News Rob Kerr takes up new role at Essendon

[Hollow Knight]

Not making a call one way or another but Schwab has some pretty handy football administrative experience.

I said all along I wanted someone with a mix of footy experience and business/administrative acumen. Not a sexy appointment by any means but he ticks those two boxes so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Panthera]

If Lethal is reportedly taking a more hands on role with the footy dept, it may be that he's effectively doing a lot of what a "Head of Coaching" might do. That being the case, they maybe don't need an "administrator" as much as they need a hands on coach. And I don't think Schwab would be the right choice for a hands on type role.

I agree with a few above - I think Kerr's departure has mostly created an opportunity to enhance the existing mix of expertise, rather than a knock on him or the structure.

To those who attend our training sessions; has Lethal been attending more frequently / at all?

 

[Hollow Knight]

To those who attend our training sessions; has Lethal been attending more frequently / at all?

For a busy man who has had an achilles and arm injury since the start of the year, he gets down quite a bit from what I have seen and heard.

 

[LeighMatthews]

I've got a lot on my plate with the commentating over the weekends ... but I've got a bit of an old football adage for you.

Injuries are never as bad or as good as they seem.

 

[lukiuslion]

You seem to have a lot of inside knowledge. Do go on.

I said 'seems like' mate, and it was a candid observation - ill hold onto my sources this time around, would be unfair to blow their cover pfffft

 

[Football Pope]

Maybe a coach may become available...Could there be axing on the horizon if they lose to the Cats this week..??

Chocco to get his wish of coaching a big Melbourne club.......

 

[Cockliff38]

There was a rumour on the main board about Gary Ayres contacting the club. I refer to this rumour with a grain of salt but incidentally, Ayres wouldn't be the worst avenue to approach - given all decent assistants are tied up. It's a huge developmental year for the club so I feel it is a position that needs to be filled sooner, rather than at season's end.

 

[Football Pope]

There was a rumour on the main board about Gary Ayres contacting the club. I refer to this rumour with a grain of salt but incidentally, Ayres wouldn't be the worst avenue to approach - given all decent assistants are tied up. It's a huge developmental year for the club so I feel it is a position that needs to be filled sooner, rather than at season's end.

Yeah.....dunno.. Just to throw a name out there..There is a prime candidate with previous AFL mentoring experience filling a temporary coaching position just near Melbourne airport..... wont have a job at seasons end...

Schwab will transition into his new role gradually over the next month, with a potential coaching replacement not expected to be announced until the end of the season.

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2014-05-02/new-role-for-schwab

 

[lukiuslion]

Just personally feel if schwab had made an irreversible and undeniable impact on the coaches box you wouldn't seek to move him? Can't help but reflect on leppas comments about him "wearing his old coaches hat" after round one.. If it was working there's no way he would be moved. This is no slight in PS, just consided observation.. Had he have made a huge impact as senior assistant, no Way you would move him to position he is less qualified in, no conspiracy just evolution.. Hoping he settles in his new role and we get a big name in the the coaches box.

 

[POBT]

Just personally feel if schwab had made an irreversible and undeniable impact on the coaches box you wouldn't seek to move him? Can't help but reflect on leppas comments about him "wearing his old coaches hat" after round one.. If it was working there's no way he would be moved. This is no slight in PS, just consided observation.. Had he have made a huge impact as senior assistant, no Way you would move him to position he is less qualified in, no conspiracy just evolution.. Hoping he settles in his new role and we get a big name in the the coaches box.

That's fine except that Schwab's role was probably pretty limited "in the coach's box". Coaching decisions would have been made by Leppa and his assistants.

We didn't employ Schwab due to his cutting edge game day technique. That would be ridiculous given his time out of hands on coaching. He wasn't a "coach" and he wasn't a senior assistant. He was the Head of Coaching and Development which is more administrative/managerial in nature.

In fact, there are press reports saying specifically that the club felt that Leppa didn't need a senior assistant as such but more someone to help him implement his vision for the club.

So if we are going to jump to irrefutable conclusions on not much information, then it might that Leppa needed more experienced hands on help than we thought.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I get the feeling Schwab has made good relationships with the players which is a catalyst for this decision. If the players like and respect him convincing players to sign up will/should be easier.

 

[chopperduck]

We need to spend some money to make a new appointment, I think we simply see more value in spending that money on a position more involved with coaching, rather than a list manager. Schwab has heaps of footy and admin experience, and it is probably just better use of his talents, along with simply making the best use of our current staff.

Will be easier to now spend the year head hunting a senior coaching assistant, rather than try score a list manager mid season.

 

[BuntonRules]

Having read the article on the Lion's website. this is a good move, IMO. With all our troubles with retention, it makes sense to have the entire area reporting to 1 person - especially when you have 1 as well credentialled as Peter Schwab. Sounds like a super list manager - draft, rookie & free agent identification plus given the responsibility to ensure that we have the best possible support structures to keep them - something we have been sorely lacking.

As to the coaching, it seems that Leppa has proven that he can stand on his own 2 feet(albeit with the best mentor possible in Lethal), & we more need another hands on coach rather than a 'supervisor'.

All in all a step in the right direction, I say.

p.s. hey mods, how about renaming the thread - it has not been about Kerr for the last 5 pages.

 

[Football Pope]

I get the feeling Schwab has made good relationships with the players which is a catalyst for this decision. If the players like and respect him convincing players to sign up will/should be easier.

Then it's just a matter of Schwab getting the players to like Warren......

Meanwhile, Lions General Manager – Football Operations, Dean Warren, will absorb the task of negotiating player contracts.
Warren said Kerr’s recent departure prompted the Club to reassess how and where the football department’s resources were best allocated.

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2014-05-02/new-role-for-schwab

 

[ZoBlitz]

p.s. hey mods, how about renaming the thread - it has not been about Kerr for the last 5 pages.

You're not my mum!

I can't think of a snappy new title anyway...

 

[Crawb]

Interesting, hopefully this new structure is more successful.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Have fun Rob.

 

[Fatcat08]

Have fun Rob.

Seems to be looking like he'll have his work cut out for him thats for sure. He would have had to have known what he was most likely getting himself into though.

 

[Viceregal]

Maybe he just likes a challenge!

 

[eth-dog]

Maybe he likes the ore money we're apparently paying him

 

[James North]

Better than the sail money we paid him I guess.

 

[Football Pope]

Maybe he just likes a challenge!

With all the dramas going down.maybe they needed a person of Kerr's character to inject some sort of substance into their list.....

 

[jackess]

IIRC he has a law degree. That could come in handy at the Bombers.

 

[Viceregal]

With all the dramas going down.maybe they needed a person of Kerr's character to inject some sort of substance into their list.....

That would at least be a change - this time they will know the name of what they are injecting and the expected results!

 

[Haso]

Better than the sail money we paid him I guess.

Surely Essendon can't afford to pay schooner level fees forever.