Now i could come out and say something outlandish like 'Dean Bailey will be the best coach this club has seen since Norm Smith', but i'm not going to. What i will say is that i think we have on our hands a seriously good coach who has the ability to be a great one. I firmly believe this man can take us all the way.
But why the hell should i think this, you ask?
Well there is no logical reason behind this belief - infact, our dismal 2008 season would suggest the complete opposite. We started our season with two massive floggings and ended it rather poetically with another flogging - by ninthmond of all teams (who may be starting to get their shit together btw, but demoralising all the same).
At times, Bailey's 'game plan' left us all questioning his ability and even had some of us calling for his head. "Whats with all the handballing to stationary targets?" "Why is there no one to kick to in our forward 50?" "Why do you keep droning on about being competitive when its obviously not getting through to the playing group!?"
It would be fair to say alot of us expected better from the dees in '08.
Yet, despite such a shocking year and with the very real possibility of another down year in '09 floating over our heads, why is it that all i keep hearing from dees supporters is 'I have faith in Dean Bailey'? Is it cause to believe anything else is too depressing? How is Dean Bailey any better than Brett Ratten or Mattew Knights or even Mark Harvey?
Its impossible to compare any of the new coaches after one year. All our off-field and on-field dramas would be enough to drive any first year coach up the wall, but not Bails - he has taken it all in his stride and has carried himself like a true professional. Dean's journey with this Melbourne club will not be an easy one neither will it be short, but i have a feeling it will be a greatly rewarding one.
I see in Dean a man with a steely determination. The quiet achiever who will stick to his guns even in the face of adversity - not dissimilar to Al Clarkson in his early years at the Hawks. Bailey commands the respect of his playing group and you can tell his players enjoy playing under him. Take a look at him putting his arm around little Aussie Wonnamirri during the rising star nomination press conference, or his relaxed joking manner with Jack Grimes before the final game against the tiges. Dean is a self described 'teacher' of the game and this will only benefit our young blokes as they grow into men.
Dean is nurturing a team of young players who will share the same determination and resolve that he has and who will play for each other and as a team. 2008 has shown glimpses of this team's potential - Cale Morton's dash and expertise through the centre, Colin Garland's solidarity down back, Dunny's ruthless tagging jobs, Miller's newfound belief in himself and Brock McClean making his case for the captaincy in '09.
Sure this year has had its fair share of hiccups - It is to be expected when fielding such a young side. But i could not be more confident in saying that we have the right man leading this group of kids into the future. A future that hopefully will be a great one for the dees. I can say that i also have faith in Dean Bailey.
"But if you only ever follow, you never catch them, so you've got to be looking for that next number in the game … so I might hold that one to myself."
- Dean Bailey
, see how he goes next year
). In a way I almost feel its a bit disrespectful to Neale Daniher and the conribution he made to the club. Got us to a Grand Final, we made the 8 more times than any other club besides Essendon in his tenure, and I'd struggle to name many other people who could have acheived more out of his team than he did.
