idle wrote:
Team looks crap and is playing crap because we've put in some hard yards this season for little return. Losing so many games by such little margins has really taken a toll on their self belief. Tonight was one small step in the right direction in that regard and we'll be all the more better for it.
Also Malthouse is still trying to find a winning formula with this squad. I don't believe for a moment our list is crap. I believe our list is confidence shot, confused and still trying to find the right formula. When it clicks look out!
In 30+ years of football I've seen it too many times. Geelong at one stage were going to sack their coach and their list looked dismal. But they turned it around into one of the best teams of the modern era. I believe we have the team to do it too.
Considering (as a club) we've come from multiple wooden spoons, some enormous beltings, changed coaches, changed assistants, sacked our Coleman medalist (which in itself considering how structure was based around Fev and then bang he's gone, leading goal kicker for how many seasons?) we've not found a replacement for Fev since, and although we've picked up a bunch of first round draft picks, none of those picks have had to opportunity to be part of a winning culture. And THAT is the shining difference between our club becoming great again or failing miserably, missing our window and having to start from scratch again.
My money is on us getting it right with Malthouse, and our current list. That's not to say there won't be some changes to personal, I hope there is if it benefits the club. But to make posts calling player after player crap, no good, get rid of him, trade, sack and so on, I don't know what to think.
I'll go as far to say the only reason we won tonight was not for skill, not for coaching genius, but by sheer will not to lose another game. I see a deflated outfit out there on the park atm. They almost let tonight slip away - again. That isn't a skill thing, and it isn't a coaching thing either. Almost the entire list is suffering. Almost, with the exception of Judd who is old enough and been around enough, and is professional enough to not be influenced by the win/lose ratio, a true professional who creates his own form by sheer hard work and self belief.
If Malthouse can get these young blokes believing in themselves, you watch the transformation this team makes and the brand of football it plays. We've got the cattle, we've got the coach, we've just got to get some momentum and self confidence into these young minds and they'll do the rest.
Right now, they look almost shot. That song in the rooms was woeful. Got to get that winning culture back into the club at all costs, and FAST! before its rebuild time ....
Did someone say CULTURE.

Great post pal.
