Coaching Staff Former Coach Ben "Truck" Rutten - Sacked for real this time - 21/8

[ghostdog]

Most interesting part of the presser for mine was “I didn’t play here but I am an Essendon person”.

Ie “I’m Essendon too, step treating me like s**t because I’m not an old boy”

He also kept being inclusive, mentioning "our" footy club, players, supporters, members etc. He's invested up to his eyeballs.

 

[Lore]

I read in some posts saying Truck is being used as a scape goat.
Scape goat or accountable?

How many successful coaching tenures have we had since Sheedy? Suggests it’s probably not the coach.

Maybe start with holding someone accountable for that, instead of yes, another scape goat so we can pretend he was the problem and continue to make the same stupid mistakes for another 20 years.

 

[Lore]

He also kept being inclusive, mentioning "our" footy club, players, supporters, members etc. He's invested up to his eyeballs.

This. We never really got that from Worsfold, it’s like polar opposite. Makes you really wonder what kind of cluster**** 2020 was, between chalk and cheese running the place and all being cooped up in hubs.

 

[Jordanio]

How many successful coaching tenures have we had since Sheedy? Suggests it’s probably not the coach.

Maybe start with holding someone accountable for that, instead of yes, another scape goat so we can pretend he was the problem and continue to make the same stupid mistakes for another 20 years.

Yes totally agree
accountability:- the coach for coaching, Recruiter for recruiting, Trainer for Training/Fitness, Players for playing, CEO for successfully managing the process etc

 

[BomberManU]

I read in some posts saying Truck is being used as a scape goat.
Scape goat or accountable?

But are the people who are meant to be holding him accountable actually accountable themselves?

 

[BrunoV]

But are the people who are meant to be holding him accountable actually accountable themselves?

That's a separate issue.

Clear evidence of multiple things wrong at the same time.

Dodoro, Campbell and Rutten all need to go.

 

[DonsRule]

At this point we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place I’d prefer to stick with Rutten and make whatever other changes the review recommends. But with how we handled thinks I struggle to think we keep him too

 

[Phone]

But I think that's kinda the problem - if the Essendon job is inherently more difficult than any other AFL coaching job because of the club's makeup, that's more the reason why we can't do anything more than the person in post being unfit for the role.

Maybe we should toy with making the job as difficult as any of the other 17 gigs first, which is already a herculean task in its own right, rather than putting people in a position where they not only have to coach a football side, they have also navigate AND manage disparate factions, including ones that inherently don't think the person should have the job because of where he played or whatever, or because there's a club legend out there who needs to have round 2 at the gig even though the incumbent is contracted.

I dont necessarily think Rutten is the answer but I'm starting to think we don't know anything about anybody who has coached the club under these (grossly unprofessional) circumstances.

This goes back even to Knights given the posts Ant has made in the post

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Essendon wins:

1976: 9 wins, 10th, 88.2%
1977: 7 wins, 9th, 82.8%
1978: 8 wins, 10th, 94.3%
1979: 12 wins, 5th, 105.1%
1980: 10 wins, 7th, 105.4%

[a wild sheedy appears]

1981: 16 wins, 4th, 127.6%
1982: 16 wins, 4th, 125.4%
1983: 15 wins, 4th, 123.0% + Grand Final
1984: 18 wins, 1st, 128.2% + Premiership
1985: 19 wins, 1st, 138.4% + Premiership

Winning 16 games in your first 2 seasons, making a Granny in your 3rd, and winning two back to back flags kinda helps.

Sheedy could've been from Mars or a Flinders Ln alleyway and it wouldn't have mattered after seeing that turnaround.

I'm not saying coaches should never be from any other club, but I'm also saying using Sheedy as an example is a bit out of touch. I wasn't even alive at the time and even I can see the clear distinction he's in when it comes to the topic of gaining trust at a club in relation to origin.

Think it's more people just trying to look for ways to excuse bad habits and to find reasoning in backing someone in on sentiments rather than a sheer grasp on the job at hand. But it's gotta be both. More the latter, even if it hurts to admit. I think whoever coaches us - they must show signs. Signs are what gets you trust. Signs are what buys you patience. Signs are what keeps you for the long haul. Otherwise you better do a Sheedy - not just in not being from Essendon - but having a pretty quick and linear impact as well. The former seems more attainable/realistic, yet the most difficult to prove.

Sheedy took over a very strong young list, everyone knew it was a plum job. He did a great job no doubt and probably just what was needed but it was an exceptional list

 

[Jordanio]

Five heads on the board make a ****** move and the rest of the club and us supporters have to put up with the bs fallout including being an absolute laughing stock. Barham and Sheedy out

Sheedy took over a very strong young list, everyone knew it was a plum job. He did a great job no doubt and probably just what was needed but it was an exceptional list

Yes that lasted 27 years

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

We’re ****ed if Sheedy stays on the board and he’s only ever going to want to get Hird back. How can we say to any other prospective coach that he’ll have the board’s full support? Especially as Sheeds has Dodoro in his corner ….it’s a clash before new coach has even started

 

[BrunoV]

As a word of warning to opposition posters.

We are well, WELL aware of the horrible way Truck has been treated by those in charge at our club. The way he’s been hung out to dry is unfathomable, and I’d argue 99% of our supporters here are utterly miserable with how things are for our club right now.

Coming on here and gloating, telling us how *ed our club is, and trying to throw barbs will have you kicked out of here quick smart. We are supporters and fans, and we have no say at all with how our club is run. If we did, we wouldn’t be in this mess.

Consider this the first and last warning.

Just to be clear, I'm not in this 1%.

I'm not sure there is 1% who think treating anyone with this lack of respect is okay.

 

[Lore]

At this point we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place I’d prefer to stick with Rutten and make whatever other changes the review recommends. But with how we handled thinks I struggle to think we keep him too

If we sack Rutten I doubt we’ll have good people applying for the job, and even if we did get someone half decent it would be really difficult to continue building this list this off-season for much the same reasons, meaning whoever takes the job is set for a shit season again next year and they’ll be under the pump again immediately thereafter. Total poison chalice.

If they wanted Rutten gone they should’ve gone for Clarkson earlier. Now they’ve just made a mess, and in the attempt have made us the most undesirable employer in the league.

 

[Im New]

He also kept being inclusive, mentioning "our" footy club, players, supporters, members etc. He's invested up to his eyeballs.

Also this week he was referring to “my players” quite a bit, which I hadn’t heard before. Obviously to indicate he hadn’t lost the group. If he does stay on I hope he continues down that path with real ownership and demanding higher standards from the whole club. Perhaps being walked over like he has been this week will make him more ruthless, it’s the only way I can see him moving forward from here.. Who knows if he will survive today though, wouldn’t surprise me if the board apologises and offers to provide him greater support.

 

[Jordanio]

If we sack Rutten I doubt we’ll have good people applying for the job, and even if we did get someone half decent it would be really difficult to continue building this list this off-season for much the same reasons, meaning whoever takes the job is set for a s**t season again next year and they’ll be under the pump again immediately thereafter. Total poison chalice.

If they wanted Rutten gone they should’ve gone for Clarkson earlier. Now they’ve just made a mess, and in the attempt have made us the most undesirable employer in the league.

I question the mindset of that sort of coaching applicant.
I would be selecting one with a more positive mind set. Essendon Has many positives that i would want to be working with (facilities, big games, large supporter base, good financials). This was a strength of Sheedy, focusing on the positives.
Yes we do need a proper review and stronger leadership at all levels

 

[Footy Smarts]

I hope you don't mind the intrusion but as an outsider I really don't understand why Rutten's position was ever under threat this year.

At the end of 2020 you got in a bunch of high draft picks and the consensus was there would be some short term pain in a rebuild. Last year your best players almost all had great seasons and you made finals with some kids showing plenty.

This year you had a much worse run with injuries. Stringer, Snelling, Langford and obviously AMT had a fraction of the impact of last year. You also lost the impact of senior role players like Hooker and Smith who could at least take some of the physical heat off the kids. A couple of your most promising kids in Cox and Jones miss most of the year too.

In the end you're putting out one of the youngest teams in the comp against one of the toughest draws. 7 wins and a percentage in the 80s isn't horrific given that. It's disappointing but not unexpected given the team you were playing. I think the idea that team would or should make finals is delusional. And you found a really good group of young players that look like they've got long term futures.

I understand the desire to get Clarkson. It's not every day a 4 time premiership coach is on the market. But now that he's out of the picture I don't see why Rutten wouldn't be given his final year and then see where things stand.

 

[revival_mode]

young list over performed last year, we were always taking a step back on the ladder this year. idiots/media at the start of the year pumped up unreasonable expectations, was always going to end in tears. having said that, the geelong opener and the last few games should not be happening at all to a coach that has already had a couple of years to work on galvanising a group. so i can see why he is being questioned totally.
i haven't actually watched many of our games this year for a few different reasons, so i cant really comment too much on the game plan or players being able to undertake it BUT its the perfect time for Rutten and co to reassess, move on some players that arent performing to his plan (even if they are performing stats wise) and look to really improve from here. we will find out if he's a good coach if he can adjust his game plan to suit the list currently, and work toward drafting/tading some more in the mold he wants. if not, well we will have drafted and brought in some new talent in this rebuild and really wont be any worse off. we are not contending.
**** Dodoro off, no funny buggers at the trade table, and just go straight for needs and pay a fair price

keep Rutten, back him in

 

[thepokey]

Yeah i'm all in on Rutten. Keep him on, do the external review and make the changes that need to be made. If you sack him now, like Leon Cameron

Leon Cameron

Age

52

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.2

4star

K

12.4

5star

HB

4.7

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.9

3star

No current season stats available

D

20.8

5star

K

14.4

5star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.8

3star

suggested anyways, who the **** will want to come here? We won't get "the best available" we will get "the best of those who even want to apply". We need to prove that we are a footy club people want to come to. Right now we are not, and that's not the coach's fault. Truck seems invested and who knows, maybe this was a real scare that is gonna change things up for him - how he delivers a message, or how he will push back a bit against those above him ... it could be a Hardwick/Bomber moment, but we won't know if we sack him and start it all over again.

 

[foj1]

The “we need a hard as nails, prick coach!” thing is almost always misguided.

Supporters angry and want somebody who’ll take out that anger on the players.

No we have players who clearly pick and choose their level of effort
the coaches job is to change culture
he has had 3 years and looks like changing nothing
bland bloke equals assistant coach
i don’t like the way he was treated and we should have sacked him mid season like north did to noble
then we could get away with how rutten was treated and focus on his weaknesses
if we did this I suspect Clarkson would be in red and black
the issue was rutten was in charge at the hub. Massive fail
he had a good year in 2021 and this year an unmitigated disaster
I have no faith in him

 

[BrunoV]

No we have players who clearly pick and choose their level of effort
the coaches job is to change culture
he has had 3 years and looks like changing nothing
bland bloke equals assistant coach
i don’t like the way he was treated and we should have sacked him mid season like north did to noble
then we could get away with how rutten was treated and focus on his weaknesses
if we did this I suspect Clarkson would be in red and black
the issue was rutten was in charge at the hub. Massive fail
he had a good year in 2021 and this year an unmitigated disaster
I have no faith in him

I'm starting to get a sinking feeling that this whole thing has now become about Rutten the man.

Barham was right, we shouldn't forget that. He tried to walk post internal review announcement and was convinced to stay on.

He botched the procedural things in the last week, in exceptional circumstances, mind you, but in the bigger picture none of it is relevant to anything we do going forward.

The weak board at this point in time loses sight of what this really about because its members' empathy has been provoked.

 

[foj1]

Then we have morons who think James Hird could possibly come back.
he oversaw the supplements program and wrecked everything
he can never ever come back as coach
i would also have genuine concerns about his mental health and well being

 

[Duckworth]

Does anyone seriously think this is a recipe for success?

How many successful coaching tenures have we had since Sheedy? Suggests it’s probably not the coach.

Maybe start with holding someone accountable for that, instead of yes, another scape goat so we can pretend he was the problem and continue to make the same stupid mistakes for another 20 years.

BrunoV (Lore said it better than me) but it's time to look past the coach. Perhaps he won't make it, but the current system is setting him up to fail. Rutten is invested, a good person and has runs on the board in implementing a successful system. I am happy to change the structure around him and see what can be achieved. He has a very young team, in the middle of a rebuild. Nobody should be expecting a grand final appearance.

What is certain, is having a tantrum and sacking the coach every few years doesn't work. I fully expect Rutten to be sacked in the near future, with the club again blaming the coach and not having learnt a thing.

 

[Milanista28]

You’re not gonna like this but…

Winning, reliable, consistent game plans take years to bed in. Years.

Giving 100% unconditional effort doesn't.

 

[DonsRule]

If we sack Rutten I doubt we’ll have good people applying for the job, and even if we did get someone half decent it would be really difficult to continue building this list this off-season for much the same reasons, meaning whoever takes the job is set for a s**t season again next year and they’ll be under the pump again immediately thereafter. Total poison chalice.

If they wanted Rutten gone they should’ve gone for Clarkson earlier. Now they’ve just made a mess, and in the attempt have made us the most undesirable employer in the league.

Yep part of my thinking too, how Rutter has handled himself too, can’t fault him on that.

I do think there are question marks on if he is the right man for the got but I think he is far from our biggest problem.

 

[Jordanio]

All for keeping Rutten till a transparent review ie done on all aspects of the club, including football department, has been completed.
How we commenced the year was diabolical, i include our VFL team also. I don't think we were properly prepared at so many levels. What was the reasons for this? We need stability over the recruiting period and time to perform the review properly otherwise we run the risk of repeating our errors.