So I will be the first to say that I supported BA for his entire time at the Eels, until earlier this season when Moses went down and the entire team fell appart. The Panthers, Roosters and Storm don't completely fall appart no matter how many players they lose but the Eels have consitently had this problem under BA's tenure and it was time to put a stop to this. In saying that, letting BA go without Bennett or someone else signed up was "DUMB" and this is the problem with having Bankers run a professional sports club.
What I believe should have happend was BA was told this was his last season and the club would be moving in a different direction with the team told next. While this would still cause disruption, it gives everyone (Coach and players) time to come to terms with the decision, maybe the kick up the arse that was required and for the team (Coach and players) to possibly galvanise and have a red hot crack at the rest of the season once Moses and Gutho return. I think BA at least deserved that (Yes, he desrved that), that the team deserved a last chance and it would have created the least amount of disruption to the team. Different story if BA had lost the dressing room (from all reports he hadn't) or if he chose to leave anyway (I don't think BA would have done that and would have wanted to go out on a high).
The above demonstrates one of the things whoever our new coach is will have to deal with. A board that from a business perspective are probably great but from a sporting perspective, let alone at the elite level, don't really know what they are doing and aren't likely to make great decisions that steer a club in the right direction. This is why Bennett was perfect as he is well known for getting things done, even when boards are clueless.
The next thing our next coach will be up against, which will be likely be even more difficult to deal with and he will inherit, is our roster and both BA and the board are to blame for this. Most of our forward pack and a couple of our key backs are going to be 30+yrs old.
RCG, Paulo, Matto, Carty, Lane, Gutho, Sivo and Moses will all be 30+ next season. 8 of our starting 13 (pretty much 3/4 of the team) will be 30 plus years old. Show me another team that has this? In all fairness, I think Moses will be fine for a number of season but the rest, not so much. Maybe a season or two.
The Eels have the longest premiership drought in history (30+yrs) and none of us will be very happy if the Eels are looking at a rebuild which is what will fall onto our new coach. I don't know about any of you but I wouldn't want our board anywhere near our recruitment or retention strategy. They have been more than complicit in this 30+ year old side.
The next major issue is there is little progression of our juniors comming through. The Eels have the second biggest junior nursery in NSW and outside of Hayne, who of note has come through in the last few seasons?
Players from the Eels juniors who went elswhere;
Moses (couldn't get a start witht the Eels and went to the Tigers before we eventually got him back to the club years later),
Papenhausen (also couldn't get a start with the Eels and went to the Tigers, then the Storm where he won a premiership, is now one of the best fullbacks in the game, minus the injuries and represented Australia),
Gallen (couldn't get a start with the Eels, went to the sharks, won a premiership, is considered one of the greatest locks in history and represented Ausrtalia),
Maloney (couldn't get a start with the Eels, went to the Storm, Warriors, Roosters, Cronulla, Panthers, Catalan, won a number of premierships and represented Australia),
Olakawatu (couldn't get a start with the Eels, went to Manly, is one of the most damaging back rowers in the game and is now representing NSW).
I am sure the list goes on.
So our new coach will have to deal with a board who probably never played sport when they were young, let alone at any kind of high level, an ageing roster that takes up most of the starting side, no real junior talent identification and retention/pathways program to step up and take over from our ageing roster and a supporter group who aren't ready to hear "This will probably take a few years to fix".
I genuinely feel sorry for our next coach as they really are up against it and will need to pull a miracle out of their hat.
Now, in saying all of this, it can be done but it won't be easy and this is exactly why the Eels need to take their time in selecting the new coach.
There will be so much pressure on him and while it won't be fair, mediocracy is not something the Eels can tolerate.
There is no need for our club to rush this decision and the Eels need to ensure the new coach is under no illussion what he is up against. The right coach will make it work, but a weak coach will drown.
Whoever the coach is, rookie or experienced should be given a 2yr contract with a 3rd year option in the clubs favour with nothing less than top 8 every season. That is a lot to put on them for sure but it is what it is. A weak coach will bork at that but a strong coach (what the Eels need) will execpt it and get on with the job. The right coach will go down in history for turing it around.
For me, I am not excited by any of the rookie coaches other than Slater (who doesn't want the job from all reports) and possibly Hannay because of what QLD are regularly able to do. Beat all the odds.
When it comes to experienced coaches, Jason Taylor is the only one I like. Yes, he has had a few issues in the past but still coaches today and has great footy IQ. The best attacking structures I saw from the Eels in many years was when JT was our coach.
Short of Madge having NSW playing like world beaters, I wouldn't go near him as getting fired twice by clubs becaus the players couldn't stand you isn't the way forward. Yes, you want a coach who is tough but not hated. Bennett is tough and will drop players without hesitation but players love playing for him.
For the coaches overseas, I put them in the rookie basket as both playing and coaching over there just isn't the same as here and I just don't know enough about them.
Now that I have typed all this down and read it back, I am worried for our club and our new coach going forward.
Replies
Great points, Frankie.
The solution and the idea is great. The only problem is reality. Details. Specifics.
I’d love powerful, passionate (for the Eels) board members or figures with clout who know what they're doing that other clubs have taking over our entire board and club. Politis, Bouris, Ponissi, Tripp, Crowe, Packer, Cannon-Brookes, Cambell, even a Russell Crowe, a Holmes, Lancini or Mr Laundry Man. Cameron, Ponisini, a Peter O'Sullivan, A Parr. Even Matt Cameron back. I even want Bennett's right hand man Dr Jauncey who were haven't even touched base with, and would consider helping. Whomever. Even half a couple of these. A quarter of one or two. Who the feck wouldn't? Even a dribbler like me wants that.
But who are ours? Where are they? Are they hiding? Who would you suggest? Bring back Fitzy? Bring back the Roy Spagnola and Kearney Show? Brian Smith?
If we weren't an dysfunctional aslyum of bedlam and stupidity before the constitution - voted in by members - the NSW Gov't would not have needed to step in and appoint Donnelly and co that set the banker-board-with-forensic-accounting wheels in motion. We only have ourselves to blame.
We can keep talking about burning the whole club to the ground, flushing the constitution down the dunny hole, raise our pitchforks and fists in the air jeering at dopes and dribblers, go all Rambo-French Revolution at the barracks - but it’s all feckin pipe dreams. Even understanding the details of the constitution maze is a migraine on prozac waiting to happen. I want names. Boots on ground. How. What. Who. When. Where. Details. Specifics.
Frankie,
Well then, it sounds like we're stuffed in the near foreseeable future waiting for a lucky bingo win.
You've named Fitzy as a person who was (or is) capable. No one else as Overton, the great man, has passed.
So, would your solution be to bring back Fitzy as Chairman putting aside the maze of Constution issues? If not him, who? How would big-wheeled changes occur?
Not sure what all the hype is for regarding Bennett. Yeah he won a few grand finals back in the day mostly with teams stacked with SOO players at Broncos. However consider his last 10 years, his record wouldn't be much better than BA's and I don't think it would improve over the next few years.
it will be interesting to gauge and see what happens at Souths over the next few years.
I don't disagree that Bennett would have offered all those intangible benefits Frankie but the reality is we missed Bennett and for what ever reason, we now need to move on.
I think we have mentioned a few names that are comparable but all more than unlikely than Bennett was. In saying that I believed from the very beginning that Bennett would not come to Parra and am genuinely surprised we got as close as we did.Don't worry I would have loved him to come because it would have provided the credibility which will terrorise us if we pick the wrong coach.
Your derision of the board is warranted to the extent that they do not have the experience of some others, but their predencess have had nothing to offer either. The article published today by Hoe showed how out of touch and date the precedent boards had in financial and wealth creation projects. Making reference to Overton and Fitzgerald is hardly relevant in this day and age and if honest they would be out of their depth with the exception of who they knew back in the day.
Finally I criticise the board but not for their intelligence, there are smart people there, a lot smarter than you give credit for....untill you have worked with them and can make judgements, all you are is insulting them and not creating constructive criticism. There suitability should be your only argument, not intelligence.
It goes without saying there is a naivety with regards to our football board and I have wriiten a few blogs in rememedying that with the infusion of more "footie" orientated board members, if you recollect you critised me that I had both the ceo and chairman remaining as board members but not in those capacities, the reason for that is that as intelligent people I am sure they have learnt a hell of a lot and created some good contacts in there learning experience on the path travelled over the past 8 years.
So moving forward Frankie I believe you have to write a solution not a cause, the cause is we probably have a pretty good understanding of, its fixing where the brainpower comes into play.....
In life one of my many lessons has been "everything never quite appears to be what face value represents" do you have something we don't know? You have implied as much for a long time now.????
Think alot more behind the scenes at play as to why BA moved on mid season, feel there was pressure from sponsors and player agents
I don't think it's a coincidence either that Hardies was anounced not long after BA was punted. Always felt the sponsors would be BA's undoing.
Yep agreed.
Sponsors have alot of influence and so they should IMO. It is their money they are stumping up and BA was as stale as a 30 day old loaf of bread.
I don't think there is any conspiracies involved Heisen, the board knew that their financial credibility was in danger with the ongoing and justifiable criticism of BA..... my guess is that they were more comfortable making the move they have done than procrastinating over giving him an extension for a so so performance.
In hindsight I think everyone is better off for the circumstances with the one obvious problem of not fcuking up the appoinment of the new coach! .............that includes BA himself, I think this is the most painless result for him as well. Probaly does not realise this yet....he is a stubborn bastard. He should have been a woman! lol
Very good narrative on the club , what has to happen head of football Mark Oniell shoukd be sent packing back to West Tigers for a start , then we need to stop buying over the hill players , we have an disenchanted junior league who believe its impossible to crack first here and leave
We need abrsnd new retention committee who want to endorse our own juniors, perfect example harper was bought from manly and can't even crack the starting 17 , wasted money ,wont even go into the ones ee bought in the past , some times I think the EELs live in the past
Yeah he's got to go also and his mate Rogers.
The new coach should have a new GM of Football to report to as well as a new recruitment team to work with
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next