Jon Ralph on why Macca was sacked

[stefoid]

Thought this was interesting enough to warrant its own thread.

Lets not turn this into Macca could or couldnt coach, gameday tactics, in-fighting etc... there is another thread for that.

go to http://www.sen.com.au/audio and its about halfway down the list of audio tracks.

 

[acker]

Can't find the bit but I'll say the day Fantasia left as Football Operations Manager and they got the Kiwi Fitness bloke into that position for Dogs is when the connection between Coach and Senior Players seemed to go to hell in a hand bag.

 

[Tommycash]

Any chance of a summation?

 

[acker]

Any chance of a summation?

I agree - a summary please

 

[stefoid]

Any chance of a summation?

Basically he ripped into players personalities, some old, some young, and told them: they were no good, s**t blokes, people didnt like them, they gave nothing to the club, they were selfish, etc... This is Ralph reporting what the players in question told him. Pretty hurtful, relationship destroying stuff and pretty unproductive too, I would have thought.

if true.

 

[Kretiukwasking]

Any chance of a summation?

Jon said that in the exit interviews that Macca went a little over the top and got pretty personal. Along the lines that he told the suspects that they were poor in character and had done little for the club. Everything that they had done was for themselves. He went on to say that he felt that Macca had to take some responsibility for what has unfolded. No return from there type of stuff

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Basically he ripped into players personalities, some old, some young, and told them: they were no good, s**t blokes, people didnt like them, they gave nothing to the club, they were selfish, etc... This is Ralph reporting what the players in question told him. Pretty hurtful, relationship destroying stuff and pretty unproductive too, I would have thought.

if true.

Sounds exactly like Mark Neeld. If true it's damn good you cut him off early.

 

[Reptilia]

Jon said that in the exit interviews that Macca went a little over the top and got pretty personal. Along the lines that he told the suspects that they were poor in character and had done little for the club. Everything that they had done was for themselves. He went on to say that he felt that Macca had to take some responsibility for what has unfolded. No return from there type of stuff

apparently thats what they did at geelong

 

[acker]

Basically he ripped into players personalities, some old, some young, and told them: they were no good, s**t blokes, people didnt like them, they gave nothing to the club, they were selfish, etc... This is Ralph reporting what the players in question told him. Pretty hurtful, relationship destroying stuff and pretty unproductive too, I would have thought.

if true.

If you ever saw Michael Voss's "The Recruit" on Fox 8 this was the brutal feedback I presume originated from the Brisbane Trifecta of Premierships

I think Griffen was too soft to handle brutally honest feedback - let's be honest he had a ___t year

Cooney and Higgins both looking for new homes

It's a shame Macca didn't have someone like Fantasia or a Operations Manager with a wealth of experience like Neil Balme, Rocket, Sheedy, Choc Williams, etc

But Dogs had a Kiwi Rugby bloke in that position who like Macca never played at Senior level ( I know Fantasia didn't play AFL but he did SANFL and held Crows positions )

 

[Struggle]

Isn't that what got McKenna sacked too? Saying to Harbrow that he was the reason for our prelim losses?

 

[Golden_6]

If players do get honest criticism, surely you wouldn't crack the sads and walk out on a footy club. Cop on it on the chin and have a good look at what the person is saying and see if you can change that, Macca ultimately was doing it in order to improve them as people and as players.

Unless they couldn't handle the 'way' in which they were told. Still, grow a bit of a thicker skin.

 

[acker]

Sounds exactly like Mark Neeld. If true it's damn good you cut him off early.

You need to put the structure of Cooney - Griffen - Higgins in the metaphor of our club

Sopranos sums it up and the Tony Soprano metaphor leading these foot soldiers is Brian Lake

He leads they follow his commands - he still offers opinion and directions from outside the club

We need to clean out this generation that almost got there but didn't

 

[acker]

If players do get honest criticism, surely you wouldn't crack the sads and walk out on a footy club. Cop on it on the chin and have a good look at what the person is saying and see if you can change that, Macca ultimately was doing it in order to improve them as people and as players.

Unless they couldn't handle the 'way' in which they were told. Still, grow a bit of a thicker skin.

Different Captain - Different Outcome ... I think Griff was to soft for the captaincy - but that was Maccas fault for choosing him

 

[Golden_6]

You need to put the structure of Cooney - Griffen - Higgins in the metaphor of our club

Sopranos sums it up and the Tony Soprano metaphor leading these foot soldiers is Brian Lake

He leads they follow his commands - he still offers opinion and directions from outside the club

We need to clean out this generation that almost got there but didn't

The best part is that in 4 years (besides Morris, Murphy, Minson and Picken), any key players from that 2010 team are now gone, quite a remarkable turnover. No more soft guys.

 

[Next Waiting]

Macca and Lowe have flushed out all the weak and/or selfish players to the point that they'll p*** off whether he's coach or not. Taken one for the team/club, more than a few of those who are leaving were or have been prepared to do. We can now start building a real team of team first players. Thanks Macca and Lowe.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Heard Lowe speak in NZ really tough guy who has overcome a lot of obstacles. Really inspiring speaker too. Suspect he would not tolerate sooks.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Still doesn't go close to explaining the nature of Griffens departure.

 

[LardDog]

 

[Next Waiting]

Cooney, Higgins and Jones were the players I hoped most would leave or be traded. They may have confused being insulted with revealed.

 

[Brassrazoo]

Macca and Lowe have flushed out all the weak and/or selfish players to the point that they'll p*** off whether he's coach or not. Taken one for the team/club, more than a few of those who are leaving were or have been prepared to do. We can now start building a real team of team first players. Thanks Macca and Lowe.

Still doesn't go close to explaining the nature of Griffens departure.

Pretty obvious the guy doesn't take criticism & feedback well (nor do most of us humans). When faced with something uncomfortable the fight (or in this case ) "flight" response kicks in.

The exact same behaviour is on display by disappearing pig shooting and turning off his phone, etc

30+ possession games are not enough to escape criticism when you the are captain.
Being captain required Griff hold others to high standards rather than just sit alone and sulk in the corner.

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Sorry stefoid, but "players in question"! Which players? Disgruntled players will have different take to a player who didn't get "challenged", and more of an axe to grind too. Unless Ralph talked to the entire list.

Jon Ralph = grain of salt (size of Uluru)

 

[Cori]

I think the problem was that Macca wasn't able to get close enough to the players to be able to say that in a constructive way and keep himself as a mentor. He was stretched out so much that he was seen to not have much time for some of those senior players and when the harsh truths were told (perhaps in a manner deemed unconstructive) instead of it coming from a mentor figure, it came from a harsh administrator.

 

[Tommycash]

Interesting. Bit of a pity if so.

 

[stefoid]

Sorry stefoid, but "players in question"! Which players? Disgruntled players will have different take to a player who didn't get "challenged", and more of an axe to grind too. Unless Ralph talked to the entire list.

Jon Ralph = grain of salt (size of Uluru)

No names were named.

 

[ivan rassmussen]

No names were named.

Sorry, I didn't mean you, and I'm not surprised. I would like to know which player/s Ralph actually spoke to.

(He does realise Brodie Moles wasn't on our list this year, doesn't he?? )