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Opinion Speculation over - Eade Coach

Who will be our next Coach?

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October 1st.

Gold Coast is plum coaching job but can Mark Thompson work with Gary Ablett again?

SO GUY McKenna is gone and some lucky coach is about to slide into a souped-up Lamborghini with a full tank of petrol and the engine purring.
That coach — and your money has to be on Mark Thompson — is about to inherit the most exciting young list in the AFL.
WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE: McKENNA SACKED, BOMBER IN WINGS
The Suns might have crashed out of finals contention and they might be young and raw.
But as far as plum coaching gigs in the AFL go, this is unprecedented.
As the Herald Sun reported on Saturday, these days after the Grand Final were always the final days of Guy McKenna’s time at the Gold Coast.
He is universally acclaimed as a good bloke, a solid teacher, a great ambassador for the Gold Coast.
But perhaps he lacked the killer instinct the Suns believed a premiership coach needed.
And that was why he was sacked — after six years with Gold Coast after starting there in late 2008 the Suns didn’t believe he could take them to a premiership.
The players wanted more intensive coaching, they wanted better tactics, they wanted better relationships and in the end of board agreed those weaknesses were terminal.
The Suns want Thompson — have wanted him for weeks — and if he has any interest in becoming a premiership coach again he must take on this role.
The one question that remains unanswered is this: can he work with Gary Ablett again?
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Mark Thompson consoles Gary Ablett after the 2008 Grand Final. Source: News Limited
They fell out in 2010 when he pushed Ablett forward, with some close to Ablett believing it cost him that year’s Brownlow Medal.
Then Thompson rode Ablett hard about his future and pushed the loyalty card as he urged a quick decision, before departing himself from Geelong for a Essendon in a decision noted by all in the Ablett camp.
But surely if Ablett wants to become the first premiership captain at Gold Coast he would put aside any differences he had because he knows Thompson is right for the Suns.
Thompson pushes his players hard, but he gets the best out of them and achieves the ultimate success, and in the end that is all that should matter to Ablett.
This list is locked and loaded for its first finals appearance next year no matter what you think of the 2014 fadeout.
A midfield with Ablett, David Swallow, Harley Bennell, Dion Prestia, Jaeger O’Meara, Jack Martin and Michael Rischitelli.
A forward line with Charlie Dixon, Sam Day, Tom Lynch, Brandon Matera.
A defence with Rory Thompson, Seb Tape, Steven May, Trent McKenzie, Kade Kolodjashnij and possibly Nick Malceski in coming weeks.
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The Gold Coast list is overflowing with exciting talent. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia
It is hard to think of a more exciting opportunity in a game where coaches who have finished bottom-four get sacked, not at clubs with glittering potential.
Maybe Ross Lyon taking over the Fremantle list, or Nathan Buckley taking over at the Pies were opportunities as enticing.
The new coach has a list of stars in the making, with players marching towards 50 games of experience and with a tremendous upside that Thompson could realise.
He might have to convince his wife to move north for a few years, but staying at Essendon brings its own concerns.
Mark Thompson mulls over his future in AFL 0:45

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If James Hird is dragged down by this ASADA mess and inevitably sacked by the club, then it must follow that Thompson is in danger too.
He was part of the same coaching program, must take the fall as well, even if he tried to limit or stop the supplements regime.
Time for a fresh start, time to forge new ground at an expansion club.
Bottom line: he is too good a coach to be an assistant or special projects man with Essendon, even considering his ties and loyalty.
The AFL has put too much money into the Gold Coast for it not to realise its full potential, and Thompson is the man to help them do exactly that.
 

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Matchu said:
Witheriff pre-empting a Bomber announcement tomorrow? "Today is about Guy McKenna. Tomorrow and the next few weeks is about the future."
Click to expand...
Yes, and repeating it doesn't mean that we actually believe it. Also tomorrow is repeated alot so maybe an appointment tomorrow?
 

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Bomber wants the EFC job. Theres a lot of people saying he is using us as the carrot.

Is Bomber everything? the be all and end all?
 
"is the process of finding a new coach underway?"
"no it's not"

obviously he's not going to openly admit they've started the process today, since today is about the extraordinary contribution mckenna has made to the club. :P

i think it has started, just not officially, since mckenna was probably still under contract.
 
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