Opinion Coach: James Hird

[Nasty Penguin]

So many quick to grab the pitchforks and gasoline to join the spluttering foaming mob is more alarming than the current on field form.

There are so many different variables to take into consideration that the decision to sack or not needs to be made once the air is a lot clearer.

How can a side start a season, that was up in the air anyway, so well and taper off so dramatically but still show spurts of that form throughout the season?
There's been issues such as:
- WADA Appeal: Yes it's an issue whether you like it or not.
- Injuries: Hocking, Myers, TBC
- Form: Watson, Heppell, Pig, Dempsey, Cooney(first couple of games were brilliant)
- Disfunction between forward line and midfield.
- Having to fix forward structure by weakening the back line

This most recent loss had the feeling that Hird has lost the players and they don't believe in the game plan anymore yet it was fine at the start of the season. There is something else that just isn't working and that is the coaching box. Are there too many chiefs and the maybe the message is so mixed there is a cause for confusion?

Sacking the coach is an easy route to take and releases that media pressure valve and the fact the current coach is a club Legend makes it that much harder.
My humble opinion is that Hird stays until the end of the season where a proper review can take place and a fresh direction taken. Hard decisions will need to be made in all areas and if the best outcome for the CLUB is the part ways with Hird then do so but until everything is out on the table and the dust has settled only short sighted rash decisions will be made.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

I'm actually not pro Hird, I'm pro Essendon but I'm not surprised you would label me such given your rabid posting since yesterday.

Okay I'll repeat myself since you obviously missed it while you were ranting about sacking Hird. He should stay until the end of the year at which point we reassess. Why? Because no coach worth having would want to come to Essendon with the asaga hanging over us. We use the rest of the season to have a close look at the list so we can make calls on that too come season's end.

Good 3rd poll option.

 

[frenchfri12]

re assess... What exactly? Assess how he has driven this once powerhouse club into crisis mode. Kick a man while he's down, then sack him? For the good of the club, he needs to go now.

So what if we win every game for the rest of the season, make finals and win the premiership?

Won't happen, but IF is always a reason.

 

[chrisdon16]

- WADA Appeal: Yes it's an issue whether you like it or not.
- Injuries: Hocking, Myers, TBC
- Form: Watson, Heppell, Pig, Dempsey, Cooney(first couple of games were brilliant)
- Disfunction between forward line and midfield.
- Having to fix forward structure by weakening the back line
.

None of those issues should equate to a 110 embarrassment to the wooden spooners. The injuries/form example is irrelevant. Bellchambers? Everyone was saying he should be dropped/traded before he got injured. If Hocking and Myers played on the weekend it wouldn't of made a scrap of difference.

 

[chrisdon16]

So what if we win every game for the rest of the season, make finals and win the premiership?

If we win another game in the season I'll be very impressed.

 

[Nasty Penguin]

None of those issues should equate to a 110 embarrassment to the wooden spooners. The injuries/form example is irrelevant. Bellchambers? Everyone was saying he should be dropped/traded before he got injured. If Hocking and Myers played on the weekend it wouldn't of made a scrap of difference.

Not surprised to have seen you pop up for the first time with pitchfork in hand too proving you are just another bandwagonner and have absolutely zero idea.
How can "form" be irrelevant? Having both Hocking and Myers in for the season would have been a huge boost thus increase in confidence which you totally under estimate. It has been reported he played the majority of the start of the season injured or at least not 100%.

 

[Duckworth]

Not surprised to have seen you pop up for the first time with pitchfork in hand too proving you are just another bandwagonner and have absolutely zero idea..

I can't believe even one muppet already has an avatar with a banned symbol over Hird. Talk about the Quick-Fix-Carlton approach.

 

[Beerfish]

Good 3rd poll option.

It would be but it's not my poll. Howard Moon wanted it that way for some reason.

 

[chrisdon16]

Not surprised to have seen you pop up for the first time with pitchfork in hand too proving you are just another bandwagonner and have absolutely zero idea.
How can "form" be irrelevant? Having both Hocking and Myers in for the season would have been a huge boost thus increase in confidence which you totally under estimate. It has been reported he played the majority of the start of the season injured or at least not 100%.

Hocking and Myers are average, maybe good at best players who would struggle to get a game for a contending side. What difference would they bring to this team?

 

[Howard Moon]

It would be but it's not my poll. Howard Moon wanted it that way for some reason.

Was just because we have dallied in Gray for a long time now, it's like treading water, gets you nowhere, vanilla, risk free. absolutes make or break you... Yes or no style

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Ooh, i've never been infracted before, sounds fun.

It sounds worse than it actually is

You just apply some cream to the area, avoid cycling, and sleep on your back for a week

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

I can't believe even one muppet already has an avatar with a banned symbol over Hird. Talk about the Quick-Fix-Carlton approach.

Unfortunately its the world we live in now. Quick fix, impatience, is it on twitter yet.

I want the news before it happens.
I'm outraged. I have an opinion. Here me roar.

The Liz Lukin propaganda machine has worked a treat.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Sigh... There are several people voting on the poll who can't ****ing read...

edit: for those playing at home, Hird stays is in front.

 

[Coldacre]

So many quick to grab the pitchforks and gasoline to join the spluttering foaming mob is more alarming than the current on field form.

There are so many different variables to take into consideration that the decision to sack or not needs to be made once the air is a lot clearer.

How can a side start a season, that was up in the air anyway, so well and taper off so dramatically but still show spurts of that form throughout the season?
There's been issues such as:
- WADA Appeal: Yes it's an issue whether you like it or not.
- Injuries: Hocking, Myers, TBC
- Form: Watson, Heppell, Pig, Dempsey, Cooney(first couple of games were brilliant)
- Disfunction between forward line and midfield.
- Having to fix forward structure by weakening the back line

This most recent loss had the feeling that Hird has lost the players and they don't believe in the game plan anymore yet it was fine at the start of the season. There is something else that just isn't working and that is the coaching box. Are there too many chiefs and the maybe the message is so mixed there is a cause for confusion?

Sacking the coach is an easy route to take and releases that media pressure valve and the fact the current coach is a club Legend makes it that much harder.
My humble opinion is that Hird stays until the end of the season where a proper review can take place and a fresh direction taken. Hard decisions will need to be made in all areas and if the best outcome for the CLUB is the part ways with Hird then do so but until everything is out on the table and the dust has settled only short sighted rash decisions will be made.

great post. agree 100%

 

[frenchfri12]

Here's a question. If the coach was Mr. X and not James Hird, he would of been sacked by now, wouldn't he?

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Hocking and Myers are average, maybe good at best players who would struggle to get a game for a contending side. What difference would they bring to this team?

So what you are saying is none of these players make a difference and its all been about the coaching the last few years that has got us wins?

 

[Jesse Custer]

Here's a question. If the coach was Mr. X and not James Hird, he would of been sacked by now, wouldn't he?

Most likely or very close. Hird has credits and he did earn them.

 

[Nasty Penguin]

Hocking and Myers are average, maybe good at best players who would struggle to get a game for a contending side. What difference would they bring to this team?

SO clearly they lobbed the head containing a brain in it.
Two seasoned, big bodied, ball winning midfielders are going to make a difference. Just to spell it out for you it's a knock on effect freeing up players like Watson, Heppell, Zaka, Goddard etc...
Now just really think about it

 

[frenchfri12]

edit: for those playing at home, Hird stays is in front.

update: not any more. 21-20
wish our games were this close.

 

[MiguelM]

Hocking and Myers are average, maybe good at best players who would struggle to get a game for a contending side. What difference would they bring to this team?

Massive difference IMO.

For mine, I think we miss Ryder as much as anyone, esp in the wake of TBCs form/injuries. We are getting smashed in the ruck, which means we are reactive.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

update: not any more. 21-20
wish our games were this close.

Nope. 3 or 4 of the sack Hird votes are opposition posters.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Bolded should play absolutely no part in the decision to keep Hird.

Players should not decide who coaches. Even if they want Hird, the results do not justify keeping him. Carlton players wanted to keep MM too. Just doesn't work that way. We've seen St Kilda, Bulldogs, Fremantle and Adelaide recently make the decision to sack their coach for less reasons than Essendon. All 4 improved under their new coaches. I still believe we are more in Adelaide's position as opposed to a full rebuild like St Kilda and Bulldogs. Carlton have accepted that they need to rebuild. We'll see them improving from here on. We either rebuild or try to salvage this list through trading. Either way, it will be more fruitful with a new coach.

I think the caretaker coach will make the hard decisions with players that are not performing. It is all about the future as this season is a complete write-off. We will gain absolutely nothing from keeping Hird until the end of the year to be honest. Players cannot handle the media pressure anymore. We won't see a galvanised effort like we have the last 2 years as they are mentally shot.

To see Jobe play the way he did in his 200th game should be the sign. Removing Hird will completely release the pressure valve on Essendon and the players. Sometimes you have to make the tough decisions.

Lol... Are you forgetting where the pressure is coming from??

How would punting Hird now stop that?

We're in an unprecedented, unique situation. You can't cite other clubs with such simple situation in comparison.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Most likely or very close. Hird has credits and he did earn them.

Did he though? You can't let loyalty blind you. Especially with a job as important as head coach.

 

[frenchfri12]

The situation at the moment is the players have stopped trying, and they are not playing for their coach, they are playing to remove him.
If the players actually tried to make some sort of effort, I'd probably change my decision. But they keep this up, he's gotta go.

 

[frenchfri12]

Most likely or very close. Hird has credits and he did earn them.

So why isn't Hird gone? He sure didn't earn his credits in coaching, he was a commentator.
Someone on SEN suggested that its because Bomber's left.