4 weeks is a long time in football. things can change, we may win 3 from 4 and go in with momentum so dont give up yet

We'd need to find some desperation.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Just did the ladder predictor after Syd beat Freo. Spots 5-8 are so open. It could be that if we lost to Freo in the last round, we go back there for the first week of the finals, but if we beat Freo, we play them in Melbourne first week. We need to win won of our last 2, otherwise most likely we will be interstate first week.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Wow, could we make it with 11 wins?

Man, I feel for you.

You've hinged everything on us missing the 8, so much so you wanted us to finish on 9 wins.

Suck shit!

We have 11 wins with 2 games to go, we're going to make the finals, Ratts will be coach in 2011 and you've wasted a whole year crapping on about a coach who's improved our position each year he's been in the position.



See the funny thing is if we'd finished out of the finals, I'd have been wrong and unhappy. We've made the finals....you're wrong and unhappy!

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

TBB your such a predictable fool it simply aint funny....although it actually still is....

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Yep, predictible because it was obvious at the end of the season I'd be happy and you'd be crying because Ratten is coach in 2011.

Yeah, I'll take being predictible anyday

You're very unpredictible. I thought you'd still be banging on about replacing Ratts.

I can enjoy watching my team play finals this year.

How will you go seeing Ratten coach the Blues in September?

_________________
"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

FIGHT!
FIGHT!
FIGHT!
FIGHT!
FIGHT!
FIGHT!
FIGHT!
FIGHT!

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

TBB you got some issues mate...if you love Ratts good luck to you....I see many on here who week in week out always put it on the players ALWAYS yet when we win a couple we have a supercoach not a super team....I am a big fan of our club and the list and I still reckon this list is top four material...so what if I'm not a Ratts fan...why does that bother you so much???? Many on here were bagging Warnock Grigg and many others only a few weeks ago and now they have jumped on these guys bandwagons....Our list is ready to go to the next level...our deficiencies come seasons end will be off field...this is where we need to improve to win a flag IMO...

_________________
"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

I wasn't bagging Warnock or Grigg.

I never said Ratten was a supercoach.

My biggest issue is I'm happy.

_________________
"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Same here...

_________________
"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

personally I have always found the kruezer to be reasonably even with his contempt for Ratts ... he makes valid points that are worthwhile discussing.

I think it comes down to one thing with Ratts ... he is learning, so whether u believe he will make a decent coach going forward is entirely a personal opinion.

I was a Ratts supporter but am now very much on the fence ... last couple of weeks starting to swing towards him again only because after the Collingwood debarcle he put his head on the block and the players responded. That took some guts as I believe Ratts would have resigned if the players did not respond ... he loves the club too much to hinder its progress.

Yes he has made some errors but there is no denying that after losing Fev we have made the finals again even though many predicted we would not, we have played some really great footy and some ordinary footy.

In the end both camps, pro and con Ratten, are probably a little right and a little wrong ... but what I do believe is that his speech after the filth game could well prove to be a watershed moment.

Then again it might not.

Am I seriously on the fence or what?

Not trying to have a go at you TBB but this reminded me of the reason I do not post on BF .... I believe that as long as you have valid points to discuss the nah nah na nah I win, you lose arguement is very unbecoming for most TC'ers.

Also I would bet my last dollar that the Kruezer would happily shag Ratts if the Blues somehow managed to win the flag this year. He just does not believe its possible with Ratts and always explains his arguement well ... you do not have to agree with him ..thats called democracy.

Although I may not agree with all his views I personally prefer sticking it to other teams supporters rather than a fellow pationate blues supporter.

If we finish 6th that would be a massive effort. With Fev and Stevens gone and Ratts making gutsy calls and phasing out Thornton and possibly even Houla and the sending back of Walker , Yaz and Warnoch thoughout the season we have really made changes for the better. To make these necessary changes and still get the wins on the board to finish well in the eight will be remarkable achievement. The team and coaches and would surpass most expectaions.

June and July were tough months for the club which frustrated us all but if we come out the other side of that a better team with fresher faces in the line up i personally are prepared to take the hit.

The club know as well as we all do that we need to keep building. We need to recruit hard, mix up the coaching panel and work as hard as we can on the track and in the meeting rooms to make sure that we finish this year of well and have a great preseason as to continue growing through 2011.

Go Blues !

Yes, but the thing that keeps gnawing away at me is how do we go about strengthening our alleged tactical deficiencies?
If Ratts is the man seeming to be 'short' of the required tactical abilities, how on earth do we go about appointing someone else believed to have the required tactical ability and maintaining Ratts as 'Senior' coach at the same time?

Get Laidley as an assistant and poach Sanderson or Tudor.

So if Laidley is appointed to provide the tactics and gameplan, what does Ratts' role as 'Senior' coach entail?

You could ask the same question of C/wood when Malthouse starts as Director of Coaching; and Buckley as Coach.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

When we come out and play with intensity and tackle hard and win the contested ball Ratts' tactics are pretty good. Maybe his tactics require too much effort and if the effort is 5% off we pay big time. Maybe thats where he needs help............or maybe not. Maybe he has to keep at it and keep drumming into the players that if they put in the effort they will get the results.

Having said that i would like some fresh faces on the coaching team. Just to get some fresh ideas and not let the message get stale. I would love Tudor or even Viney. Both have been successful at building all over team defences and the forward 50 press thing that the top clubs do a lot better than us.

I am not into a godfather type figure in the coaches box.

Hear where you are going Rexy, but i think Ratts can still maintain his senior roll and have assistance on match day especially if he continues to coach from the boundary. Williams obviously felt secure enough to appoint Laidley for that roll.

Hmm, that didn't last too long though did it.

Look that might seem practical in theory but in practice, a clash of ideologies between a supposed tactical specialist and his senior can cause problems.

Basically, I believe it's the responsibility and role of the 'Senior' coach to provide a sound and productive tactical game style. If his ideologies are seen to be flawed, then perhaps he should be placed into a different role.