That pretty much sums up my thoughts too.

But the question is - at what point does the jury get called in to give its verdict? I think the time is getting closer...

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

at seasons end.

if we dont make finals, then its time for a change.

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

End of year review.

Ratts won't be sacked in 2010 the club will wait until the end of year review and see where we are at. Remember finals is a pass mark (I think Swann stated that).

At what point would he be sacked in 2010? I still doubt the club would in 2010 no matter how bad it gets, but if we are 1-12 then serious questions need to be asked of Ratten. Remember Ratts picks the teams and manages his assistants so either the wrong players are being selected or communication of the message to the playing group is failing or the players have given up on Ratts (Which only an insider would really know), either result it all comes back to the Coach.

But it seems that 2 versions are being spruiked...the 1 you relay here and the 1 where ratts wanted him and the club vetoed it.


Chinese whispers? or did it never happen?[/quote]

Is Dr Sherrin talking about Laidley as well?

It's always the players fault when we lose but when we win we suddenly have a master coach...

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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

I'm not talking about Dean Laidley.

Except when you talk about a win, then the coach has nothing to do with it, apparently.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

That's because when we lose and we talk of the coaches deficiencies everyone puts it solely on the playing group...

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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

Do you bore yourself going on and on with this crap?

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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

I thought not.

So Ratts was dead keen on one guy, the club was dead keen on another guy....both wanted to come to us.....and we ended up with neither.

here it comes........

The losses we will endure in coming weeks will most likely result in a large amount of introspection and naval gazing amoung supporters- wich is a natural enough reaction.

I do hope that we at least break a hoodoo - and beat Adelaide to make things more bearable.

But we always need to look at the bigger picture and realise that unlike our list of 3, four or 5 years ago - we now have a group of players that at least have greater potential for development.

back then we had nothing to look forward too except desperately needed top 10 draft picks - which of course led to the tanking mentality.

In our current situation, a string of losses will at least create more desperation among the players who have the ability to improve - which will I belive be reflected in more wins later in the season.

As the Essendon* match plainly showed - the issues with our players are more about mental toughness and attitude - and it will take the pain of coming losses to improve in this area.

Getting a team up and running with reasonable skills is part of the journey - but the next bit is even harder.

But if we had a coach with an excellent football brian, a head for tactics and strategy and a bit of an X factor - then we would be improving a little faster than we will be - because he might be a just a little more crazy - more of a white line fever kind of guy.

Ratten said the right thing about our players needing to look at how St Kilda and Geelong deal with advserse circumstances, but even though this was a correct assessment - I also think that he is not a coach with that X factor - defined a bit by the guy with the mad glint in the eye, a bit of mongrel and a killer instinct.

Malcolm Blight had the ladder treatment, Barassi ranted and raved and drove players into the ground, Parkin in his prime was a football technician who was as hard as nails.

But desite all the hard work over summer - where's the on field character in our current team that these coaches would have instilled?

This kind of x factor head on a coach, when combined with an excellent technical understanding of the game is the kind of thing that can bring out the best in players.

He is a very likeable 'nice guy' - but Im not sure whether our current coach has the extra tricks that give an edge.

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My Blue Heaven

You want to close the thread? It is a thread about the coach you know.

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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

C'mon Doc, Sheedy signed with GWS and you need to get past it!

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

I'm aware of that.

Repeating the same thing over and over (and over and over) doesn't make it any truer.

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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

We seriously lack leadership on and off the ground...there is nobody inspiring the group....and we lack direction because of this in part. Ratts has not been able to inspire nor provide any clear direction. Judd is the best player in the league but maybe not the best suited captain...Simmo is more suited to the role IMO....and should be given more leadership responsibility.

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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

Unfair to K Simpson, digs deep onfield time and again in an effort to lift the team.

blandness is a bit of a curse on us right now.

I suspect that this blandness will unfortunately be with us for some time.

blandness stifles talent and underachieves. it doesnt win many finals and very few premierships.

It will be alleviated to some extent by desperation fuelled by previous poor performances - but it wont be start to be removed until the new young coach arrives

In some ways, while Fevola was selfish person and a liability for the club for a lot of the time on the ground - he wasnt bland..But now that has gone.

Leadership completely depends on vision, and blandness doesnt have a lot of vision.

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My Blue Heaven

Simon Lloyd?

The doc gave him a big wrap recently, so I assumed it was SL

You talkin about TC ?!!
What a load of old cobblers!!

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Bawditawaba