportunity to achieve what his predecessor couldn’t.
Now, this puts the club into another, completely avoidable (one could easily keep a list at this point) position, of potentially having to rescind its succession offer to Josh Carr (and no more difficult than for his premiership captain who will provide his input to the board). But it is far too important to get the right person than save face at this point. Unfortunately, 12 years of demonstrated performance indicates that our board will opt for the latter.
Somehow, some way, if we are to turn this club around, the board must commit to a competitive process to select our next coach.
