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

[shooshka]

I think there are a couple of things that have changed, and ironically it’s not really about results.

The club has suffered really significant brand damage this year. We had a home derby last week, and there was 51K in attendance. Not only was the number low, but the crowd has a bigger Freo flavour than any WC derby I could think of.

At one stage I clearly heard crowd booing Gaff as if it was a Freo home game.

Unlike last year, this years results have actually started to really damage the clubs brand and corporate appeal, which is affecting the clubs bottom line.

The club even made a loss in the fist 6 months of the financial year this year.

While Wear Coast had the resources and resilience to stand with Simmo, I think the club is now at critical point of no return.

Keep simmo would carry over to next year and we’d be in serious strife not just on field but off field too.

If we have the same squad and injury issues next year it will matter little as to who is the head coach.

That’s not to say Simpson doesn’t seem to have issues with getting player buy-in, but as supporters we have to be realistic that whoever it is is in for a tough year in 2024.

That said, it is also a blessing of sorts that the hip pocket is getting hit. Absolutely there are a large group of people (board, management, coaches and players) who got too comfortable and let standards and expectations slip. We now need a marketing bump to turn things around financially before the performance trends upwards as players mature.

What better marketing bump than the most hyped pick #1 in a decade (at least that’s how it should play out!).


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[squashface]

Its a 3 year deal paid out over 5 years to lessen the burden on the salary cap....

Perhaps one of the most stupidest things I've ever had to read on this hellsite

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

If we have the same squad and injury issues next year it will matter little as to who is the head coach.

That’s not to say Simpson doesn’t seem to have issues with getting player buy-in, but as supporters we have to be realistic that whoever it is is in for a tough year in 2024.

That said, it is also a blessing of sorts that the hip pocket is getting hit. Absolutely there are a large group of people (board, management, coaches and players) who got too comfortable and let standards and expectations slip. We now need a marketing bump to turn things around financially before the performance trends upwards as players mature.

What better marketing bump than the most hyped pick #1 in a decade (at least that’s how it should play out!).


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I’ve been of this view for majority of the year well, and I think it’s largely true of 2021/22 however Simpsons inability to get consistent effort from senior players he has at disposal is what has done him in imo.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the club has canvassed some players who have arrived this view.

I also wonder about the timing with Barrass contacting Sydney and then last week telling the club that he will stay.

In 2013 it was the threat of a player exodus that did Woosha in.

 

[Altum Volantes]

At one stage I clearly heard crowd booing Gaff as if it was a Freo home game.

 

[DanWCE]

I’d have thought if you’re gutting the coaching department, retaining the senior coach to maintain some stability would make sense. It also gives you the opportunity to see how he performs with a new coaching panel and his willingness to implement fresh ideas

If it works then great.

If it doesn’t then cut the senior coach with one less year of payout required

Agree with this, but if it is true that he has no say on the assistants who come in, is he being set up to fail... Again?

I'm all for the assistants pitching to a panel to protect the club from Simmo surrounding himself with yes men, but surely he cannot be kept at arms length from the decision

 

[Altum Volantes]

Agree with this, but if it is true that he has no say on the assistants who come in, is he being set up to fail... Again?

I'm all for the assistants pitching to a panel to protect the club from Simmo surrounding himself with yes men, but surely he cannot be kept at arms length from the decision

He’s getting sacked mate.

 

[DanWCE]

He’s getting sacked mate.

How do you see it playing out? We keep the assistants we have? It's very sloppy from the club to pull this lever now. The coach needs to pick his team. If we don't appoint Simmos replacement with sufficient time for them to select their own team or weigh in on draft and trade options, we've just wasted 12 months.

Feels eerily similar to how Simpson actually came into the club.

 

[KERRPOW]

Here it is..


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Your who i got to for all WCE related podcasts now.

 

[Ishmael_]

This whole thing stinks of our useless board doing sweet FA for years and then doing busywork when the arse has fallen out of every department.

Clean them out too, all of them.

 

[Altum Volantes]

How do you see it playing out? We keep the assistants we have? It's very sloppy from the club to pull this lever now. The coach needs to pick his team. If we don't appoint Simmos replacement with sufficient time for them to select their own team or weigh in on draft and trade options, we've just wasted 12 months.

Feels eerily similar to how Simpson actually came into the club.

He’ll get told he’s gone probably Monday-Tuesday.

Asked whether he wants to coach the final game - my gut says he will do it, hopefully anyway.

He may even get the chance to ‘mutually part ways’ if that’s able to be done.

The assistants getting cleared out is not unusual when a coach goes but I suspect Schofield will be at the club next year, in some form.

The worst case scenario would be he gets told, spits the dummy and tips a bucket on the club on his way out to settle a few scores.

I suspect the man has more class than that though.

 

[Deplorable trumpster]

He’ll get told he’s gone probably Monday-Tuesday.

Asked whether he wants to coach the final game - my gut says he will do it, hopefully anyway.

He may even get the chance to ‘mutually part ways’ if that’s able to be done.

The assistants getting cleared out is not unusual when a coach goes but I suspect Schofield will be at the club next year, in some form.

The worst case scenario would be he gets told, spits the dummy and tips a bucket on the club on his way out to settle a few scores.

I suspect the man has more class than that though.

He won't be able to tip the bucket. I am sure as part of his contract there is a non - disparagement clause preventing him from slagging the club off when he leaves. And if he wants his pay out without having to fight them for it and incur legal fees they will probably ask him to sign an even tighter non - disparagement contract. Not that i think Simpson would slag the club off anyway. He doesn't seem like that sort of bloke and he doesn't have much to complain about. He has been looked after financially very, very well. Long generous contract. He was the first Hungry Jack's franchisee in WA with his franchise in Ascot. HJ's only recently switched to a franchise model. He was obviously prioritised for that. His wife has a very highly paid job at Austereo that the club also helped line up for him. He has done pretty well out of his time over here.

I remember Ken Judge before he died being on 6PR and people would ring up and ask questions or sometimes criticise him regarding the drug issues at the club during his time as coach and he would have to sit there in his chair steaming and wanting to say something and defend himself but he would have to leave it to Karl Langdon to take the question because if he said anything he would be violating the contract he signed and the club could pursue him to get back the pay out they have him. Langdon even plainly said at times that Judge could not take callers questions on that subject because of contracts he had signed with the club.

 

[Deplorable trumpster]

I do think that senior coaches should have veto power at the very least over their assistants. If not outright pick their own assistants.

If you want people to take 100% accountability for the performance of the group they are in charge of then you have to give them 100% authority to run it their way. 100% accountability but only 50% authority doesn't work.

 

[Bender_]

I'll be well pissed after all the shit we've been served up and eaten for the year that they decide to sack him now.

 

[the harry]

I'll be well pissed after all the s**t we've been served up and eaten for the year that they decide to sack him now.

This is about where I'm at. If you don't do it after the Swans game, you don't then do it because the media is baying for it.

 

[Grahame]

I think we’re all agreed there has to be change. Significant change. But it’s debatable on what that looks like.

Whatever, my metric will be whether it’s just more of the same onfield next year. That is, we continue to reward mediocrity. Be that Gaff or Sheed at senior level, or SPS or Rotham at intermediate level. I would rather invest more games in youth. (And some may, admittedly, also end up mediocre. But some may not.)

Our side R1 needs to look considerably different. That could be different faces and/or familiar faces in different positions.

But we simply can’t keep going with more of the same.

 

[kaII]

To be fair, Nisbett has already made public that he is on the way out when is contract is up next year.

If everyone in regard to on-field performance and S&C is indeed about to be sacked in the very near future (which is fair considering the club is 4-43 since Round 19, 2021 and the unparalleled run of injuries that have been sustained), then someone at a high position will be needed to front the cameras and provide a modicum of stability to the public that runs counter to the "club in crisis" narrative that will no doubt be running in the media.

I don't like Nisbett, and have long felt that he should have left several years ago, but with the likely carnage that is about to come he is probably as well equipped to deal with it over the necessary short term as anyone.

The carnage is already here imo, particularly judging by Hodge's comments which seem to indicate there's going to be some extremely angry coaching staff and possible bad blood. Ultimately that's on him and how he's managed it. The fish rots from the head and all that.

Would much prefer a more staged clean out, starting with the fresh eyes of a new CEO.

 

[VicBased]

I'll be well pissed after all the s**t we've been served up and eaten for the year that they decide to sack him now.

Just sent the club an e-mail letting them know my thoughts.
Only way I can vent a little.

 

[kaII]

Also watch the WC board fire all of the assistant coaches and Simmo 5 days out from end of the season to the anger of the playing group, inspiring a final round victory over Adelaide - and seeing us drop to second pick.

 

[Altum Volantes]

I'll be well pissed after all the s**t we've been served up and eaten for the year that they decide to sack him now.

Why?

It’s been 2 years now.

He was lucky to keep the job last year.

He got kept on for the season to see if things got better - they haven’t.

It’s time to move on. Probably overdue.

Regardless of personnel on the park, the team has played absolutely listless, zero effort football at least 10 times this year. We are thankful to lose by 10 goals.

Can’t see how anybody can be pissed that the change is being made.

 

[Bacchus]

Also watch the WC board fire all of the assistant coaches and Simmo 5 days out from end of the season to the anger of the playing group, inspiring a final round victory over Adelaide - and seeing us drop to second pick.

That better not happen - the win that is.

Tex will be too greedy for the Coleman anyway, Adelaide might be playing for a finals spot, Shuey will break down in the second quarter with a hamstring etc.

 

[Bender_]

Why?

It’s been 2 years now.

He was lucky to keep the job last year.

He got kept on for the season to see if things got better - they haven’t.

It’s time to move on. Probably overdue.

Regardless of personnel on the park, the team has played absolutely listless, zero effort football at least 10 times this year. We are thankful to lose by 10 goals.

Can’t see how anybody can be pissed that the change is being made.

Coz I truly believe they're just throwing the next coach under the bus.

Don't get me wrong, it's been a putrid year and I think Simmo should eventually go, but after a year of talking about soft caps etc and to finally bite the bullet after media pressure is weak a piss.

A succession plan is something I could get behind, not just a straight out sacking. It's Carlton level shit.

 

[Tugga27]

Why?

It’s been 2 years now.

He was lucky to keep the job last year.

He got kept on for the season to see if things got better - they haven’t.

It’s time to move on. Probably overdue.

Regardless of personnel on the park, the team has played absolutely listless, zero effort football at least 10 times this year. We are thankful to lose by 10 goals.

Can’t see how anybody can be pissed that the change is being made.

I think a lot can reason why he gets sacked.
I hope he doesn't BTW.

But it's the mixed messages from the club.
As Luke Hodge said, after they came out and said they'd back Simmo, we have improved.

A win and two close losses to The Saints and Essendon.

If they do sack him, at least do it properly.
It looks like it might be turning into a shit show which will be terrible.

 

[Goroyals22]

Also watch the WC board fire all of the assistant coaches and Simmo 5 days out from end of the season to the anger of the playing group, inspiring a final round victory over Adelaide - and seeing us drop to second pick.

You haven’t seen us play much have you?

Nothing can inspire this mob to do anything like winning against a borderline top 8 side. .


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[Deplorable trumpster]

Hodge spewed a load of non - sensical crap in that podcast. He is clearly mates with Simpson and unable to be neutral.

Pretty weird that the club tapped people on the shoulder at the beginning of August but then wants them to finish out the season. What kind of output do you expect from people once you have sacked them? If anything they are likely to bitch, snipe and sabotage. Thats how human beings are. Once you have sacked people you are better off with them outside the building then inside it. I guess their hand was forced by the fact that they were approaching people like Pyke and Cox (and probably S&C and medical staff at other clubs) to replace them and they knew that that would leak out eventually so better to tell people to their face they are sacked rather than have them figure it out by reading media reports that you are head hunting replacements for them. I imagine the club must be a horrendous place to work at the moment.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Coz I truly believe they're just throwing the next coach under the bus.

Don't get me wrong, it's been a putrid year and I think Simmo should eventually go, but after a year of talking about soft caps etc and to finally bite the bullet after media pressure is weak a piss.

A succession plan is something I could get behind, not just a straight out sacking. It's Carlton level s**t.

I don’t think it’s media pressure that has done him in.

It’s the fact that he for whatever reason continues to oversee terrible performance.

I have always backed in Simmo, I think he’s been a great coach - but when it’s all said and done, if the board have decided it’s time to try someone new then it’s hard to argue otherwise.

Think how some coaches have gone out in recent years - Dew only a couple of weeks ago, Ratten and Rutten last year - hell go back to Mark Harvey getting the axe when Ross Lyon rolled into town. It happens and it can be much more brutal. It’s not even particularly harsh on Simpson based on the performance on the field - frankly that thrashing we copped from 16th placed Hawthorn would have been enough for most clubs this year.

If anything Simpson himself has got off incredibly lightly in the media - the Vics are completely opposed to criticising him as a coach and it seems most of the supporters here are blaming Trevor Nisbett for everything regardless - the guy who has already said he’s going.