Opinion Coach: James Hird

[Beerfish]

Is it? Personally I think its important to correct people making false assumptions and errors when posting about a topic.

And it's been done. So let's move on. I'm not interested in reading a back and forth about the intricacies of what someone posted and whether it was correct or incorrect and I'm guessing I'm not a loner there. He's said his bit, you've said yours. People can make up their own minds.

 

[Jade]

And it's been done. So let's move on. I'm not interested in reading a back and forth about the intricacies of what someone posted and whether it was correct or incorrect and I'm guessing I'm not a loner there. He's said his bit, you've said yours. People can make up their own minds.

Can they really?

You give the wider 'us' far too much credit Beery......

 

[bombers21]

A coach going to Europe for a week in season is not unusual?

11-0 what would you be saying?

 

[Jade]

11-0 what would you be saying?

Drugs. Must be the drugs.

 

[Smokin]

What do people want Hird to be doing?

snip

The fact people wouldnt care about this if we hadnt of lost a few games shows this for what it is

Whilst it isnt the end of the world - gotta say my eyebrows were raised. Going to Europe for a week is hard enough (Ive done New York) - it aint a holiday.

But circumstances are the whole point. You win, you do what you want. You lose - its not as easy.

I dont think a coach who missed the whole of last season, has lost key high-level assistants and since results have been nose-diving is in a position to miss 2 days of interaction with his players. Campbell cleverly said '2 sessions' - players have been back for 2 days and so much more is done inside than it is outside these days.

Call me old fashioned, but IMHO we have massive game-plan issues - the minimum I would expect from the coach is making himself available for all sessions, health permitting.

 

[Mercurial89]

Just as an aside does anyone really think someone else would have done a better job this year with the team than Hird?

-No pre season, hell we didnt know we would have a team 2 days before the season started

-Out of an already weak midfield we have had missing for large parts of the year Myers, Hocking, Zaka and a ruckman that a lamp post could have replaced and won more ball. Throw in injuries to watson, winderlich, cooney and chapman and we havnt been too settled in that part of the ground.

- A forward line whos main targets are a 30 game player, a forward that is coming off no pre season and who is still learning forward and a forward that is forced to play mid because we are so weak in that area.

-A draw that has consisted of. The GF runner up at home. The Premier (soon to be twice). The 2 top teams for the year at home in perth. A couple of finalists from last year.

-The absolute guy punch that was the WADA appeal

We have won against the teams we have been expected to beat. We have lost all but 1 against teams who are better than us. And we have lost the games that are 50-50 against teams in the same position as us in an even year where every team bar 2-3 is struggling to remain consistent.

Some years just don't go well, things work against you as things clearly are this year. Essendon doesnt strike me, and it shouldn't be a club that sacks a coach on 11 rounds of footy.
Lets look at this positively for a change. We can develop some youth. Grab an easier draw for next year. Get a couple of really high draft picks after years of compromised drafting and we can load up for the final year of our Essendon legend of a coach and have a big year.

Or we can continue to wallow in misery and bag the coach and the club whilst making snide comments at each other complaining how any other person would be doing better in this situation then our current coach and filling the board with negative crap for the rest of the year and then wonder why we feel so awful after a year of footy.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It's pretty irrelevant to the topic though guys so let's just move on okay? Or take it to PM.

It's ok, I give up

 

[Mercurial89]

Whilst it isnt the end of the world - gotta say my eyebrows were raised. Going to Europe for a week is hard enough (Ive done New York) - it aint a holiday.

But circumstances are the whole point. You win, you do what you want. You lose - its not as easy.

I dont think a coach who missed the whole of last season, has lost key high-level assistants and since results have been nose-diving is in a position to miss 2 days of interaction with his players. Campbell cleverly said '2 sessions' - players have been back for 2 days and so much more is done inside than it is outside these days.

Call me old fashioned, but IMHO we have massive game-plan issues - the minimum I would expect from the coach is making himself available for all sessions, health permitting.

Watching AFL360 when Roos and Bucks are on they often state how little time they get with the players. Its just handled by other people these days. The coach doesnt have to be there all the time and it would be great if our club could actually function without 1 person there for 2 sessions.

Reading posters here our club seems absolutely reliant on Hird being there 24/7. Then the same people dont think he's any good and should be gotten rid of.

Its outrage for outrages sake.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

After reading the excerpts from Chips book I reckon Hird stays and everyone around him goes. He's the only one that has showed the strength of character required at this football club.

Everyone else has buckled quicker than Bachar Houli under physical pressure. Remember when people on here argued he was selfish for pursuing this. If only we could clone him and replace the board.

If we followed James we would have played finals in 2013 and not allowed anyone to trample over us.

The issue with this is it was reported at the time the afl was preparing for a vote to temporarily suspend efc's registration in the afl

Just IMO, but for little to cave like he did, I suspect the afl had the numbers to go this nuke option

The big worry was as bad as missing finals was, you still could draft, trade, and prepare for the next season. An open ended deregistration would have been catastrophic, and potentially jeopardised the ongoing sustainability of the club

 

[ManWithNoName]

Just as an aside does anyone really think someone else would have done a better job this year with the team than Hird?

-No pre season, hell we didnt know we would have a team 2 days before the season started

-Out of an already weak midfield we have had missing for large parts of the year Myers, Hocking, Zaka and a ruckman that a lamp post could have replaced and won more ball. Throw in injuries to watson, winderlich, cooney and chapman and we havnt been too settled in that part of the ground.

- A forward line whos main targets are a 30 game player, a forward that is coming off no pre season and who is still learning forward and a forward that is forced to play mid because we are so weak in that area.

-A draw that has consisted of. The GF runner up at home. The Premier (soon to be twice). The 2 top teams for the year at home in perth. A couple of finalists from last year.

-The absolute guy punch that was the WADA appeal

None of this excuses the bizarre selections, LTI list screw ups and horrible tactics.

 

[Jade]

The issue with this is it was reported at the time the afl was preparing for a vote to temporarily suspend efc's registration in the afl

Just IMO, but for little to cave like he did, I suspect the afl had the numbers to go this nuke option

The big worry was as bad as missing finals was, you still could draft, trade, and prepare for the next season. An open ended deregistration would have been catastrophic, and potentially jeopardised the ongoing sustainability of the club

The AFL effectively has god-mode powers in this regard.

I have no doubt at all they dangled the extinction of the club in front of the EFC as a way to strong arm them, none at all.

 

[Mercurial89]

None of this excuses the bizarre selections, LTI list screw ups and horrible tactics.

Every single one of which is Hird's fault and mean he shouldn't be going overseas during a bye round on club sanctioned leave?

 

[ManWithNoName]

Every single one of which is Hird's fault and mean he shouldn't be going overseas during a bye round on club sanctioned leave?

You were talking about Hird's performance overall, your post had nothing to do with his trip overseas. Your question was "does anyone really think someone else would have done a better job this year with the team than Hird?". My answer is yes.

 

[Mercurial89]

The AFL effectively has god-mode powers in this regard.

I have no doubt at all they dangled the extinction of the club in front of the EFC as a way to strong arm them, none at all.

Just as a hypothetical I wonder how other clubs would feel/act/say if that had of occurred.

 

[Jade]

Just as a hypothetical I wonder how other clubs would feel/act/say if that had of occurred.

I think we saw exactly how they felt.

They were given ample time to clean up their own backyards, and then this ****wit firmly attached his lips to the sweaty sphincter of the AFL.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

The AFL effectively has god-mode powers in this regard.

I have no doubt at all they dangled the extinction of the club in front of the EFC as a way to strong arm them, none at all.

And for people who argue the clubs would never vote to kill another club, here's the list of clubs who's financial existence is completely in afl hands

Port Adelaide, Bulldogs, Norf, Carlton, Saints, Melbourne, Sydney, gws, Gold Coast, Brisbane

In an 18 club vote, that's 10 already in the afl pocket

 

[Jade]

And for people who argue the clubs would never vote to kill another club, here's the list of clubs who's financial existence is completely in afl hands

Port Adelaide, Bulldogs, Norf, Carlton, Saints, Melbourne, Sydney, gws, Gold Coast, Brisbane

In an 18 club vote, that's 10 already in the afl pocket

Up until this debacle started, I was satisfied with the independent commission and its total authority over the league.

Now, I find them corrupt and slimy, and a detriment to the game as a whole.

 

[BomberManU]

Just as an aside does anyone really think someone else would have done a better job this year with the team than Hird?.

Not a new coach, no. The continuity of having Bomber there probably would have helped. The list is pretty poor though, so who knows? I think the problem is not results, but Hird not being able to put his 'stamp' on the team, and the way they play. 33 years of supporting the Bombers, and I've never felt this worried about the medium term future of the team/club.
If Hird can turn this around in a 'reasonable' time - say, this time next year - it would have been a huge effort/achievement.

 

[Smokin]

Watching AFL360 when Roos and Bucks are on they often state how little time they get with the players. Its just handled by other people these days. The coach doesnt have to be there all the time and it would be great if our club could actually function without 1 person there for 2 sessions.

Reading posters here our club seems absolutely reliant on Hird being there 24/7. Then the same people dont think he's any good and should be gotten rid of.

Its outrage for outrages sake.

This is serious?

And what are bucks and Roos doing when other people are handling jobs? Sinking Coronas at the pub? In the maldives?

There is so much happening at a modern day club - one person cant be everything. But is is a team effort. If bucks isnt dealing with x, it is because he is dealing with y, with a, b and c on his to do list.

Point is - our season is at the cross-roads, Hird said it - and this break was the chance for all hands on deck, in attempt to salvage the season I would have thought.

The timing is just wrong to be missing days - that is just a fact of the predicament we are in.

 

[Smokin]

FWIW I am a big Hird fan and always have been.

I trust he can turn us around. But for the first time with him - this season I have been seriously questioning parts of our footy-related decision making.

 

[ezard15]

Wasn't this all part of the punishments he copped though and unavoidable? As in I don't think Hird had a choice but to be away for the course did he?

A nothing article again

 

[Jade]

Wasn't this all part of the punishments he copped though and unavoidable? As in I don't think Hird had a choice but to be away for the course did he?

A nothing article again

But the OUTRAGE!!

 

[Mercurial89]

This is serious?

And what are bucks and Roos doing when other people are handling jobs? Sinking Coronas at the pub? In the maldives?

There is so much happening at a modern day club - one person cant be everything. But is is a team effort. If bucks isnt dealing with x, it is because he is dealing with y, with a, b and c on his to do list.

Point is - our season is at the cross-roads, Hird said it - and this break was the chance for all hands on deck, in attempt to salvage the season I would have thought.

The timing is just wrong to be missing days - that is just a fact of the predicament we are in.

FWIW I am a big Hird fan and always have been.

I trust he can turn us around. But for the first time with him - this season I have been seriously questioning parts of our footy-related decision making.

Trust me I know, I too have questioned some of our choices. ManWithNoName brought up some of the items Im sure we all have queries on.

The point is, to blame all these on one person is too much, and Questioning how an employee of a organisation that we are not a part of spends their time is not something I believe we are entitled to do.

For some Hird can do wrong, and for others he can do no right. Id much prefer the less emotional stance of, let the season play out, give him time. Look at the whole picture and not dump every single issue our club has at his feet because we might not like the way our football team is playing.

That might not be slash and burn enough for an internet forum but it seems the reasonable stance to take.

 

[Buttsoup_Barnes]

It's fine guys. Hird's just remembering about all that accreditation stuff Clarko was going on about and went to get some more before he faced his team.

 

[BrunoV]

I know it was.

Here was your question/statement:

"I doubt we’d be very forgiving if, for example, Jake Carlisle missed training sessions to be off overseas doing something else."

And I ask again, in your example, did Jake Carlisle seek and receive leave from the club for those training sessions?

David Hille did it.