Re: Post Game Analysis: AFL 2021 Rd 5: Carlton vs Port Adelaide
Reply #242 –
Well, this post highlights words that make me nervous, words like : honest, brutal, ruthless. systematic, boldness. Giving a dictionary definition is easy enough, but how do they work in the real world ? How do you know the club isn't being honest, brutal, ruthless. systematic, or bold ? Maybe they're trying all that, and we just simply aren't good enough ? Maybe what we need is simply to be good at our job, which means being professional and competent ?
The Swans held on to Alex Johnson for an eternity - is this a lack of ruthlessness ? Robert Walls (aka Secret Agent 42) won the GF in '87, finished 3rd in '88 and was given the ar$e. Is that brutal, is it ruthless, is it bold ? Beveridge won the flag in 2016, then missed finals in2017, 18 and 19. Was it a lack of ruthlessness that meant he stayed on ? What would Carlton have done ? What about sacking Bolton ? Was it honest on the Board's part to deflect deeper problems and attention away from them ? At what point do they say sacking coaches hasn't worked and we need to look elsewhere ? Maybe boldness and strength come from not capitulating to the media and same old same old, and doing something really different ?
I could go on, but I think I've given a sufficient idea of where I'm coming from.
I think you'll find the answers to your questions in watching us play. Inconsistent and nice. Failing to develop like other clubs. Inability to sustain hardness... or anything, actually (except niceness). Folding under opposition sustained pressure. Jogging from contest to contest, little urgency. Tall forwards colliding or getting in each other's way. Team mate being mauled and nobody comes to fly the flag. Skipper trying to take on the world - undisciplined.
Wallsy admitted he deserved the flick due to 'losing the plot' and losing the players. Sellers understood getting the sack and has spoken of his respect for the decision, might not have liked it, but he understood that was the Carlton way and respected it without holding any hard feelings. Almost ironically, under BB the club was quite united... similar to under Ratts. But he just couldn't win games. At least Ratts could win games! And, yes, I understand that these two had very different lists and very different agendas - BB was to rebuild, Ratts to win a GF. But both did enjoy a short period of coach / player unity.
Sometimes seemingly huge problems are simple and right under your shnezzola. Everything at the club might just be too cozy, too modern and shmicko, too catering to entitlement. Not enough hurt or discomfort or investment in winning even if it means hurting... that's where an uncompromising ruthless attitude is needed AND if persisted with, will change culture... for starters it'll weed out the non-hackers.