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| CHOCO OR MICK IN 2010? |
 admin writes, "Are Collingwood supporters just cynical, bad losers or do they have a valid point?"
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Travelling on the train back to Bendigo after Collingwood's loss to the mighty Geelong team at the M.C.G. produced some very interesting observations from disappointed Magpie fans...and they seem to have some very valid points.
Comments such as '...bad kicking is bad football" and "...why travel down the wing, when the shortest distance to goal is straight up the guts" are logical complaints, especially when Collingwood had some very real opportunities to defeat the all-conquering Cats on Easter Thursday night.
But was it surprising to hear the many calls for Mick Malthouse to be replaced by current Port Power coach Mark 'Choco' Williams rather than Magpie legend Nathan Buckley?
Not really, when one considers the facts.
Port are having quite a few financial problems at the moment, and 'Choco' is in the final year of his contract at the Power.
Williams, a former Magpie skipper, was well known for his tenacious ability to lift his team when things were getting tough, and as such is still very much loved by a large majority of the Magpie faithful.
Add to that his coaching performance under extreme pressure to win a premiership for Port after his 'showdown' with Power sponsor Allan Scott, who famously declared that Williams would never win a flag while he was coach of Port.
Well win he did, and at the same time stopping Brisbane from duplicating Collingwoods proud and long standing record of 4 premierships in a row.
It is amazing how many Magpie supporters believe that Williams won that flag as much for Collingwood, as he did for the Power.
Add to that the fact that Williams has been often quoted as saying that he would love to return to Melbourne to coach because (a) his wife is from Melbourne, and (b) he has many friends in Melbourne from his days at Collingwood and Essendon.
But why would members of the Magpie Army want him instead of the much loved Buckley?
Well, they DO want Buckley, but as an assistant to 'Choco'. They don't want a repeat of what happened with another favorite son, Tony Shaw, who knocked back an assistants job at Carlton the year he was appointed the coach of the Magpies. Many thought that he was still too close to the players, and did not have the experience required to become coach at that time.
Even Leigh Matthews served an apprenticeship under the late Bobby Rose, albeit a short one.
One thing that the Magpie fans were certain about, however, is that Malthouse's gameplan just is not working, and that there seem to be too many coaches at the club.
It was amazing the displeasure shown by supporters at Collingwood's tactic of having a different coach for every pre-season match. They believe that it was almost as stupid as some club's that have had rotating captains during the season.
And I agree. There should be ONE voice as a coach, and ONE voice as a captain, not a different one each week.
A case of too many chiefs and not enough indians.
Plus, Malthouse's record at the Magpies is no better than former coach Tom Hafey.
And look what happened to him in the end!
One thing is for sure however, and that is that every Collingwood fan I spoke to on the train wants Essendon to make the finals this year, just to make Matthew Knights job at Essendon more secure, and hopefully stopping the Bombers from grabbing 'Choco' before Collingwood have a chance to replace Malthouse with him.
After all, how many times have Collingwood failed at getting what they have needed in the past, either though bad luck or bad management. Tony Lockett, Bernie Quinlan, John Kennedy and Kevin Bartlett are just some of the examples of 'big fish' who should have been at the Magpies in the past, and the Magpie fans are sick of missing out on those quality people who may have helped Collingwood win a lot more Premierships than the 14 they have at the moment.
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Posted on Apr 13, 2009 04:46am.
(Return)
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| Comments |
This is a very good thoughtful and well thought out piece. I notice people in recent weeks, and especially on and after Thursday night, have also been wondering why the so-called game plan always involves running out wide and therefore adding greatly to the number of possessions it takes to go forward, let alone score; very difficult and messy for players. You saw what happened on Saturday when the Saints, after two years of frothing around in the wilderness going backwards, sideways, backwards again, finally went long and straight. Not only did they kick 25 goals but only 11 behinds: just one of the many advantages of playing footy the way Tommy Hafey intended it should be played! Hardly anyone does it that way these days, hence the huge number of circular and in-and-out handballs and large piles of players running from one end to the other. As someone who grew up loving direct one on one footy, the way it's played today drives me mental!! As for the Mark Williams for coach move rather than Buckley: I agree entirely. Buckley doesn't strike me as tough enough and has had no senior coaching experience, whereas Williams knows how to claw his team's way out of the pit when he has to. As for too many coaches, this is also a common practice. Just think how much money every club would save if it got rid of half or more than half of them? Also, just think of how much simpler instructions to the players would be! A nice piece; enjoyed it.
-- , Apr 13, 2009 03:09pm
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Has anyone forgotten that the most likely Melbourne-based vacancy for Choco to slip into is at Tigerland? Wallace is gone, short of Sheedy being right and Richmond winning the premiership. He must have had magic mushies on toast for breakfast before he said that!
Whoever Richmond's new coach is needs to have played in a premiership themselves, (check the history of winning coaches over the last 40 years) but also know that scrawny fast teams don't win flags but beefy fast teams do! They need at least one key forward who isn't 35yo, they need defenders that can shut down 22-27yo champions, and they need a midfield with better disposal skills than the competition after they've won the hard ball more often. Richmond look bottom four material by these criteria, and guess where they are!
Not even one week of the finals will save Wallace.
What I'd like to know is, if Choco takes another job before Port finishes its season, will he make himself walk out the door on the spot like he does with his assistant coaches. That kind of toughness is what Richmond need, as well as his judgment of horse-flesh and ability to teach players and assistant coaches.
I couldn't give a rats a... what happens at Collingwood.
-- seary_us, Apr 14, 2009 08:14am
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