Re: Football Department Review
Reply #927 –
@Baggers So you want a coach who says "We won't target the finals" at the start of each season, to ensure he can retain his tenure?
Didn't Ratten die by the same method, Ratten stated his aim and expectation was to play finals and was widely derided by the media. Groundhog Day?
FWIW, I do not recall Teague making such a definitive claim other than stating every teams aim is to play finals. If I'm wrong point me to the quote and I'm happy to correct my perspective.
I do however recall Liddle making such a claim though, so the coach lives and dies by a 3rd party marketing expectation, is Teague losing his job because Liddle lost his bonus?
On that expectation, many of us at the time disagreed, we thought it was unrealistic, and our expectation was 9th to 12th, here we are at the end of a season devastated by injuries and yet we are only a game or two off that goal!
Personally, I expect every coach to state their aim is to play finals, at the start of every season, regardless of whether we think it is likely or not! It is about having no limits, and not having expectations of failure!
It seems to me many in the AFL media want to conflate building a list with building a team, one happens quite quickly the other takes time and stability. We as a club are basically heading down a path at the moment that will derail the obvious progress already made, just because of impatience, and I'm not surprised because we've done it before!
I strongly suspect it is also the manner in which we've fallen short of the stated goal. Along with a game plan that clearly isn't up to it.
We should remember that the independent review was initiated by the now President on the back of internal feedback that we are not privy to. If he was confronted with damning information as to the dysfunction of the football dept., which is highly likely, then he has done the responsible thing - act quickly in assessing the condition of a sick patient, then when the tests return (diagnosis)... we'll assess the recommended treatments. And without knowing the internal feedback and information contained in the independent review we are all simply speculating.
Who knows, maybe the review will come back with a favourable report for The TT but damning of those around him, who he is trying to protect? We just don't know... and will need to wait. The test results are in (diagnosis complete) regarding our sick patient, now to simply wait for the recommended treatment.