Mark Thompson quits as Geelong coach

[LostDoggy]

At the end of the day he has 2 premierships. If Eade left us under similar circumstances after winning a flag or 2, I would not be all that bitter with him.

I know a few Geelong fans are bitter with him cos he flat out lied and took the high moral ground during the season. They are bitter cos they believe he might have cost them another premiership this season.
Of course he was a premiership coach for them so it make it easier but its still a slap in the face to Geelong and its fans.

[Sedat]

I know a few Geelong fans are bitter with him cos he flat out lied and took the high moral ground during the season. They are bitter cos they believe he might have cost them another premiership this season.

Geelong fans also have the right to be bitter with some of the list management decisions that Thompson and McCarthy made straight after the prelim, when they were both clearly in active discussions with Essendon at the time. Those two signed off on giving Milburn another 12 months, which is just flat-out irresponsible for a team desperately short of defensive pace, run and carry.

[LostDoggy]

This whole saga has just gone to show what a classless organisation the Essendon Football Club is.

And really Mark Thompson is the most dissapointing member of the debacle, simply for his ridiculous attempt to be the victim. Why did he feel making comments about being "burnt out" and thus needing a prolonged break from football was the right way to severe his ties with Geelong? Especially when he knew that he was (or was very likely) to be at Essendon a couple of month's later?

Why didn't he just announce that he wanted to go to Essendon? As GVGjr mentioned Geelong wouldn't want to keep someone who doesn't want to be there, and he could have presented a press conference like this:

-Has enjoyed his time at Geelong and feels he has accomplished much with the club, but thinks there isn't much more to achieve and feels both the club and he would benefit from a change
-As a result he will move to Essendon to undertake a new and exciting role. This role presents challenges and opportunities that aren't available at Geelong right now.
-Is delighted to be moving back to his former club, a club which he captained, won a premiership with and is passionate about.
-Looking forward to helping James Hird establish himself as an AFL coach and developing Essendons young, talented and exciting list.
-Regrets that he has to leave Geelong in order to do so, but re-iterates that it is a move centered around new opportunity, and wants to thank Geelong for the faith they took in him and for supporting him throughout his however many years in charge.

He leaves Geelong for understandable reasons (money won't be mentioned in the pc but is undoubtably a factor, it always is), joins his new club honourably and doesn't drag it out and turn it into a drama.

Great post.

If they'd been honest from the start there wouldn't be as much, if any ill feeling toward them.

[Desipura]

I know a few Geelong fans are bitter with him cos he flat out lied and took the high moral ground during the season. They are bitter cos they believe he might have cost them another premiership this season.
Of course he was a premiership coach for them so it make it easier but its still a slap in the face to Geelong and its fans.

I think they are kidding themselves.

[LostDoggy]

I think they are kidding themselves.

Why? Collingwood did it's best to choke in the first gf. Had Geelong been in the saints boot(3 pts? in the first final) they would not have let the opportunity slip

[Desipura]

Why? Collingwood did it's best to choke in the first gf. Had Geelong been in the saints boot(3 pts? in the first final) they would not have let the opportunity slip

I just think they looked slow and tired by seasons end. Ablett going will not make them any faster either.
Varcoe will be getting more attention as a result. They are holding on to some players that really time has passed them by ie Joel Corey and Enright.
I think they will play finals but not be a legitimate contender.

[LostDoggy]

I just think they looked slow and tired by seasons end. Ablett going will not make them any faster either.
Varcoe will be getting more attention as a result. They are holding on to some players that really time has passed them by ie Joel Corey and Enright.
I think they will play finals but not be a legitimate contender.

I think chops means this season just past, not the one coming up.

[Desipura]

I think chops means this season just past, not the one coming up.

My bad........I still think Collingwood had them covered.

[mjp]

I am pretty relaxed about it all now.

I think Thompson had just had enough of being at Geelong. But he liked the people there and didn't want to disappoint them. His actions and seeming dishonesty have come more from not wanting to let people down (he avoided hard conversations because he didn't want to say no) rather than any kind of malicious intent.

I don't know - the Cats have had a pretty good run and I just think they need to be a bit more understanding.

As for the Bombers, well, they wanted something which was in theory unattainable and they found a way to make it happen. They might just have gotten exactly what they deserve with Hird and Thompson - I just don't see it as a match made in heaven - but they have a heap of high draft picks on their books who could very well start playing good footy.

As for Knights, well, if I was an Essendon supporter I would be very happy he isn't in charge anymore. He had a chance, he mucked it up...now he is coaching high school footy. As has been said before, he is heading in the WROOOOOONG direction!

[Ghost Dog]

he masterfully kept adding fuel to the fire by not answering direct questions or giving unequivocal assurances that he would not coach the club. No sooner it would quieten down, Hird would somehow make another comment that brought it back into the spotlight again..

I distinctly, DISTINCTLY recall Hird being put on the spot by Leigh Mathews on a telecast, asking him directly, will you coach the Bombers next year. This was only a few months ago, during the start of finals season. He replied something to the effect of ' There is no way I will be coach of Essendon next year, as I have other business commitments'. It was a straight answer that I recall clearly.

What a crock!