Toast The Dani Laidley appreciation thread

[Ghostwriter]

Post all your positives about JYD in here, on reflection I have had an epiphany and have come to the conclusion that Dean tried his honest guts out for North and did everything he could possibly do to make North stronger without cheating, he used the draft and trade albeit unsuccesfully but at least he did it within the guidelines, history will judge him well.

 

[Tas]

I appreciate he isn't coaching.

To draw on a positive, he was usually pretty good at applying the defensive pressure, we made the finals with probably one of the worst midfields of all time in a year all the experts tipped us to win the spoon. I think it really showed what you can achieve when defensive pressure is drilled into you. We were one of the hardest tackling teams under Laidley, good at stoppage football.

 

[Luke72]

I liked him as a player. For a skinny bloke he was tough and loved a contest.

 

[Saintly31]

Cant disagree with the OP.

Scott could certainly learn from Dean in some areas of how to coach a team, and definitely vice versa. Underrated coach IMO, excellent tactician just too negative.

 

[the bolter]

I woulda thought his media management didn't match to his player/team management.
That said, I woulda thought maybe he got some bad advice from media guys.
I woulda thought he maybe over used some certain phrases in attempt to feel comfortable in a presser.

 

[Shermanator]

I miss the; ssssssssssssssssss *heavy breathe being sucked in between his teeth*
*exhale* Yeah, Nah...

Response at every press conference.

Coached like he played - tough without finesse, it was just unfortunate he didn't have the cattle in those club 'limbo years'.

 

[blackshadow]

He was a master at picking out how to shut down other teams' game plans.

Did very well with the resources at his disposal.

 

[Yianni]

Just like The Simpson's 'Mediocre Presidents', every team needs interim coaches and he wasn't the worst of the lot.

Squeezed a lot out of a little and even managed to 'out-intense' Mark Harvey, which not many can claim.

 

[numchuks]

Shit bloke and shit coach.

 

[Only Forwards]

Hmm I dunno about shit coach.

As I have written in another thread I think in 2007 Laidley embodied the spirit of the club as much as the players and the people who fought to keep the club.

He took a group of players which were largely regarded as at best mid table and got them to play out of their skins. Got them to a preliminary final, got them as high up the ladder as he could. He coached them to a point that people could point to the finish and say "look at that with no facilities, f*** all money we can mix it with the big boys".

Laidley needs to go down in the records as a coach that help keep our club from falling into oblivion, that should be his legacy.

 

[True North]

He beat Hawthorn in a final.

He won 85% of matches with a result within 12 points.

The players played for him and with a pretty average list we made a prelim.

Until Scott beats Hawthorn in a final...

JYD>Scott

 

[shinboner magic]

Was a good tactian on matchday but other than that hewas quite average.
Will be forever remembered as the guy that destroyed Jesse smith career and the first half of wells career.

 

[muttley45]

i can remember the scrawny little junk yard dog in the '96 grand final, more than once, fearlessly dropping into the hole in front of an angry, and hard leading plugger, not a job for the faint hearted, will always be a premiership player,

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

Shit bloke and shit coach.

Premiership player. Coach who got the most out of a pretty average list.

Everyone's entitled to their opinions, but if you're going to pot the bloke I reckon you should at least give some explanation.

 

[DJ Dupree]

A hard-edged, no-frills type of player and coach, he ensured that our club stayed alive and competitive, without the facilities afforded to some others at his disposal. I think history should look favourably upon him.

He was there during a huge question mark over the clubs' sustainability in Melbourne, where the side had to remain competitive to draw enough supporters to keep it going; bottoming out wasn't an option. Because of that, he traded heavily - some worked, some didn't. But he didn't have a kings' ransom to work with anyway. Even if he'd had the draft picks, he didn't have the facilities or dollars in the football department to really match it with the most professional sides in the competition. He developed a team of mature players, contested-ball specialists, barely any of them above average to good. And with this lot, he made 3 finals series, a prelim, and the other years finishing usually around a respectable 10th (2006 the exception).

He had flaws, there's no question there. His management of certain players, pigeonholing Wells as an outside receiver for his whole career, his media profile (and sometimes a combination of player management and media howlers e.g Hamish), his stubbornness on gameday (persisting with an out of his depth Watt in the early years, more examples of similar things but this comes to mind). But I don't think he had any more faults, or any worse faults, than other very decent coaches making the rounds now. And as mentioned earlier, how much less did Dean have to work with than them? And how much further did he get us than some of these coaches are getting their own sides now?

A North premiership great, who took a job not many seemed to want, for less money than was the average, who steered a sinking ship into a preliminary final. Pretty much saved the club with honest toilers and second-hands because he couldn't afford anything else. That's huge. I think overall there have to be more positives than negatives.

And he won a final... did I mention with less resources than what we have now? Tick, tock.

 

[RooBoyz24]

He gave his all for the NMFC and we had No Money and No Resources.To say shit coack and shit person is harsh.We could not afford another coach and he had no support.
So yes is was not the best coach but we did not hit rock bottom and we kept fighting.So all i can is Laids did his all and when he knew he had enough he pulled the pin.So we owe him alot and there might not have been a NMFC without him.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

I was on the same flight from Adelaide to Melbourne with him a couple of years ago. His aeroplane etiquette was first class. He didn't put his seat back, was polite to the hostess, waited for the seatbelt light to go off before standing, and most definitely had his phone on aeroplane mode. It was very much appreciated by all.

 

[Bowski]

Please, that's nonsense. If anything you should be grateful for his work with Andrew Swallow who, IMO, is Laidley's greatest player related success.

Will be forever remembered as the guy that destroyed Jesse smith career and the first half of wells career.

 

[Black Diamond]

...excellent tactician just too negative.

"...too negative" would suggest he wasn't excellent.

 

[Black Diamond]

Just had a read through the comments. I guess many on this board would be happy to move Scott on and get Laidley back.

I appreciate what he did for us, but get a grip. "Giving his all" and "poor facilities" isn't really an excuse for poor results.

 

[blackshadow]

Just had a read through the comments. I guess many on this board would be happy to move Scott on and get Laidley back.

I appreciate what he did for us, but get a grip. "Giving his all" and "poor facilities" isn't really an excuse for poor results.

Not at all. We've got the right man for the right time now.

That doesn't mean I don't appreciate and respect what JYD did (under very difficult circumstances).

 

[Only Forwards]

Just had a read through the comments. I guess many on this board would be happy to move Scott on and get Laidley back.

I appreciate what he did for us, but get a grip. "Giving his all" and "poor facilities" isn't really an excuse for poor results.

The Laidley train has well and truly sailed.

The have different strenghs and different weaknesses. But its complete hogwash for people to come on and say shit coach as a blanket over his coaching career.

 

[DarwinRoo]

Will be forever remembered as the guy that destroyed Jesse smith career and the first half of wells career.

What a big bunch of bullshit!!!!!

 

[Gasometer]

I miss the; ssssssssssssssssss *heavy breathe being sucked in between his teeth*
*exhale* Yeah, Nah...

Response at every press conference.

Coached like he played - tough without finesse, it was just unfortunate he didn't have the cattle in those club 'limbo years'.

You forgot 'structures' over and over over...

 

[Gasometer]

Kind of 'meh' about the Coaching aspect now.

I think that the financial plight of the era compounded an ability to take some risks and go for youth at the draft and instead we ended up with some awful trades.

Anywho, he was our Coach at what I call our Premiership of the 'norties'...