Coach Adam Simpson Megathread est. 2017 - Staying for 2024, Lyon’s Cryin’

[southcoast]

You think we'll pay Simmo out two years? I don't think he's being judged directly on W and L this year. It might be seen as advantageous finishing bottom two. It'll be the manner of the way we lose that is judged internally.

Poor crowd figures may affect club’s decision making with respect to Simmo’s contract.

Sure all seats are paid for but the optics of a half filled stadium is not a good point of sale when seeking sponsor recommitments and their associated $.

I got a sense that Nisbett in an interview/newspaper article? late last year, was ‘disappointed’ with club’s profit in 2022.

I wonder if he has made the link between ‘on-field and off-field performance’


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[HoneyBadger35]

Pathetic on so many fronts. Totally garbled and schizophrenic thought process.

"Rebuild" had been a dirty word that the club had banned. And they were publicly spruiking and predicting a top 8 finish a few months ago and scoffing at the rest of the industry who thought that that was totally off the cards. Now, after a very underwhelming Round 1 performance, they pivot to doing interviews where they freely throw the word "Rebuild" around and say we are going to have to go through some pain. This is a massive PR pivot.

and wants to now pretend he was always calling for a rebuild.

Yes, rebuilding was banned. This was never discussed. This was never flagged as a possibility and the club never even mentioned it.

Now let's google "Adam Simpson rebuild" and flick through the first two pages for quotes.


May 2022:

“Rebuild, transition, call it what you need to – we need to look at our whole list this year and make some changes.”

August 2022:

“Some people will suggest that it’s going to be a long time before we can get back up to where we want to be. And other people will say we’ll get 10-12 players back from today’s game.

But I couldn’t honestly tell you. I know we’re going to hit the draft. We’re going to transition our list over the next two or three years.

March 2023, preseason:

"If it's a rebuild, great, let's call it a rebuild. If it's transition, whatever it is, we've identified that the draft is really important … the list is going to get younger."

"How long that takes, I'm not sure, so that (preparing for the future) is my personal focus. If it takes one or two years, fantastic, if it takes three or four and I'm not here, that's OK,"

"It's the bigger picture piece that's really important, that we set our club up for the future and I'm aware of that.

If you ignore all the times Adam Simpson said it was a rebuild, he's hardly ever said it was a rebuild. They're all just scurrying to save face after we lost in Round 1.

If we'd just kicked a little straighter the years of planning could have continued, I'll bet Nizzy is fuming they have to rip up the entire years long blueprint over a Round 1 result gone awry, and pretend we were always going to hit the draft and play the kids.

 

[Rowan18]

So Knights or Schoey head coach for assistant coach pay packet? I wouldn't take that on.

An assistant coach with ambitions to be a head coach would jump at the chance to audition in the role for half a season. It's what happens with every caretaker coach, otherwise every club that had one would breach the softcap that year (from paying the caretaker more).

As far as I'm aware, Hawthorn is the only club that has exceeded the softcap and that was when they had to pay Alistair Clarkson the last year on his contract. In typical AFL fashion, they weren't even clear on what the tax % was and the article I read said it would be a negotiation. I think it was supposed to be 100% but the AFL realised how much of a burden that was on a $1M contract so they looked to lower it.

 

[PremiershipNo4]

WC members will not put up with sub par performance much longer, it may well be the case where Nizzy has to get voted off the Island before Simmo does.

 

[bzparkes]

I think you are missing the point.

The point is that this is a massive PR pivot from Nisbett. This is not random. Nisbett doesn't do random media hits. When somebody like Nisbett does a media hit ask yourself why he is doing it and what message is he is pushing? He only does media when he has a message to push.

What was the message being pushed - seeding the excuses for poor performances (i.e. Blaming 2022 for 2023) and backtracking out of predicting top 8 to now saying we have to go through this pain. He has seen enough and is waving the white flag. Thats the message being pushed. He is doing what Special Forces call a pre mortem, which is before a mission go through all the reasons why it might fail and what could go wrong. Except instead of doing it to fix the problems as Special Forces do he is doing it to publish it as a set of excuses for the expected failure.

In all honesty, why would anybody want somebody in charge who is saying this stuff? Some of the excuses might have some validity. I am sure the club's confidence was shaken by 2022. But he shouldn't be out there making excuses for poor performances before they have even hapenned. He needs to be focussed on generating improvement. And he shouldn't be focussing the club's collective minds on negatives and putting out a subconscious message that poor performances are O.K. by giving them excuses for it.

A bit like how Ross Lyon used to say that the venue of the games was irrelevent to his teams chances and that Freo were an "Anywhere, Anytime" team. Of course he knows that venue does mattter. Freo's chances of winning were going to be much higher if it was a home game. But he wanted to take the venue excuse out of is teams mind so they didn't think that it was OK to throw away games and put in less than 100% when playing away from home because it is all too hard.

He said last year we were going to go through a rebuild, as did Simmo. This was prior to the draft.

It's not some 'PR pivot' due to the round 1 result.

 

[bzparkes]

I can't see him staying if we go 1-10 or something like that. He's not the super coach I thought he might be, he's taken us to a premiership yes well done and to a GF but beyond that he hasn't even taken us beyond a semi final. He's a 7/10 coach, in comparison Woosh was a 5/6 out of 10 coach and Malthouse was a 9/10.

His gameplan has been worked out and is obsolete & he doesn't have the nous to evolve the style or create a new one. The feeling of death around the club will continue until we move him on and the rebuild is officially started.

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Huh? He's talked plenty about the need to overhaul the gameplan and how they're moving away from the slow build up thr team was known for, to a fast transition style to keep up with the modern game.

Last year was a write off, so he's likely to be judged on how the team adapts this year.

Outside of a shitty 2nd quarter, there was definite intent to move the ball faster in the game on the weekend.

It's going to take at least half a season to see it consistently though.

 

[PremiershipNo4]

He said last year we were going to go through a rebuild, as did Simmo. This was prior to the draft.

It's not some 'PR pivot' due to the round 1 result.

Rubbish, it was constant verbal diarrhoea about Synergy, and that once we had that it would come together.
You are one of those posters that refuses to say a bad word about Simmo no matter what.

 

[Eastcoasteagle]

This is the first time I've joined this debate on Simmo, but I think it is time to think about moving on from him. The unwillingness to address contested possession is a huge issue, that just keeps coming up.

Going on Saturday I was keen to see how we have changed our game style, the only real thing that was evident was we have stopped trapping ourselves on the half back flank. There is less chipping around the backline, tucked up on the wing which teams figured out they could clog up the ground and force long kicks down the line, that came back quicker than we could prepare for. They were moving the ball on quicker, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.

Nothing seems to have been done at stoppages, we set up as if we have Nic Nat in the ruck when we don't. We need to set up defensive, or at least two that do and the third goes to the hit zone incase we do win it. The others need to trail their man in, and apply pressure and win the ball back that way; will allow us to stop clearances and hopefully turn them our way.

Also seems too many players that are playing under their ability and could do with fresh coaching or another chance to impress someone new.

 

[bzparkes]

Rubbish, it was constant verbal diarrhoea about Synergy, and that once we had that it would come together.
You are one of those posters that refuses to say a bad word about Simmo no matter what.

Lol, maybe you should watch some press conferences instead of constantly having a sook on here.

He said it quite a few times.

You're so focused on 'synergy' that you didn't pay attention to anything else he's said.

 

[VicBased]

I think you are missing the point.

The point is that this is a massive PR pivot from Nisbett. This is not random. Nisbett doesn't do random media hits. When somebody like Nisbett does a media hit ask yourself why he is doing it and what message is he is pushing? He only does media when he has a message to push.

What was the message being pushed - seeding the excuses for poor performances (i.e. Blaming 2022 for 2023) and backtracking out of predicting top 8 to now saying we have to go through this pain. He has seen enough and is waving the white flag. Thats the message being pushed. He is doing what Special Forces call a pre mortem, which is before a mission go through all the reasons why it might fail and what could go wrong. Except instead of doing it to fix the problems as Special Forces do he is doing it to publish it as a set of excuses for the expected failure.

In all honesty, why would anybody want somebody in charge who is saying this stuff? Some of the excuses might have some validity. I am sure the club's confidence was shaken by 2022. But he shouldn't be out there making excuses for poor performances before they have even hapenned. He needs to be focussed on generating improvement. And he shouldn't be focussing the club's collective minds on negatives and putting out a subconscious message that poor performances are O.K. by giving them excuses for it.

A bit like how Ross Lyon used to say that the venue of the games was irrelevent to his teams chances and that Freo were an "Anywhere, Anytime" team. Of course he knows that venue does mattter. Freo's chances of winning were going to be much higher if it was a home game. But he wanted to take the venue excuse out of is teams mind so they didn't think that it was OK to throw away games and put in less than 100% when playing away from home because it is all too hard.

So what is the alternative, he comes out and shitcans the club and spreads a cloud of negativity over the WCE's?
The guy is calling it as the club sees it and he does it with consulting the other members of management. He might be ducking and weaving a tad but stupid he is not.
WC are far to professional and successful for that to be allowed.

 

[VicBased]

View attachment 1636676


The similarities are uncanny.

The mouth piece of a former Super Power prattling out feel good stories, believing that those who read and hear the comforting words, believe the bullsh!t and unreservedly buy into the company line.

When in fact, those in the masses in reality don't actually buy the putrid drivel thats those in the seats of power spruik.

Some of those peeps in positions of power are now beyond their " best before date" and are ...... sadly in denial and seriously need to visit:

RealityChecks R U.


Sad but true.

Bit of a stretch comparing Biden with Trev, La La land levels.

 

[Astro7]

Parking the head coach aside -what intrigues me is the recruitment of Knights and Schofield to address our midfield and stoppages issues.
What difference have they made? Is there a noticeable change in how the team sets up and performs around the midfield and stoppages? Have we progressed and developed in those areas?

 

[bzparkes]

Parking the head coach aside -what intrigues me is the recruitment of Knights and Schofield to address our midfield and stoppages issues.
What difference have they made? Is there a noticeable change in how the team sets up and performs around the midfield and stoppages? Have we progressed and developed in those areas?

Need to give it at least half a season to settle in, I reckon. Simmo mentioned they parked the bus on this last year when Covid/injuries struck the team down and never really got the opportunity to implement what they'd trained over the summer.

At the very least, from the NM game they've pushed Gaff/Sheed out to be the ones receiving the ball from a stoppage, so that's a positive step from previous seasons.

 

[DanWCE]

I was really hoping Knights would unlock cheat code TK (Cats version)

 

[Forward Press]

He said last year we were going to go through a rebuild, as did Simmo. This was prior to the draft.

It's not some 'PR pivot' due to the round 1 result.

It is a PR pivot if you ignore checks notes the actual words said by Nisbett and Simpson in checks notes the past year on checks notes multiple occasions. Wake up sheeple!

 

[Forward Press]

Need to give it at least half a season to settle in, I reckon. Simmo mentioned they parked the bus on this last year when Covid/injuries struck the team down and never really got the opportunity to implement what they'd trained over the summer.

At the very least, from the NM game they've pushed Gaff/Sheed out to be the ones receiving the ball from a stoppage, so that's a positive step from previous seasons.

Yeah of all the games to have a crack at Simmo, an away game against an opposition ahead of us on the rebuild that just appointed Clarko - which we lost by under a kick - is not one of them. It was evident new things - and new players - were being tried.

Obviously not ideal to lose (duh), but at least it wasn't a capitulation like we saw many times last year which justifiably led to serious questions being asked as to whether Simmo is the man to take us to the top - again.

 

[kaiserchief13]

I was really hoping Knights would unlock cheat code TK (Cats version)

Kelly was probably only good because he had the likes of Selwood and Dangerfield taking the heat as well as the contested ball dishing it off to him on the outside. He's too small and doesn't have an elite burst to be a dominant inside/outside mid

 

[HoneyBadger35]

Kelly was probably only good because he had the likes of Selwood and Dangerfield taking the heat as well as the contested ball dishing it off to him on the outside. He's too small and doesn't have an elite burst to be a dominant inside/outside mid

He also went at a goal a game rotating heavily through the flank, something we are now seeing signs of our mids doing with more than four of them playing per game.

He needs to be on a 70/30 midfield/HFF split for me, not 100% mid.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I was looking for one thing and one thing only in round 1, a game plan that has been turned upside down. Run and Stun footy and take game on at all cost.
The Collingwood game plan.
McRea implemented Collingwoods game in one short pre season. Simmo is still coughing up excuses saying how long it takes to change blah blah blah.

I don't care about results as I know we have senior players not hungry and young kids learning, so the results don't matter.
But they do matter if you are still playing the same game plan still which for the most part of round 1 is what we saw.

WTF has the footy department been doing all pre season?

 

[bzparkes]

I was looking for one thing and one thing only in round 1, a game plan that has been turned upside down. Run and Stun footy and take game on at all cost.
The Collingwood game plan.
McRea implemented Collingwoods game in one short pre season. Simmo is still coughing up excuses saying how long it takes to change blah blah blah.

I don't care about results as I know we have senior players not hungry and young kids learning, so the results don't matter.
But they do matter if you are still playing the same game plan still which for the most part of round 1 is what we saw.

WTF has the footy department been doing all pre season?

Collingwood lost to us at their home ground last year.

Are you seriously expecting a new plan to be rolled out in its entirety in round one?

At least wait a few rounds. There were enough glimpses of it in the game to indicate that they're trying to transition a lot faster.

Suggest you re-watch the first & last quarters.

 

[Free Agent]

On coaches to achieve success, bottom out, rebuild and get up the top again - how about Sydney in the last decade?

Problem for Simmo is bottom out is a flawed logic as it doesn't work for us anymore compared to other clubs. Since free agency it's gone into the draftees heads they can dictate where they want to go and don't have to play for Eagles. We don't get the best talent no matter where we finish. For us now it's WA talent only and will be the same this year. Just wait till the number 1-3 picks start complaining about going to to us.

There's a major disadvantage we face and should really be going to the AFL for some assistance. We had no choice to go Gibney and Hewitt this year.

We will have no choice to go whatever WA talent is in the draft this year. Hasn't been a top 5 WA talent in awhile which hurts us bottoming out. Not complaining of Gibney and Hewitt because I think we got extremely lucky. Normally a pick 8 and 12 don't end up being much

 

[bzparkes]

Problem for Simmo is bottom out is a flawed logic as it doesn't work for us anymore compared to other clubs. Since free agency it's gone into the draftees heads they can dictate where they want to go and don't have to play for Eagles. We don't get the best talent no matter where we finish. For us now it's WA talent only and will be the same this year. Just wait till the number 1-3 picks start complaining about going to to us.

There's a major disadvantage we face and should really be going to the AFL for some assistance. We had no choice to go Gibney and Hewitt this year.

We will have no choice to go whatever WA talent is in the draft this year. Hasn't been a top 5 WA talent in awhile which hurts us bottoming out. Not complaining of Gibney and Hewitt because I think we got extremely lucky. Normally a pick 8 and 12 don't end up being much

The word at draft time was that we were into Cadman and would've kept no.2 if GWS weren't going to take him.

Agree somewhat about us being hamstrung with these Vic Metro mummies boys wanting to stay at home but equally, we're seeing a bit of a reversal with top-end talent going back home. Jackson and JHF being the 2 most notable examples.

Ideally, every club would be simply given an academy and be able to pick to top talent from there every season, the northern clubs, with the rest going into the open draft.

At least then all clubs would be on a similar playing field.

 

[Frederico_WA]

Huh? He's talked plenty about the need to overhaul the gameplan and how they're moving away from the slow build up thr team was known for, to a fast transition style to keep up with the modern game.

If that's what he has said then it's even more concerning that it was displayed fleetingly and by only a few players. Rest of the team and playing time was slow controlled footy imo.

 

[bzparkes]

If that's what he has said then it's even more concerning that it was displayed fleetingly and by only a few players. Rest of the team and playing time was slow controlled footy imo.

Did you expect them to perfectly implement a new game plan against real opposition in round 1 of the AFL season?

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Collingwood lost to us at their home ground last year.

Are you seriously expecting a new plan to be rolled out in its entirety in round one?

At least wait a few rounds. There were enough glimpses of it in the game to indicate that they're trying to transition a lot faster.

Suggest you re-watch the first & last quarters.

Yes I expected it to be rolled out at start of season. That is what football clubs do. They change how they play and that decision is done before pre season starts and in round 1 it is for all to see. Don't fall for it is a difficult thing to change. It is a simple instruction from coach how he wants them to play and the players simply do it.

I don't care that Collingwood lost to us last year, they rolled out a new game plan in one pre season, totally turned on it's head. Stop thinking it is not possible.