Coaching Staff Past Coach: Matthew Knights - Finally gets his second shot - 5/5

[The Dustbin]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Hang on , why can't they ? Two years ago everyone used it as an excuse and simply said its ok we will get our priority pick and we will get our injured players back and everything will be back on track.
It was Sheedy's record over the last 5 years and the piss poor recruiting that took place over that period that saw his reign as coach come to an end. I think Knights is feeling the pain of the previous mistakes more than anything.

Agree. The drafting has been good the last couple of years. It's the drafting/recruiting of recycled players during the last 5 years that has been pretty ordinary.

It's not going to happen over night. I ranked us somewhere from 8-12, before we copped all of the injuries. I'm not disappointed, we are on the right track and we just need to keep perservering. The signs are there.

Like another poster mentioned Haw were 1-6 in Big Gay Al's first year. Give Knights some slack and some support.

 

[Tony Delaney]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

And I have the right to have an opinion and think he is a tool of the highest order.

Comes on here and sprouts supposed inside info yet can't fcken string a sentence together.

Wake up and smell the roses.

Yeah and i am allowed an opinion that mentioning someones grammer on a forum makes you the tool. If someone does have inside info is it only credible if they are educated to a level to your liking.

And personal insults, please. This points to you really struggling. Time you smelt the roses pal because you sound like a spoilt little boy swearing and stamping your feet when you don't like something.

 

[Valve Bounce]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Something is basically wrong with our training methods and/or playing most of our games at Telstra, or even training at Windy Hill in the middle of the worst drought in bloody years.
I know Scotty's injury was from an accident during the game, but most of the other injuries may or may not be related to training.
I, personally don't know why Kevin Sheedy was sacked - maybe Jackson heard that Vossy was available; who knows.
Neither do I know why Knights was selected. But bagging the new coach when our injury list makes the team look like the rehab centre at an old age home is a little misplaced, don't you think?

 

[Ari]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

before he became head coach his jobs were bendigo coach and head skills coach.Our skills are so poor and our decision making is the worst in the league by far so how on earth was he made coach his bendigo coaching was average at best his game plan at senior level will not stand up.I was talking to a ex essendon player from the 90s who you all would respect and he is still in shock at knights been coach and says it was jackson and the board craping them selves and made a quick choice. With this coaching crew in charge campo hikmont presscott odonnell and crew it will be a long 5 years

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Yeah and i am allowed an opinion that mentioning someones grammer on a forum makes you the tool. If someone does have inside info is it only credible if they are educated to a level to your liking.

And personal insults, please. This points to you really struggling. Time you smelt the roses pal because you sound like a spoilt little boy swearing and stamping your feet when you don't like something.

Someones grammer?? The shit is not readable. How do you expect to takes someone's opinion seriously when they post in that manner.

It's absolute rubbish by someone who claims to know more than they actually do. Typical bigfooty rubbish... spreading rumors and claiming that they know on good authority. F%$% Me!

As for personal insults, well, it's a tough world and people need to harden the f$$k up.

 

[tigertiger]

I would say Knights is doing the right thing, realistically and everything going right you are 3 to 5 years at least from a finals appearance. Its not Knights fault it is the players he has at his disposal who still have a lot to learn there is no way to shorten this learning process it just takes time and a lot of patiance from the supporters.

It will be interesting to see how much patiance the Essendon supporters have for the hard stuff over the next few years.

 

[bombersmad75]

FFS mods can you put a sticky on these threads it is all getting a bit boring?

 

[stander]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

. I think Knights is feeling the pain of the previous mistakes more than anything.

Excellent work Ant robus- lets not forget the Igknighter has had only one draft to mend the litany of mistakes the coaches made in the past. I for one am enjoying the comedy put out by the likes of Tockley and his mate Tony Delayney.

 

[stander]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Yeah and i am allowed an opinion that mentioning someones grammer on a forum makes you the tool. If someone does have inside info is it only credible if they are educated to a level to your liking.

And personal insults, please. This points to you really struggling. Time you smelt the roses pal because you sound like a spoilt little boy swearing and stamping your feet when you don't like something.

Coming from you, who labels a very topical thread ( memo to the medicos ) as stupid. You haven't even got the guts to retract it have you ?

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

*yawn*

If you don't like every single minute detail about the club, then ____ off. We've got the numbers to cover you, and the club doesn't need people who don't trust them. Honestly, writing off the coach after 2-5 with 16 players unavailable for selection next week.

 

[pazza]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Question without notice...how many of us can say we have met Knights and can understand what he is trying to do? Count them on one hand (and I include myself as someone who has spoken to him a few times).

This is a long process. We are still learning game plan one and there will be more to come. Sure, a few of us early on may have got ahead of ourselves, but, we are that first base camp on the climb up Mount Everest.

 

[whirl]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

The knee jerk thought that because we are sitting where we are on the ladder then Knights is the wrong man is humourous. It's a fair assumption that this is exactly where we'd be with Hardwick at the helm given his reputed plans for the list, and if you factor in the injuries to said list you could almost consider Knights to be working in a similar scenario. I imagine the reaction on the boards would be the same.

Maybe Hardwick is better long term, we won't know for quite a while, but it's beside the point to the above anyway.

One question to finish. Given the draft concessions about to be handed to the growth clubs does anyone (particularly those who are chasing the Hardwick dream) think that a total cleanout would be highly dangerous at the moment?

 

[Tony Delaney]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Coming from you, who labels a very topical thread ( memo to the medicos ) as stupid. You haven't even got the guts to retract it have you ?

Gee who has a hang up then. You remember better than me. My post that you replied to was speaking about personal insults, and having a go at someone's grammer. Care to explain the correlation of those points to me thinking a thread was stupid. I will tell you none so keep rocking back and forth in your rocking chair saying Tony Delaney, Tony Delaney. What do you follow my posts waiting for the first chance to jump on something because I thought your thread was stupid. Poor little thing you are, I am so sorry if I hurt your feelings so much.

Why would I retract that I thought blaming medical staff stupid for unfortunate injuries. You have no evidence it was their fault just assumptions that it must be because it's related to the body. Could be a million things but it's related to the body so it must be the doctors, the same doctors that were there in 2000 when we had bugger all injuries.

 

[Tony Delaney]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Someones grammer?? The shit is not readable. How do you expect to takes someone's opinion seriously when they post in that manner.

It's absolute rubbish by someone who claims to know more than they actually do. Typical bigfooty rubbish... spreading rumors and claiming that they know on good authority. F%$% Me!

As for personal insults, well, it's a tough world and people need to harden the f$$k up.

You won't convince me that having a go at someones grammer is not poor and he may be a dill he may not be but personal insults reflects worse on you believe me.

By the way it's a bit silly having a go at someone's grammer when your spelling is not 100% correct yourself.

 

[BLue_Bloys]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Gee bit rough on Knights, prior to the season starting I was a little shocked as to why you chose him...little out of left field, but it's obvious now how he impressed with his presentations.

He obviously has a plan and it seems to be heading in the right direction. It's different to what other coaches are doing, but doing this is how innovation is achieved.

I think you will find most coaches taking on a club in a rebuilding phase will have a shit win / loss record for a while.

 

[Soze]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Damn! Check out how the faithful turn on each other after a decidedly average few games.

Someone else said patience is a virtue. Well said. At least give Knights a couple of seasons to determine his worth, THEN we can bay for blood and start the "Bring back Sheeds/Give Hirdy a shot!" chants.

Aside from time, injuries are obviously crucial. Props to the ABC commentator on Sunday arvo who, while calling the Dees vs Freo game said it wasn't Essendon playing later the same day, it was the the Bendigo Bombers - cause it pretty much was.

 

[boms]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Hardwick's plan to have a total rebuild like Hawthorn would have failed due to the incoming Gold Coast and West Sydney teams. We wouldn't have had the top five pick in any draft that would be required.

I admit that I want/wanted Dimma, but that's because he's my all-time favourite player.

Hawthorn struggled in Clarkson's first year, just like we are. Look at them now, that could very well be us in two or three years.

This West Sydney/Gold coast gettinng the top 15 draft picks is total bullshit... the clubs wont allow it... We will never know if it would of worked but Hardwick has been under Clarkson for a while so he knows how to re-build a side.

I really really wanted Hardwick but when i heard Knights was going to be the coach i had to support the guy, im losing faith really quickly now tho

 

[hammer]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

FFS the guys been in there 5 minutes!

He's been given a VERY young team with a few lazy seniors to work with. This mainly due to our lack of 22-26 yo players. Is it Knights fault we recruited some crappy youngsters after our peak in 00-01? Of course it's not!

Let's not forget the fact that we're depleted with injury atm. We had 22 to choose from 24 for Sunday. That's not positive.

PLUS of those 24 we decided to drop Laycock!!!! ....which I don't disagree with.

We were NEVER going to win the flag in 2008. Best thing to do is keep developing the kids and the game plan and come back to it later. We're in a good position right now with the kids we have coming through. They do take time though.

Anyone who expected to win yesterday needs to get their head checked. Truthfully, I had money on Port at 60+ as it was the obvious result but I still went to the game hoping for a surprise!

I love where this team is going. I love Knights 'run and gun' game plan and think it's going to pay HUGE dividends long-term.

We're in for a treat, I assure you that. It just takes time. Knights, really, has this year to experiment then 09 to get things right and 10 to challenge.

These are the questions that need to be answered....

Who is responsible for our drafting/recruiting?
Who is responsible for our player development?
Who is football operations manager?

Are these faceless people ever going to be held accountable?

For to long our recruiting and development staff have dodged scrutiny. Our deficencies today are a result of 5 years mis-management.

We used to be the leader of the pack in so many areas now we are behind the pack.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

You won't convince me that having a go at someones grammer is not poor and he may be a dill he may not be but personal insults reflects worse on you believe me.

By the way it's a bit silly having a go at someone's grammer when your spelling is not 100% correct yourself.

At least we try.

As for personal insults, well, maybe after a few days to think it was a little harsh but I don't worry or regret what I have said because I can't change the fact.

He had a go at Knights... I had a go at him.

In the heat of battle you might say and do things that are not completely nice but I look back at my comments and at the time I think they were warranted.

 

[Enki]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

I really really wanted Hardwick but when i heard Knights was going to be the coach i had to support the guy, im losing faith really quickly now tho

And this is the problem with many fans. You don't honestly think with the injuries we have had and the sub par skill levels of many of our players that it would be any different with any other coach do you?

 

[caboose]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

And this is the problem with many fans. You don't honestly think with the injuries we have had and the sub par skill levels of many of our players that it would be any different with any other coach do you?

Given you've created a completely hypothetical scenario, you know as well as anyone else that the chances of having a definitive argument on the points you've made are virtually nil. No-one can conclusively prove or disprove how the last 7 weeks may have panned out with somebody else at the helm. However, I'd put it to you that it's not a huge leap of faith to at least suggest things may have been different under another coach.

Sheeds - for one - regularly confronted injury crises as great if not greater than the one Knights currently has. Yet I can't remember a single time throughout 27 full years (let alone 7 games) when the side performed as poorly as it has for the last few weeks.

In other words, even if we'd stuck with Sheeds (let alone gone with some other new coach), history would at least suggest we probably wouldn't be copping as many hidings as we are at the moment.

And to point out that obvious fact shouldn't mean that fan has a "problem".

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

^^^ Maybe you're not old enough to remember but we had a 3.5 win and 14 losses in a row season in 06 and fell in heap last year and won 2 out of our last 9 with finals in reach.

We also had a guy by the name of Hird that played then.

Sheeds is the No. 1 reason why we are in the state we are. He hung on to the likes of Bolton, JJ, MJ and a few others too long. Recruited guys that are too old just to fill gaps and allowed the club to become ill disciplined in all facets.

 

[caboose]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

^^^ Maybe you're not old enough to remember but we had a 3.5 win and 14 losses in a row season in 06 and fell in heap last year and won 2 out of our last 9 with finals in reach.

We also had a guy by the name of Hird that played then.

Sheeds is the No. 1 reason why we are in the state we are. He hung on to the likes of Bolton, JJ, MJ and a few others too long. Recruited guys that are too old just to fill gaps and allowed the club to become ill disciplined in all facets.

There's no need for the attack at the start of your post. Particularly as it sounds like you're misunderstanding the context of my comments.

I was talking (in direct response to someone else's specific question) about how the side has performed over the last 27 years when we've been hit by injury. And linking it to the fact that it's not out of the realms of possibility that another coach could have dealt with the current injury problems at least as well if not better than Knights. Whether Sheedy or somebody else.

When we've been smashed by 99, 30, 36, 73 and 64 points just in the last six weeks, I don't think that's an unreasonable assumption.

(BTW: I might add that, even if we addressed the separate point of how poorly we did in 2006 and 2007, our percentage at the end of both of those years was a lot higher than it is now.)

 

[Ari]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

I just laugh at threads like this. Honestly guys, we're decimated by injury at the moment. We've some of our best players out. Worse than that we only had 22 to choose from about 24 last week.

Once Knights gets his players showing some defensive football and manning up they will be okay. Once he gets a few personnel back they will be okay.

I'm actually kinda shocked the people on here asking for Knights head after losing to Port. What did we expect? We were NEVER going to win that game.

Laughable.

Have a little patience people. The time will come. Essendon will run home just watch them. Some of you are playing checkers when the game is chess.

 

[THEBLOODS85]

Re: why knights as coach was wrong

Jeez people like blaming the coach.

Give him a break. We have our most important players out because of injury. Don't have a go at Knighter. He's a new coach. Its gotta be trial and error. Its the only way a new coach will find out what his team is capable of.

Yes they do don't they!

Re: Mark Harvey - new favourite for coach first sacked

Jock McHale could coach better from his grave.