Press conference midday - Eade ?

[Dry Rot]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

Perhaps if we lost against the Swans in that final and went out in straight sets then our goals for this year may not of been as high and Rodney would still be the coach?

IMO it is time for a fresh set of eyes to be coaching us, so I'm pleased with today's decision. It's good news.

Not quite sure why some are criticising the club, since Eade called for an early decision and they responded.

Most importantly, as others have posted, the club should conduct a thorough review of the footy dept now, including Fantasia.

And I hope Smorgon doesn't believe that bullshit that we just need a refresh, not a rebuild, otherwise we'll be stuffed for years.

[anfo27]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

Perhaps if we lost against the Swans in that final and went out in straight sets then our goals for this year may not of been as high and Rodney would still be the coach?

I doubt it cause all we heard from the media in the pre=season was how many injuries we had and how we would make a grand final with a full list.

[Maddog37]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

Lots of doomsayers on here today.

Anyone think that maybe the club has had their hand forced by Rockets management? Maybe the feedback from players spoke of staleness.

Lethal reckons every coach has a use by date and I agree with him.

Rocket has been great but our team has been trending downwards since 2009 IMO. Time for a new outlook and fresh ideas.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

I don't understand the calls of it being a courageous decision. More the opposite, it's gutless. Could have spread the blame(include themselves), backed a good coach for another contract and not pander to the idiots on BF or Facebook.

[chef]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

IMO it is time for a fresh set of eyes to be coaching us, so I'm pleased with today's decision. It's good news.

Not quite sure why some are criticising the club, since Eade called for an early decision and they responded.

Most importantly, as others have posted, the club should conduct a thorough review of the footy dept now, including Fantasia.

And I hope Smorgon doesn't believe that bullshit that we just need a refresh, not a rebuild, otherwise we'll be stuffed for years.

I agree with all this mate.

I'm a bit sad to see him go, but it's time.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

To me Eade is/was a good to very good coach and a great bloke. I appreciate all that he has done for the club but think it's a good idea IF either we get Malthouse or the best rookie we can find + up finances for footy department. If we keep on going with the cheap as chips footy department sacking Eade would be a terrible decision.

What I don't like is the process. Having Fantasia on board is a massive conflict of interest.

As much as I rate Eade I think a lot of posters who developed a relationship with him are emotionally influenced in their calls and that's understandable. What I really dislike are the morons who are rapt he is gone/don't appreciate his work. It's ironic that the ones who get worked up most, are the ones who don't contribute. A big like society in general I guess.

[Sedat]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

I don't understand the calls of it being a courageous decision. More the opposite, it's gutless. Could have spread the blame(include themselves), backed a good coach for another contract and not pander to the idiots on BF or Facebook.

Exactly. This is scapegoat decision making 101 - identify the most vulnerable (and coincidentally highest profile) employee and make an example of him to show some sort faux-toughness and clinical decisiveness. Meanwhile the low profile minions (you know who you are) carry on as normal, no matter how inept their performances and decision making have been during their particular tenure.

There are many and varied reasons for our on-field performance in 2011 - to highlight one person as the root cause of this is gutless management. Garlick and Smorgon have had a very poor day.

[mjp]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

To me Eade is/was a good to very good coach and a great bloke. I appreciate all that he has done for the club but think it's a good idea IF either we get Malthouse or the best rookie we can find + up finances for footy department. If we keep on going with the cheap as chips footy department sacking Eade would be a terrible decision.

I get all of that RJ and was becoming increasingly wary that re-appointing Eade was going to end up in a similar way to the way Williams finished at PA. I also get that the full review outcome(s??) are yet to be revealed...but:

- What happens to the assistants/strength and C/development team? Are they culpable in all of this and moved on as well, or is there some continuity - and who determines who stays and who goes?

- What about the list management decisions that are hanging around our neck (3 years for DJ, upgrading of Mulligan, failure to trade Hill etc etc etc)...where is the assessment of all of that and again, who is responsible for it all and what is the outcome.

- I know we are very well advanced in our recruiting process for this years draft - targeting specific player types based on what I assumed was needs as communicated by the coaching group as pertains to the 'gameplan'. So what happens here? Will this set us back significantly and whose fault is it going to be if a group of kids unsuited to the new 'style' or 'structure' are recruited to the club.

I have a lot of questions right now. The decision is the decision - fine. But what else and what next? I am perpetually fascinated by all of this stuff (Melbourne backing Connolly who clearly still wants to coach and will therefore have been undermining the coach and axing Bailey) and two weeks later we announce Eade is out and....NOTHING else?

[Sedat]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

- What about the list management decisions that are hanging around our neck (3 years for DJ, upgrading of Mulligan, failure to trade Hill etc etc etc)...where is the assessment of all of that and again, who is responsible for it all and what is the outcome.

It appears that everything is hunky dory here because said person of part of the 4-man committee to conduct the end of season football review.

Staggering.

[The Doctor]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

Worrying times I feel.

Rocket was the most competent and experienced person at the club. The most proven performer. The other key personnel in the footy dept have no where near the same credit;

Simon Garlick - unproven and inexperienced CEO. Hard act to follow in Cam Rose however I can't help but feel he is the cheap option and a Smorgon puppet.

James Fantasia - What has he done? Trading has become messy, contract negotiations protracted, strange drafting, poor list management decisions etc etc

Simon Dalrymple - In my view has been a poor performer to date. There are fantastic players at other clubs we could have had but chose others who are struggling.

David Smorgon - For all his great work in stabilising the club when he pokes his nose into football decisions they can be disasterous, ie Rhode appointment, Eade release. If Leon Cameron comes in as senior coach it will confirm in my mind a boys club mentality is in place at present.

If you lined all these guys up against a wall to pick your off field team Eade would be my first picked.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

I went into this year expecting to finish somewhere between 5th and 8th and, despite some annoyance with he how coached in 2010, was adamant that the Board should reappoint Rodney Eade at the end of the season.

Even when it became clear that our fall would be worse than almost all but the most pessimistic among us had predicted, I maintained my belief that the best course of action to take would be to give Rocket another three years.

It was a reasonable position to take.

Three of the last four premierships have been won by teams that had a senior coach at the helm for longer than Eade has been at the Bulldogs before they went on to achieve glory. If it took Thompson 8 years and Malthouse 10, then the Bulldogs would be mad to jettison a coach that had taken us into a number of finals series in his seven years at the club.

The latest Premiership trend was patience; and it was brand new, as not many coaches in modern times have kept their jobs after seven years without a flag.

However upon closer examination, I realised that I was wrong to think that Geelong and Collingwood's success should dictate our future actions:



The Rodney Eade Record - 7 Years at the Western Bulldogs:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2005 - 9th - 11 wins

2006 - 8th - 13 wins

2007 - 13th - 9 wins, 1 draw

2008 - 3rd - 15 wins, 1 draw

2009 - 3rd - 15 wins

2010 - 4th - 14 wins

2011 - likely finish - 12th - 9 wins



Note on 2011 season:

- 7 wins to date and should be able to defeat Port Adelaide in Adelaide and Fremantle at Etihad, as both are limping towards the end of the season.

- 36 points will be our lowest tally under Rodney Eade.

- Two wins this year were against a team in their debut year and two against teams that have already sacked their coach.



Finals performances:

2006 - WON - Elimination Final v Collingwood by 41 points

2006 - LOST - Semi Final v West Coast by 74 points

2008 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Hawthorn by 51 points

2008 - WON - Semi Final v Sydney by 37 points

2008 - LOST - Preliminary Final v Geelong by 29 points

2009 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Geelong by 14 points

2009 - WON - Semi Final v Brisbane by 51 points

2009 - LOST - Preliminary Final v St Kilda by 7 points

2010 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Collingwood by 62 points

2010 - WON - Semi Final v Sydney by 5 points

2010 - LOST - Preliminary Final v St Kilda by 24 points



Finals statistics:

- Played 11 finals in seven years.

- Won 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 33 points, including three wins against interstate teams in the second week of the finals series.

- Lost 7 finals in seven years by an average margin of 37 points. Had more scoring shots in both Preliminary Final losses to St Kilda but failed to convert.

- Have not defeated a top 4 team in any final in seven years.

- First coach to lead the Bulldogs to three consecutive Preliminary Finals.




The Mick Malthouse Record - First 7 years at Collingwood:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2000 - 15th - 7 wins

2001 - 9th - 10 wins

2002 - 4th - 13 wins

2003 - 2nd - 15 wins

2004 - 13th - 8 wins

2005 - 15th - 5 wins

2006 - 5th - 14 wins



Finals performances:

2002 - WON - Qualifying Final v Port Adelaide by 13 points

2002 - WON - Preliminary Final v Adelaide by 28 points

2002 - LOST - Grand Final v Brisbane by 9 points

2003 - WON - Qualifying Final v Brisbane by 15 points

2003 - WON - Preliminary Final v Port Adelaide by 44 points

2003 - LOST - Grand Final v Brisbane by 50 points

2006 - LOST - Elimination Final v Western Bulldogs by 41 points



Notes on Mick's first seven years:

- Played 7 finals in seven years. Four less than the Bulldogs under Rodney Eade.

- Won 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 25 points (the same number of wins as the Bulldogs, but Collingwood won two Preliminary Finals and defeated four teams in the top 4).

- Lost 3 finals in seven years by an average margin of 33 points, including two Grand Final losses.

- Malthouse began rebuilding his 2002/03 team in 2004. By the end of his seventh season, he had returned Collingwood to the top eight.

- It would take Collingwood four more years to win a flag.




The Bomber Thompson Record - First 7 years at Geelong:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2000 - 5th - 12 wins, 1 draw

2001 - 12th - 9 wins

2002 - 9th - 11 wins

2003 - 12th - 7 wins, 1 draw

2004 - 4th - 15 wins

2005 - 6th - 12 wins

2006 - 10th - 10 wins, 1 draw



Finals performances:

2000 - LOST - Elimination Final v Hawthorn by 9 points

2004 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Port Adelaide by 55 points

2004 - WON - Semi Final v Essendon by 10 points

2004 - LOST - Preliminary Final v Brisbane by 9 points

2005 - WON - Elimination Final v Melbourne by 55 points

2005 - LOST - Semi Final v Sydney by 3 points



Notes on Bomber's first seven years:

- Played 6 finals in seven years. Five less than the Bulldogs under Eade.

- Won 2 finals in seven years by an average margin of 32 points, two less wins than Eade and Malthouse.

- Lost 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 19 points.

- Won a flag the very next year.




When reviewing the performance of all three, Eade's 90 wins compares favourably to Bomber's 78 and Malthouse's 76.

However, after seven years Malthouse had demonstrated that he could lead his team to finals success against quality opposition. He had also rebuilt his own team and taken them back into the finals. Two things that Eade has not demonstrated to date at the Bulldogs.

When reading Bomber's record at Geelong, it seems almost amazing that they allowed him to coach into his eighth season; yet they did and won the following Grand Final by 119 points. The review into the 2006 season at Geelong by Brian Cook showed why Bomber should be kept at the helm. Basically, he had developed a team that could win a Premiership. They were talented, they were the right age, they had played enough games and they were poised to dominate the competition.

Seven years into Eade's tenure and the same simply cannot be said. Ten players on our list (with a combined 1924 games of experience) will be 28 or older by the end of the year. Only 10 players on our list under the age of 28 have played over fifty games of senior football; a fact made even more deplorable when you realise that Minson, Hill and Addison are among them and that Sherman played his games at Brisbane. Of the remaining 20 players on our list, only Grant (34 games) and Wood (26 games) have played more than 25 games in the seniors. Our talented youngsters need time, most of our best players will be wearied by it, and we don't have enough good players in-between.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

We are, therefore, in a vastly different position than either of the two teams that I'd been comparing us to, so the idea of extending Eade's tenure to nine or ten years based on their success was deeply flawed. There are a number of factors that needed to be considered when making the call, including:




1. Are Eade's tactics and game plan likely to lead us to Premiership success?


While Eade is well regarded as an excellent match day tactician, the biggest impact his ideas had on the competition was in his early days at the Bulldogs. Since that time, Thompson, Clarkson, Lyon and Malthouse have all developed strategies that have superseded that style, yet our club has been slow to react and change.

What on Earth were we doing during the last preseason? Two fundamental tasks stood before us at the end of last year: to find a way to deal with other team's applying forward pressure and to increase the pressure that we applied in turn. We failed at both tasks.

This year was the first in Eade's entire coaching career in which he brought a team into the season so poorly prepared to counter the opposition. While our injuries this year can in some way justify our poor ball use, they cannot explain why we could barely lay a tackle inside our forward fifty at the start of the year. Yes, we've improved on that since the middle of the year, but do we praise the coach for finally catching up with the competition or admonish him for missing the boat in the first place?

The performance of our forward line in the last couple of years has been underwhelming. One dimensional isn't good at any time, but it's a much bigger concern when the dimension in question is retiring in three weeks.

While John Worsfold and his assistants have shown that coaches can adapt to changing situations; I am more envious of Clarkson at Hawthorn, who changed his Premiership winning game plan to ensure that they are once again competitive and who seems to have plans B, C and D as well. I think a genuine question mark was placed on Rocket's ability to develop the right strategies for our team in the next two or three years. Perhaps a coach who has played more recently and experienced a variety of other systems may be better placed to guide our team.




2. Is Eade the man to rebuild his team?


90 wins and four finals series is a very good record as a coach. In his time at the club, Rocket has rewarded the faith shown in him when he was appointed to rebuild the club after Peter Rhode was replaced. He was a good choice to rebuild Rohde's team, but was he the right man to rebuild his own?

It's a tough question.

Some of the decisions he has made in the past makes me doubt if he was. In 2010 in particular, he carried out of form senior players for far too often when it would have been beneficial to both the players and the team for them to find their form at Williamstown. It looked like favouritism; and that is never a good thing to have at a football club.

When a coach doesn't select his team on form and fitness then it allows senior players to become complacent and deprives the team of an often valuable injection of youth. Collingwood picked their Grand Final team that year without sentimentality and won the flag while great club servants sat in the stands and watched in good health. It's an interesting question as to whether the same side would have been picked using Rocket's selection process that year. While I thought it rude to pose the question to Eade himself that way; I did ask him about our team selection that year and he conceded that he may have been better served by dropping two players a few weeks before the finals. He made a similar concession to me the year previously about Josh Hill's selection in 2009.

My other concern with the 2010 season was that we failed to find the balance of developing youth and winning games (they are not mutually exclusive - Collingwood, Hawthorn, West Coast and Geelong seem to be doing quite well at both this year). While games were put into Grant, too few games went into Roughead, Wood and Jones (Ward was injured but played when he was available). During our strive towards Premiership success we didn't work hard enough to inject youth into the team. That's why Collingwood have 19 players under 28 who have played over fifty games to our 10, and 5 players who have played over 30 to our 1.

This year, injuries and poor form have brought about the injection of youth that we've craved, and Eade deserves a big tick for how the young ones have performed. Markovic has been excellent, Jones is a gem, Dalhaus terrific, Liberatore has shown plenty, Djerrkura (who has only played 11 games) has improved and a number of others have been given their first taste of football.

But still, the club had to ask whether the coach who had shown such loyalty to his senior players is the man best placed to make some big decisions on the playing fortunes of those who served him best. Hall is retiring so that's easy, but what of the rest of our veterans? Roughead and Cordy need substantial time in the seniors at a time when the substitute rule makes it significantly harder to play a second ruckman; will the time come to take Hudson out of the team so they can develop even if it weakens our ruck stocks? Would Eade be able to make the uncompromised decision that opts for young players in the midfield instead of Cross? Is he the best man to make the decision on when Murphy, Giansiracusa, Gilbee and Hargrave exit the club (he did make the right call on Hahn last year)? Can he once again get an All Australian year out of Lake? Maybe.




3. Will a change in senior coach be beneficial to the players?


If you accept that Peter Rohde doesn't count and that an eighteen year old's experience under Terry Wallace is long forgotten, then only Hall, Hudson, Sheman, Djerrkura and Veszpremi have been led by another coach with different ideas and a different style. In other words, almost our entire playing list have only ever responded to one voice and know no other way. Sometimes organisations need change. A new voice at the top can be reinvigorating to both established players who might have gone stale and to youth who can build a new relationship with their new coach.

As popular as he is with the majority of the playing list, our performances this year highlighted that having admiration for the coach doesn't necessarily equate to them playing for him. On Saturday night, David Parkin (a great friend of Rocket) suggested that the Bulldog players were picking and choosing when to play hard football and when not to. It's valid criticism and could be just as easily applied to our performances all year.

The club believes that a new leader will bring in a new approach and direction that is required to reinvigorate the Club and maximise the opportunity to get the most out of our playing group. There is merit in that. Since Brisbane's Premiership in 2003, every flag except Collingwood's has been won by a coach at his first club (even though it did take Bomber a while at Geelong).




When thinking about all this today, and knowing that the decision to remove Eade was made by people much closer to the action, I think the Club has done the right thing in not renewing his contract.

It's a shame.

I'd have loved Rodney Eade to be the next premiership coach of the Bulldogs but it hasn't worked out that way. We can look back at the injuries that we carried into last season's final series and the inexplicably bad performance in the 2009 Qualifying Final against Geelong, and regret the bad luck and poor mental application that probably cost us a flag; but we must also look forward.

The club can now begin the search for the best man in the country to build our next Premiership team. Someone hungry with a fresh approach who can improve our style of play, add an edge to how we approach each contest, make some important decisions on our playing list, bring in new assistant coaches, develop our youngsters and get something more out of our established senior players. There is an assistant coach out there who will be able to meet these challenges and the more time we allow ourselves to recruit him the better. It's good for the club to begin now and the most respectful way to manage our relationship with Rocket, who is now able to pursue his next position in the football industry.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

Great posts, The Rocket.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

The Rocket, that's a really well thought out and interesting couple of posts you've constructed there. Worthy of it's own separate thread I reckon.

[GVGjr]

Re: Press conference midday - Eade ?

The Rocket, that's a really well thought out and interesting couple of posts you've constructed there. Worthy of it's own separate thread I reckon.

Agree that this is worthy of its own thread and thanks to The Rocket for such a detailed analysis which is food for thought.