fLIP
UFO Hunter
I'm a long time poster on this message board and one thing Ive learned over my time here is that we as football fans never achieve a thing when we emotionally attach ourselves to the many issues our clubs been through over the last decade. As hard as it may seem, taking a step back from our love of the club and thinking about the facts at hand results in far more leveled debate and reduced infighting and hotheadedness that's been carrying on since our grand final win was turned into one hell of a surreal week.
So Ive decided over the last few days to steer clear of the forum, steer clear of emotion and news papers and have a good hard think about just what the club should do with our coaching from next season onwards. Below are a few points I find are absolutely crucial when the club decides exactly what to do about Des. Needless to say, I believe the very best option for our club is to install a new head coach ASAP. Who is still very much up for debate but the purpose of this post I will gladly throw my hat int he ring for Toovey. Its his time.
PLAYER EXODUS: One of the big concerns I've read over the course of tonight is that with Des' impending exodus, just how many of our players will follow suit? With all the talk of get out clauses and player unrest you have to stop to wonder, at what point do we all honestly think Des sticking around for another 24 games is going to keep these players from leaving the club? Would it not be good to get the inevitable out of the way ASAP and begin the inevitable 'post-Des' rebuild of our club while we still have the strong player base in the form of the Stewarts, Foran, C-Evans, Lyon, Kite, Kingy and co. Next year under Des is one less season we have to rebuild with the aforementioned players still at the club. Have we forgotten to quickly just how much influence club greats have on maintaining a culture. You only have to think back to beaver to see how much his being part of the club influences the young kids and players coming through.
PLAYER POACHING: This one might be a point of conjecture among fans and as a very real possibility needs to be considered. I don't claim to know Des and though some here find him as a man of high integrity, not a single one of us here can doubt that Des has left the club not because of his rapport with the players, not because of a weak squad or a bigger paycheck. He left because of the one thing you cant take to another club; the board. To think that he would object to luring several of our players to the Bulldogs club would be ignorant at the least. Given he is not leaving for any other reason than his inability to work with the board, why would he not try to lure his hard work on these fine players. He isn't going to leave them at Manly because its the right thing to do, the right thing is to stay as coach. Do we need any more evidence that Des is capable of dismantling our side and directing them towards his new allegiance after ALREADY taking our coaching staff????
COMMITMENT: My next point is job commitment, probably our biggest immediate threat from Des having signed with a new club. Are we going to get 100% commitment from him next season. Will we learn anything from the Dragons this season under arguably the greatest coach of the modern era? Disruptions are inevitable. Don't be fooled, the Bulldogs are not going to be leaving their 2013 structure up to Jim Dymock, they don't want to wait until 2013 to have Des begin putting things in place, they are a club out to buy success and buy it quickly. They want the job molded to Des as soon as he arrives and that means consulting him as much as humanly possible on all facets of coaching from NOW! Not October 3rd 2012, he's probably already involved in their structures as we speak.
MOTIVATION: Leading on from my last point I want to continue on with the commitment topic but have a little look closer to home. How much effort will be put into our development as a club by a man who has no vested interest in its future. From this point on, what motivation gives Des reason to sign up the next big up and comer or debut a player in first grade, make a signing or heavily pursue a target from another club??? I don't think i need to explain this one any further.
SUCCESSION:Its often human nature to at first emotionally attach ourselves to negatives. But flip our situation on its head. How many times does a first grade coach sign for another club after grand final success. How often does a coach (toovey) have a chance to debut with a team that has no less than 14 grand final players and just one without finals experience. Ask yourself this, when would you rather take over coaching our club. After a 50% committed Hasler walks out having had 12 months to lure club players and continue his now public feud with the clubs board?
TIMING: Lastly I want to take a look at Des decision to announce and make his decision so soon after the Grand Final win and a full 12 months before his contract is up. This is totally up for debate but no matter how I read it, Des wants to leave the club now and be in his new club for 2012. Forget about what is said in the papers or by Penn and other club members, Des makes it perfectly clear in his own media statement; his coaching position is untenable but he will see out his tenure. Here we are, with a man who has a 100% track record of never announcing signings. He knows the importance the media plays in getting what you need and yet here he is, playing to the media one year in advance, announcing his first ever signing.... for another club. Not exactly "under the radar" is it?
For me, at least, the question of what to do with the coaching roll is a no brainer. A new head coach needs to be appointed as soon as possible. Let Des leave the club, I have the utmost respect for the man and what he has achieved for our club. I have no doubt he played little part in forcing his hand, however, he gave up on our club Wednesday morning when he signed for the Bulldogs. What makes us think keeping him for another season will be the best option, lets move on NOW, Des has.
So Ive decided over the last few days to steer clear of the forum, steer clear of emotion and news papers and have a good hard think about just what the club should do with our coaching from next season onwards. Below are a few points I find are absolutely crucial when the club decides exactly what to do about Des. Needless to say, I believe the very best option for our club is to install a new head coach ASAP. Who is still very much up for debate but the purpose of this post I will gladly throw my hat int he ring for Toovey. Its his time.
PLAYER EXODUS: One of the big concerns I've read over the course of tonight is that with Des' impending exodus, just how many of our players will follow suit? With all the talk of get out clauses and player unrest you have to stop to wonder, at what point do we all honestly think Des sticking around for another 24 games is going to keep these players from leaving the club? Would it not be good to get the inevitable out of the way ASAP and begin the inevitable 'post-Des' rebuild of our club while we still have the strong player base in the form of the Stewarts, Foran, C-Evans, Lyon, Kite, Kingy and co. Next year under Des is one less season we have to rebuild with the aforementioned players still at the club. Have we forgotten to quickly just how much influence club greats have on maintaining a culture. You only have to think back to beaver to see how much his being part of the club influences the young kids and players coming through.
PLAYER POACHING: This one might be a point of conjecture among fans and as a very real possibility needs to be considered. I don't claim to know Des and though some here find him as a man of high integrity, not a single one of us here can doubt that Des has left the club not because of his rapport with the players, not because of a weak squad or a bigger paycheck. He left because of the one thing you cant take to another club; the board. To think that he would object to luring several of our players to the Bulldogs club would be ignorant at the least. Given he is not leaving for any other reason than his inability to work with the board, why would he not try to lure his hard work on these fine players. He isn't going to leave them at Manly because its the right thing to do, the right thing is to stay as coach. Do we need any more evidence that Des is capable of dismantling our side and directing them towards his new allegiance after ALREADY taking our coaching staff????
COMMITMENT: My next point is job commitment, probably our biggest immediate threat from Des having signed with a new club. Are we going to get 100% commitment from him next season. Will we learn anything from the Dragons this season under arguably the greatest coach of the modern era? Disruptions are inevitable. Don't be fooled, the Bulldogs are not going to be leaving their 2013 structure up to Jim Dymock, they don't want to wait until 2013 to have Des begin putting things in place, they are a club out to buy success and buy it quickly. They want the job molded to Des as soon as he arrives and that means consulting him as much as humanly possible on all facets of coaching from NOW! Not October 3rd 2012, he's probably already involved in their structures as we speak.
MOTIVATION: Leading on from my last point I want to continue on with the commitment topic but have a little look closer to home. How much effort will be put into our development as a club by a man who has no vested interest in its future. From this point on, what motivation gives Des reason to sign up the next big up and comer or debut a player in first grade, make a signing or heavily pursue a target from another club??? I don't think i need to explain this one any further.
SUCCESSION:Its often human nature to at first emotionally attach ourselves to negatives. But flip our situation on its head. How many times does a first grade coach sign for another club after grand final success. How often does a coach (toovey) have a chance to debut with a team that has no less than 14 grand final players and just one without finals experience. Ask yourself this, when would you rather take over coaching our club. After a 50% committed Hasler walks out having had 12 months to lure club players and continue his now public feud with the clubs board?
TIMING: Lastly I want to take a look at Des decision to announce and make his decision so soon after the Grand Final win and a full 12 months before his contract is up. This is totally up for debate but no matter how I read it, Des wants to leave the club now and be in his new club for 2012. Forget about what is said in the papers or by Penn and other club members, Des makes it perfectly clear in his own media statement; his coaching position is untenable but he will see out his tenure. Here we are, with a man who has a 100% track record of never announcing signings. He knows the importance the media plays in getting what you need and yet here he is, playing to the media one year in advance, announcing his first ever signing.... for another club. Not exactly "under the radar" is it?
For me, at least, the question of what to do with the coaching roll is a no brainer. A new head coach needs to be appointed as soon as possible. Let Des leave the club, I have the utmost respect for the man and what he has achieved for our club. I have no doubt he played little part in forcing his hand, however, he gave up on our club Wednesday morning when he signed for the Bulldogs. What makes us think keeping him for another season will be the best option, lets move on NOW, Des has.