Folks, let's be quite clear, the AFC has had big problems off field for some time and those are as much to blame for our current situation as Sando was.
The Tippettgate affair, the caving in to AFL House over Rendell (one of the top half dozen recruiters in the country), the old boys club have left us needing dramatic changes.
The new CEO from outside the AFL is an inspiring start. We must fill all the support jobs with the right peopleand relieve Noble of his onerous workload. We must get a Head Coach who is tough and uncompromising and NOT a former AFC player. We need to move on (and out) a number of the Assistant Coaches who clearly haven't worked out.
I'm fine with an untried coach providing he has come from a strong club. Stewie Dew knocked back the successor to Paul Roos job to stay at Sydney as the Senior Assistant, Leigh Tudor has a decade of finals success at Geelong, Sydney and now the revitalised North. Both would be worth a shot and should bring ome credentialled assistants with them.
Those touting Ratten, remember he wasn't the choice to coach Hawthorn this year in Clarkson's absence so read into that he's not second banana there.
No new coach can get us into the top four in the near future, our list just isn't good enough. Forget that we could have made the eight this year, we are a long way short of the top five sides. Our last 6-7 players are not AFL to four standard.
This will be an appointment to build the club over the next 3-4 years, not an appointment with a short term peak in performance.