Rumour Justin Leppitsch and The Players

[theteamtobeat]

Fairly ambivalent towards Leppa. I think that this year he needs to cut out the experimental nature of the game plan. For example Mayes has massively struggled so far in his career due to being thrown all over the park. Imo he should be playing off a HFF while pinch hitting on a wing.

It is great to have swing men and versitility but not at the detriment of confidence and ability.

Every player next season needs to play in their natural position that will give us the greatest chance of winning week in week out.

Totally agree. It's a shame that this kids don't get the opportunity to play in their natural positions, even Yeo expressed his frustration of not being given the opportunity to play in his natural position at his time up hear in Brisbane.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Totally agree. It's a shame that this kids don't get the opportunity to play in their natural positions, even Yeo expressed his frustration of not being given the opportunity to play in his natural position at his time up hear in Brisbane.

Yeo was killing it off halfback. Many young players start down back and end up in the midfield. He is clearly a pelican if he is whinging about that.

 

[Last of the Roys]

Nah it was the guy who told Woewodin to **** off who was delisted I think.

In all seriousness, it was probably just the guy who was never going to make it at AFL level.

 

[POBT]

If you ask the players, I bet 95% of them would want to play full forward or on ball. Most of them accept that they need to play other roles for the betterment of the side.

 

[Balony_pony16]

The only change that this club needs is a coaching change.

Leppa has been a massive disappointment, and it's clearly apparent that he has no idea what he is actually doing. Maybe once we oust him, we can find a way to keep him in the stats department. Because it seems like the only thing he does these days is looking at the stats.

give this man a chocolate

 

[Balony_pony16]

I know of a player that is both unhappy and confused with the way Leppa coaches and will likely leave next season... wouldnt surprise me if it wasnt a isolated problem

 

[MacMum]

It is great to have swing men and versitility but not at the detriment of confidence and ability.

Every player next season needs to play in their natural position that will give us the greatest chance of winning week in week out.

I do agree with this though.

 

[Panthera]

Fairly ambivalent towards Leppa. I think that this year he needs to cut out the experimental nature of the game plan. For example Mayes has massively struggled so far in his career due to being thrown all over the park. Imo he should be playing off a HFF while pinch hitting on a wing.

It is great to have swing men and versitility but not at the detriment of confidence and ability.

Every player next season needs to play in their natural position that will give us the greatest chance of winning week in week out.

Smart, skillful player who can kicks goals...would love him to have a big year and show why he was taken Top 10

Could kick 30+ goals in a functioning forward line.

 

[Slitherin9]

Interesting discussion. Clearly opinion on Leppa is strongly divided.
I don't know if he can coach or not, but he hasn't had much of a chance to show his worth yet.
We are 2 years into a total list rebuild - if that doesn't ruffle feathers amongst the player group then nothing will. Eight more changes this year on top of 20-odd over the first two seasons of Leppa's coaching tenure.
I for one hope we show some faith in the rebuild this time and give Leppa another 2 years even if we only win 4 or 5 games next season. And I hope we communicate that to him early so he has the faith to keep playing the kids.

 

[POBT]

I just don't see what sacking Leppitsch now achieves.

I'm a fence sitter on his future with us. He needs a few things to go right in 2016.

But the "impeach Leppitsch" calls are a bit hysterical.

 

[acuguy]

You grab an employee, you cross a line you can never come back from with people. Anyone in a leadership role in any organisation knows that you can never take back an action or sentence you may do or make to an employee. Leadership is about vision, consistency and most importantly modelling the expected behaviour in the organisation. Leppa has failed with this. Oh and by the way how can anyone make Francis a key decision maker in anything is well and truly beyond me

 

[Full Wingspan]

I know of a player that is both unhappy and confused with the way Leppa coaches and will likely leave next season... wouldnt surprise me if it wasnt a isolated problem

Care to share who? You can PM me if you would rather. I'm going to take a guess and say either Mayes or Rich.

 

[carnthemlions]

Totally agree. It's a shame that this kids don't get the opportunity to play in their natural positions, even Yeo expressed his frustration of not being given the opportunity to play in his natural position at his time up hear in Brisbane.

That's the thing- midfield isn't Yeo's natural position, and it still shows. Very much a work in progress. Even then, it's important to remember that he spent a lot of time as a defender in his first season at West Coast.
Playing raw kid like Yeo in the position you want them to transition into at senior level can be quite counter-productive. Cutler will probably end up as a midfielder if he makes it at AFL level, but he clearly isn't ready for that sort of role in the seniors just yet. Hey, Dyson Heppell started off half back. Stupid Essendon, not giving kids opportunities to play in their natural positions.

 

[Monkey Daniel]

If he wants to be the rough and tough type coach, it'd help if Leppa had some coaching runs on the board - ie. Matthews, Lyon, Thompson, Clarkson etc.

But, Thompson was nearly sacked halfway through 2006 from memory, so if Leppa has it in him - he can retrieve this situation

Yes there was thought to sacking Thompson at end of 2006, but after a review of the club (on and off field) it was decided to keep him.
Geelong then got involved with Leading Teams and the rest they say is history.
Even G Ablett was not immune from criticism of how he played. It all got back to playing as a team and not as individuals. Bit like the Lions of the threepeat era

 

[BuntonRules]

You grab an employee, you cross a line you can never come back from with people. Anyone in a leadership role in any organisation knows that you can never take back an action or sentence you may do or make to an employee. Leadership is about vision, consistency and most importantly modelling the expected behaviour in the organisation. Leppa has failed with this. Oh and by the way how can anyone make Francis a key decision maker in anything is well and truly beyond me

Nah. These blokes are physical for a living, a career. We are not talking about white collar workers, we are talking about them that physical courage is more important to success than genetic advantage. Zac started it.

 

[Leemas]

Since when do players have so much power in a football club? Couple of unhappy players don't like the way he coaches. Suck it up. Too many soft ***** in the league. Leppa was a general on the field, and his team mates either loved him or didn't, according to aker anyway. Now he's a general off it, these young prissy soft ***** who cry because they don't like the coach need a cup of cement. I hate the notion of a coach or a captain has to mould themselves to take care of every single players insecurities, what's next Leppa and rocky start wiping there bums and holding there ***** while they take a piss?? Footy is getting softer by the year. My god I hated half my coaches and half my captains to. I think you'll find in every club people don't like there coach/captain. In the olden days the players sucked it up and followed. This new age bullshit is ruining our game and ruining our club. I don't care how many players we lose next year (and I know at this stage there's a few unhappy). Rather a team of hard knocks that can cop some flak that give 110% week in week out than a team of stars with the emotional range of a tea spoon. Weak as piss, all this leaking and bad mouthing of the coach and captain to is disgusting. And the fact the club is bending over backwards feeding there egos in the hope they can cuddle them until they don't leave is disgusting. Cannot wait to see the back of them. Back in Leppa 110%. He bled for this club, he gave us 3 flags and golden years. The fact so many on this board are so happy to knife him makes me sick. Where is your loyalty??? Where the hell is your pride???? Should be ashamed to be members.

 

[Skoob]

Cause every single one of those coaches was a soft flowery coach until they had 'runs on the board'...

Not sure whether you misread Panthera's comments, or I did. The way I read it is he is spot on. It would help to have runs on the board, if you you want to be the heavy. Rightly or wrongly, players will react to their coach's reputation, qualification and proven ability. You'd naturally be more prepared to cop a hard time from a proven coach than a rookie coach. I think this would apply in any profession. Not to say he can't be that way, but it has to be more of a balancing act. Not much good being a hardass if you can't have the respect and following of the playing group.

As I said, it's a balancing act and something you have to work at, not go at like a bull at a gate. I also agree that the situation isn't lost or salvageable. He may prove that he's on the right path, but also has to watch his step. This isn't a criticism of Leppa, I think, just reality.

 

[notting18]

Not sure whether you misread Panthera's comments, or I did. The way I read it is he is spot on. It would help to have runs on the board, if you you want to be the heavy. Rightly or wrongly, players will react to their coach's reputation, qualification and proven ability. You'd naturally be more prepared to cop a hard time from a proven coach than a rookie coach. I think this would apply in any profession. Not to say he can't be that way, but it has to be more of a balancing act. Not much good being a hardass if you can't have the respect and following of the playing group.

As I said, it's a balancing act and something you have to work at, not go at like a bull at a gate. I also agree that the situation isn't lost or salvageable. He may prove that he's on the right path, but also has to watch his step. This isn't a criticism of Leppa, I think, just reality.

My point was everyone of those coaches would have been similar in their first and last years of coaching (and in their first year they didn't have to runs on the board)

 

[Skoob]

My point was everyone of those coaches would have been similar in their first and last years of coaching (and in their first year they didn't have to runs on the board)

Hmmm. Not sure about that. That would be to suggest they didn't grow as the years passed, and that their players in their first year of coaching held the same respect and opinion of them as in their last.
Even the great Matthews had to tread somewhat lightly in his first few years (compared to his latter years).
Regardless, I think Panthera's point was that it would be a lot easier to take that approach, with some runs on the board. It would have been easier for any of those coaches mentioned,once the runs were there.

 

[AFLQLD]

I just don't see what sacking Leppitsch now achieves.

I'm a fence sitter on his future with us. He needs a few things to go right in 2016.

But the "impeach Leppitsch" calls are a bit hysterical.

Well said.

Ultimately, the upheaval at this stage would do more harm than good. However:

I think there are three factors when it comes to sacking a coach:

- Wins and losses (taking into account the curcumstances to some degree, eg injuries, youth)

- Relationship with players

- A clearly better choice available to make the upheaval worth the while.

Leppa gets cut some slack on item one in 2015 but unlikely to get much in 2016. He has to produce eight wins at least I believe.

Leppa is currently, by some accounts a long way behind on item 2 and needs a turnaround for sure next season. There has to be very good vibes coming out of the club from preseason on.

Leppa is probably safe for the moment on item 3 because no immediate candidates are obviously better enough to warrant the upheaval. However, if items one and two don't look like they are being accomplished, by the middle of the season there could be a caretaker coach and we will be hunting for the next permanent one.

Leppa probably has ten to twelve games to secure a renewed contract. I am hoping he can do it.

 

[Robbo18!]

Players are sooks these days. We can't go sacking coaches when a few players aren't his biggest fans. Maybe the players need to take a good long hard look at themselves.

I don't think they are sooks, I think they are more a "required commodity" whilst still required. We as supporters get pissed when a player leaves, but I think in most cases that player is trying to make the very most they can out of a very short career. It's only a very very small percentage of players that go into coaching or media, the rest have to get a job.

 

[T Rick]

The only change that this club needs is a coaching change.

Leppa has been a massive disappointment, and it's clearly apparent that he has no idea what he is actually doing. Maybe once we oust him, we can find a way to keep him in the stats department. Because it seems like the only thing he does these days is looking at the stats.

You really don't like Leppa do you...is it 50% personal and 50% ignorance or 100% jaundice?

 

[brizrider]

Think Leppitsch has the confidence of the CEO and board who understand the challenges of the club and the fact that the coach position is about more than wins v losses. They do understand the pressure to sell hope and that's the pressure on the coach but the pressure from CEO and board would be minimal at this stage generally I think.

 

[mpal6]

Think Leppitsch has the confidence of the CEO and board who understand the challenges of the club and the fact that the coach position is about more than wins v losses. They do understand the pressure to sell hope and that's the pressure on the coach but the pressure from CEO and board would be minimal at this stage generally I think.

He doesn't have Angus breathing down his neck for sure.

 

[BrizzyBandit]

The only change that this club needs is a coaching change.

Leppa has been a massive disappointment, and it's clearly apparent that he has no idea what he is actually doing. Maybe once we oust him, we can find a way to keep him in the stats department. Because it seems like the only thing he does these days is looking at the stats.

If you think Leppa is the start and finish of our on field performance and poor culture then you're clearly new to AFL and the Lions.

We have had a rot set into this place for years... Both on and off the park.

Terrible non footy management driving us into the ground spiritually (changing logos etc) and financially (good money after bad).

This led to giant cut backs in the footy department. A bare bones operation. Which led to losses, poor player welfare, players that lasted much longer than they should of at the AFL level.

If I wasn't hearing anything I'd be more worried.

We have been woeful this season... And I blame injuries..... and the much needed changes occurring like Manny Lynch, Brett Burton, Dean Warren leaving. This causes big disruptions and ripples.

As long as Swann and The board and The captain back him.... Then so do I.