Over the last few years and the start of this years campaign I keep reading in most reports that we lack running options and a decent skill level through the middle (corridor) of the ground and we mostly look for options backwards or wide to the wings which seemingly will make it very difficult to beat the well drilled teams.

Frankly, I don't know who is responsible for this continuing style of play.

Is it the coaches who are pushing for this style or is it the players who aren't following a different style the coaches a pushing for?

Most of our key players have had at least 3-4 preseasons so their conditioning and skills should allow for a more fluid movement through to our forwards.

Thoughts?

The coaching staff do not come from a successful culture. No of them have learnt at the feet of a great coach. None of them have been involved in recent premiership success. I can not see how this panel can take us anywhere. The board needs to roll the dice and target a great coach. Paul Roos would be my man

Can you tell me which great coach Paul Roos learnt at the feet of before taking over the Swans? And remind me of the recent premiership success he had before taking over the Swans?

As much as I like Rattan - I don't think he is suited as coach.
Approaching Buckley and offering a nice contract would be ideal.

Just out of curiosity, what has Buckley done/achieved as a coach

Paul Roos spent off seasons in USA and Europe at the best soccer, basketball and gridiron clubs in the world and brought every
thing he learnt: zones, tackling, fitness back to the Swans. He was the first AFL coach to have a truly international perspective. The guy was miles ahead of anyone else.......and by the way Rodney Eade isn't a bad mentor....maybe a tad better than 18 months with Neal Daniher and a season coaching the Eastern Ranges

More in to traditional wicker myself.

There's only one common theme around here of late. Ratten apparently can't coach.

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Congratulations CK95

I'll give Ratten until midway through the season ... I am not interested in making the 8 this year and if we do its a bonus ... but if we still cannot kick in, let the opposition go from post to post with thier kick ins and still play this chippy, chippy bullsh*t with poor kicking skills - let alone not having a game plan built around our weaknesses and our strengths ... I have to say my patience with Ratten is wearing thin ... I just keep telling myself that they are just practice matches.

I personally really want him to succeed ... loved him as a player and would love to see him raise the silverware as a coach ... BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE MIGHTY BLUES! He has had 2.5 years but started from a long way back.

So in my opinion up until this point he deserves to remain the coach BUT .... cleaning out the list of deadwood and getting great picks etc will always lift a club ... I think we have done that and are now ready to springboard up the ladder ... hard decisions have been made that I believe will benifit the team in a year or two (FEVOLA)... but they have also meant that Ratten will be tested.

Simply put he either puts up or falls on his sword this season ... need to see more consistency, a gameplan we can actually unerstand? To be honest I want to see a team of men rather than boys by mid season (whatever the win loss) ... I really believe with most blues supporters that we are pretty close to having a list that will give the tree a really good shake from 2012 and beyond BUT its one thing to have the list and another thing to utilise it successfully.

History is littered with teams that had chamionship written all over them and failed ... for a supporter there pretty much is nothing worse.

I pray either Ratten steps up and if he does not then CFC do something to ensure we get to 17 before the SCUM!

Look I dont want to discredit your opinion but St kilda (who were the best H/A team last year have had 25% success bringing the ball out of their defesive zone this year in the NAB cup and they won most of their matches.

The difference between our club and theirs is not that great!!

Ross Lyon was blamed for a boring ultra-defensive, high possession game plan Vs the swans in 2008 and yet went on to have team virtually undefeated in 2009.

My point is, when things click for a playing group and they get on a run, they look a $mill. but even Geelong who are the benchmark, took a number of years playing together before things began to click. We have a team of highly proficient footballers, who need consistent time together (last year our backline played half a year together). We all want to see immediate success, and that may come but realistically we are a couple of seasons of hard contested footy away from that, even if we keep the same 22-28 players on the park!!! What builds success is having a playing group (made up of quality footballers) play togtether over a few seasons.

We now have the list we just need to see them play together over the next few years. If this happens I'm sure the game plan and match day tactics will look as good as any team out there, infact probably better!

Basic point is I am not sure Ratts has any idea what he is really doing. Ross Lyon got the job after an exhaustive process, and had heaps of experience as an assistant/reserves coach. We just appointed a mate of Sticks.

I don't like to be negative but I can't see it working with our current off-field coaching staff.

Fair enough, thats your point, you must admit though there was a time where Ross Lyon, Bomber Thompson and even Alastair Clarkson were considered to be way off the mark with the lists they had, but these teams (moreso Cats, Sts) got plenty of time tp play together to allow the game plans and sturctures to be understood.

I dont think Ratts has had the same level of consistency with the playing list nor have the players got the same level of experience yet. Hawks are a classic example of what can go wrong if there are key injuries and thats coming off a premiership!!

I believe Ratts needs 2 more seasons (this one and next) before we will be a powerhouse, premiership club again, if we are well short by then I will keen to get a new head coach.

That's what people were saying 2 years ago.

Perhaps it was a mistake on Ratts' part that we didn't trade Fevola then.

If we had've could we have been a top 4 side this year?

I'm not sure given the age and state of our list 2 years ago, and the injuries to Stevo, Hoops and Hadley (to name some of the few experienced players we had) that it was realistic to give Ratts 2 years.

Now that we are starting to get some experience into the young guns we should see a marked improvement over the next couple of seasons.

As for trading Fev earlier.....hindsight is a marvellous thing!!!

He did supply some moments of pure enjoyment (in amongst the dross) though

what...no macrame classes in your area?

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”