Coach Fages and the coaching group

[Nathan Barley]

Im often surprised the love our recruiting team have got. Look at some of the gems other clubs have picked out of the draft in their rounds and onwards and ours get praised for picking Clug, Ash etc.

Of the club doesn’t make wholesale changes in its footy department this year, the premiership window is all but closed if it already wasn’t.

With decent drafting we’d have depth right now.

 

[davemc_lions]

We actually played pretty well in the last quarter. Clearly what Fages said at 3 quarter time worked

They had only 2 on the bench you expect us to play better..
It not just a one off when another team gets a run on and beats our plan.
We just keep playing the same plan.

 

[MSB ROYS]

When your game plan is getting beaten every time we change nothing.
View attachment 1931114

Agree.
FWIW Einstein never said this. Mandela effect.

 

[Tom14]

Im often surprised the love our recruiting team have got. Look at some of the gems other clubs have picked out of the draft in their rounds and onwards and ours get praised for picking Clug, Ash etc.

Of the club doesn’t make wholesale changes in its footy department this year, the premiership window is all but closed if it already wasn’t.

I don’t think the window is closed - but this year looks pretty ominous.

Majority of the list still young enough, but will we be bold enough to re-think our coaching or total approach?

The list has issues but my suspicion is that a better system might iron out flaws better.

Mental fragility has cost us continuously over the last few years, we’ve coughed up so many winning positions (tigers in 2022 at the mcg, dees last year, opening round, etc).

It’s hard to turnover a list quickly - a lot easier to change coaching. Fages did wonders for us, got us within a kick of a flag so I doubt the club moves on.

 

[RU_]

I give Fagan until round 5 to show that he’s still got the players.

That effort by the group did not provide any confidence in him still having the players.

 

[3KZ is Football]

3KZ we know there's a school of thought out there that Fages is a great man manager but isn't so hot when it comes to tactics.

But last week was just lazy football by the players , even up to the end some of them played like it was just going to happen .

This week was also lazy football by the players and poor coaching. Chris (No Plan B) Fagan strikes again.

CAN'T POLISH EXCUSES and we have heard them all before from Fagan. This has to be his last season.

 

[Squizz89]

As harsh as it sounds and again as good as Fages has been for us, unless something drastically changes and we find our way deep in finals again, I’d pull the trigger (say that respectfully) on Fages and go after the best tactical coach we can find.

They’d have 1-2 years before some of this group start to tip out, so it’s certainly a discussion that should be had.

 

[M Malice]

I genuinely think that the very short off season has affected us more than many think, it may take us a month or so to get to our form of 2023... unfortunately by then it could be too late for top 4.

 

[Tom14]

As harsh as it sounds and again as good as Fages has been for us, unless something drastically changes and we find our way deep in finals again, I’d pull the trigger (say that respectfully) on Fages and go after the best tactical coach we can find.

They’d have 1-2 years before some of this group start to tip out, so it’s certainly a discussion that will need to be had.

I agree, but its a very hard, ruthless decision that I doubt the club can make.

They know miles more about footy than me obviously, but given the personal relationships and what Fages has done for us, its a bold CEO/board that pulls the trigger.

Frankly, the only chance of change is probably Fages deciding to do it himself, and that probably requires us missing the 8 at minimum?

 

[Tom14]

I genuinely think that the very short off season has affected us more than many think, it may take us a month or so to get to our form of 2023... unfortunately by then it could be too late for top 4.

GWS (and carlton) had 1 week more pre-season than us. Don't think its really a factor.

 

[scoman]

Don't we have a smaller and cheaper coaching staff this year. We looked to save some money if I recall correctly.

 

[M Malice]

I agree, but its a very hard, ruthless decision that I doubt the club can make.

They know miles more about footy than me obviously, but given the personal relationships and what Fages has done for us, its a bold CEO/board that pulls the trigger.

Frankly, the only chance of change is probably Fages deciding to do it himself, and that probably requires us missing the 8 at minimum?

Fagan has constantly said throughout his time at the club that if he thinks he is not the right fit for the club any longer he will walk away, IMO Fagan is an honourable man and would follow through with that if he thought it was for the betterment of the club.

FWIW I want him to stay, at the very least to the end of this season.

 

[Nathan Barley]

They had only 2 on the bench you expect us to play better..
It not just a one off when another team gets a run on and beats our plan.
We just keep playing the same plan.

Except it clearly wasn't the same gameplan. We were taking a lot more risks and moving the ball on a lot more quickly

 

[Squizz89]

I agree, but its a very hard, ruthless decision that I doubt the club can make.

They know miles more about footy than me obviously, but given the personal relationships and what Fages has done for us, its a bold CEO/board that pulls the trigger.

Frankly, the only chance of change is probably Fages deciding to do it himself, and that probably requires us missing the 8 at minimum?

It would certainly take some balls from the board to make that call mate.

You’re probably right though it may simply be a decision that Fages would have to make himself for a change to be made. I reckon even if we made the 8 but got knocked out pretty cheaply he’d consider whether he’s got all he can out of the group.

 

[M Malice]

GWS (and carlton) had 1 week more pre-season than us. Don't think its really a factor.

GF week takes a hell of a lot out of a team, physically and emotionally, particularly a heart breaking loss IMO.

 

[Squizz89]

GWS (and carlton) had 1 week more pre-season than us. Don't think its really a factor.

Yeah I think anyone giving us (or the Pies for that matter) an out because of a shorter preseason by a handful of days, is being pretty generous to both teams.

 

[Lion_LegacyXL]

GF week takes a hell of a lot out of a team, physically and emotionally, particularly a heart breaking loss IMO.

My theory is that our structure and game plan (whatever that is) relies too much on players that are currently absent (Neal, Coleman, Ashcroft ect)

 

[lionshine]

Don't we have a smaller and cheaper coaching staff this year. We looked to save some money if I recall correctly.

Well yeah Stone & Adcock left and we brought in… no one? Dale Morris replaced Adcock as line coach but he was already on board in a development role. Suppose we replaced Morris with Daniel Lloyd in that development position. But overall technically 1 less coach from last years structure.

 

[scoman]

Well yeah Stone & Adcock left and we brought in… no one? Dale Morris replaced Adcock as line coach but he was already on board in a development role. Suppose we replaced Morris with Daniel Lloyd in that development position. But overall technically 1 less coach from last years structure.

Yes that's right. I do remember blowing up at the time. Posting other teams coaching line ups v ours. Did some research as well and found our structure looked similar to all the northern teams. Big VIC clubs miles ahead in that regard.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

Well yeah Stone & Adcock left and we brought in… no one? Dale Morris replaced Adcock as line coach but he was already on board in a development role. Suppose we replaced Morris with Daniel Lloyd in that development position. But overall technically 1 less coach from last years structure.

Would like Murray Davis gone and replaced, although given his wife’s connection it’ll seem unlikely to happen.

We have really weak assistant coaches compared to the rest of the league.

 

[Tom14]

Fagan has constantly said throughout his time at the club that if he thinks he is not the right fit for the club any longer he will walk away, IMO Fagan is an honourable man and would follow through with that if he thought it was for the betterment of the club.

FWIW I want him to stay, at the very least to the end of this season.

Yeah, certainly not calling for fages tO bE sACKeD n0W, its an end of the season conversation.

 

[davemc_lions]

Agree.
FWIW Einstein never said this. Mandela effect.

ok cool.. Does not change the fact we do not change our game plan
Not the first time will not be the last we get over run and do nothing

 

[McIvor]

Fagan has constantly said throughout his time at the club that if he thinks he is not the right fit for the club any longer he will walk away, IMO Fagan is an honourable man and would follow through with that if he thought it was for the betterment of the club.

FWIW I want him to stay, at the very least to the end of this season.

I’m of the same view particularly after hearing him in the off season. I just how his word is good because we need it to and there is no shame in anything he’s ever done for the club if he steps aside.

Nailing the next appointment will be the hard part.

 

[SpecialBruce]

ok cool.. Does not change the fact we do not change our game plan
Not the first time will not be the last we get over run and do nothing

Game plan is never changed because Fagan is obsessed with statistics and thinks it’s on point because of it.

 

[davemc_lions]

Also not saying Fagan should go he is a good people manager
He just gets out coached by tactical coaches often.
We needed to bring someone in to help.
Nope we got rid of a coach to save money