I see in the weekend papers that the club will review the entire operation of the football department at the end of the season. To be honest it is not before time and something that is desperately needed.

I have been thinking about the issues that effect the football department for some time. I believe that the issues run deep and that simple solutions will not be effective in addressing the deeper problems that have had such a impact upon the on field performance of the club.

As a person I tend to think about problems deeply and for a long time and then act swiftly and decisively. After a lot of consideration I believe the only alternative is to take drastic action and implement massive changes within the football department. In short we need to start again, current contracts not withstanding.

The Coaching Staff; It is the coaching staffs responsibility to draw the maximum potential out of the playing group. This is clearly not happening in the majority of cases. The playing group as a whole is not playing with passion or with the level of on field commitment that I would expect from professional athletes. This is the second time in three years that this has happened. In the first case it was the playing group paid the price, as they should. But this time I believe the coaching staff should shoulder some of the responsibility as well. It is at the end of the day the Coaching Staffs responsibility to ensure the playing group performs to its ability at all times.
It is also a responsibility of the coaching staff to tailor a gameplan that maximises the strength of the playing group and I believe that there is some merit to the argument that the coaching this year has failed in this regard. If the coach wishes to implement a certain gameplan then it is his responsibility to ensure that the group plays to that plan. I would argue that this is also not occurring at the moment.

Some would argue that the playing group lacks skills and yes that there is some merit in this argument, but over a period you would expect these skills to improve. They have not and again improvement in skills is a key responsibility of the coaching staff.

In my opinion the entire coaching staff needs to be replaced. While I respect and admire Dennis Pagan, at the end of the day the responsibility lies at his feet and his staff.

The Playing Group, Do not think for a second that I am letting the playing group is getting off lightly. Everything I have described above also applies to the playing group. It is up to the individual player to maximise his potential and play to the best of his ability at all times. This is clearly not happening. Laying blame on individual players on the poor form is not the answer. It is a group responsibility and the group needs to accept the responsibility. Thus I would trade, delist etc every player above the age of 25. This includes Fev, Whits, Campo, Nick Stevens et al. Of those who stay they must be made to understand that at the end of the day, they are responsible for their and the teams performance.

We need to start again. Fresh. A fresh hungry coach. Players who have only one objective. To play at their best at all time and determined to improve themselves at every opportunity.

As I said we could talk about draft picks, PSDs, contracts and gameplans all we want. But it takes real courage to admit we have got it wrong and massively so and start again from the beginning.

The past counts for nothing; there is only the now and the future.

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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" -Winston Churchill

L.M 35-06

Hmmm.

Some good points, Mark.

Would you have re-signed Pagan this year?
Would you have re-signed Fevola?

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

To be honest re Fev - No. Dennis- yes. Changed a bit since then.

_________________
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" -Winston Churchill

L.M 35-06

But with Fev's new contract, have we been able to see what he is fully capable of?

His injury must be holding him back something shocking.

I think we won't see what Fev is capable of until 2006.

_________________
Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

2 problems.

Sack Denis Pagan then what? Who is going to replace him? Gary Ayres, Mark Harvey? We have one of the top 4 coaches in Australia. To let him go is suicide. Libba has to go and we need 2 new coaches. Pagan will never let Elshaug go and Mitchell seems to be going OK at the ANTs.

Tradeing/culling Stevens, Fevola, French as well as Lappin, Whits and Campo is another way to kill the club. 2 of the group is enough for now.No whatter what people think of them these guys have been the leaders for the young players, cut them all and the club will be a mess.

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T E A M

The only players from the group you mentioned, Buzz, that will go should be Whitnall and Camporeale.

I'd expect Lappin to give in to what we are telling him to do.

_________________
Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

That's a bit ageist. And you need some experienced players to support the kids. Not sure we can trade Fev. Who's going to be our ruckman?

Does that include finishing last?

It's interesting Mark that you suggest a new start for the Football Department yet fail to address the Management of it!

Just where do you stand on our Kernahan?

and who's gonna be captain?

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When Dick became President, it was as if everyone at Carlton came out of the hailstorm and into the sunshine - Stephen Kernahan

YARRAN!!





.

MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am with you 100%

It's funny how the club is baulking at a three year deal demanded by Lappin because he will be 33 when he finishes, yet........................we don't think twice about a three deal for Pagan despite the fact that it will make him the oldest coach since Jock McHale when his contract ends? I know it's different because there is not 'Physical' restrictions on the coach as there are for the player, but we NEED somebody with a 5+year outlook - and that is not Dennis.

RE Fev:- Yeah, i probably would have signed him up MAINLYy for his marketing abilities! In these dark times of the club, it's hard to attract youngsters..............who will stick with the club through piss and shit (thick and thin) when they get older..........to the club! FEV can do this, and he does it well.
And i think Fev was very resonable in what he was asking from the club! He could have requested $450-$500k a year (and could have easily got that from a West Coast or Collingwood) yet he didn't!

Pagan? Well, i don;t know what he's getting paid but i keep hearing that he was on $800k per year?????????????? I sure as hell hope we didn't sign him on the same amount again!

I think we should throw out our recruiting department though!

I'm gonna cop crap for this, but that's ok! It's my opinion - you don't have to aggree with me.
I'm not happy with Russell as our choice and was somewhat confused when we picked him up on draft day! Sure, i've seen his skills AND watched him on a few occasions last year - but as pick 9 i think there were at least 6 players that i can think of that should have gone before him.

Chris Egan (had a killer year last year for Murray and was continually standing in Deledio's Shadow)

Pattison (was my choice as he will be a future leader and Ruck king of the AFL, not to mention the fact that he is a damn fine goalkicker and decent forward!)

McQualter (Don't let the mostouche fool you - will be a great hard-at-it midfielder!)

Monfires (Couldn't stop thinking of Brett Ratten whenever i watched this kid!!!!!!!!!)

Danny Myer (was dumbfounded when Bulldogs used pick 6 on a project player when they could have snaped up this kid????? Was even more dumbfounded when we let him go to!)

I was happy with our Hartlett choice and despite the fact that i didn't even know his name last year - i was also happy with Raso being picked up (but was aprehensive to begin with!)

Our first round draft picks from the past 10 years have been shit! SHIT! there is no other way to put it (Walker aside that is!)
If we stuff up picks 1 & 3 (2 & 4) this year then we really have something to worry about and to be honest, i just don't trust them enough to get it right!

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Bit too extreme, for all their faults it will mainly be the 25 and over group who fill the top 10 in our b&f. Rebuilding doesn't mean throwing away the baby with the bathwater. Trade a couple if it suits but hang on to them if the price is right. Re DP, I must say I wish we had let Britts coach another year and then tried for a younger, more innovative, strategic coach like Eade or Wallace. (Yeah, don't tell me, the naughty boys like Ratts and Beauy still wouldn't be learning to benchpress the same as Mick Martyn - reminds me of Bernie Quinlan arriving at Fitzroy as coach and getting out the medicine balls). Still, maybe DP has a cunning plan. He's not a fool, and his reputation will be diminished if the Blues keep going as is, and enhanced if he genuinely turns us around. There's also the little matter of him having a lucrative 3 year contract that we can't (and shouldn't) pay out. But, no matter what had happened we should have waited longer before signing him on for another three years. We made our choice and have to hope it was right. But the board should insist on a few young, innovative assistants who will challenge DP with new ideas etc. I think Sticks is a great man but I think he DP and Collo, great as they are in many ways all share a distinct lack of imagination, as do our coaching panel. Libba seems to do nothing, we don't have a skills coach, or if we do he can't teach skills, Tony E seems okay but is just DPs whipping boy. Mitch I'm not a wrap for, but can't argue with what he's doing at the Ants. In the 1998 GF DP did what I did, sat back and watched North go down the gurgler, problem is he was coach and I was a spectator. We need new blood with fresh ideas to be good in areas where DP is not. Also he is old enough to be the grandfather of some of the players. We need some assistants who can have a rapport with the players. Not suggesting they go out clubbing with Karl, just that they can get into their heads in the way that a 60 year old can't.

Anyway maybe those old Blues fans Shakespeare and Henry IV were thinking of the current Carlton strategy when Henry said:

So, when this loose behavior I throw off
And pay the debt I never promised,
By how much better than my word I am,
By so much shall I falsify men's hopes;
And like bright metal on a sullen ground,
My reformation, glittering o'er my fault,
Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes
Than that which hath no foil to set it off.
I'll so offend, to make offence a skill;
Redeeming time when men think least I will.

Or maybe that is Karl Norman's strategy.

Anyway here's hoping the Blues redeem themselves when the whole footy world thinks least we will.

While I admire the passion on which you base your opinions, to remove a great chunks of players AND coaching staff AND senior coach is just sentencing us to being the new St Kilda for the long term.

We need some good assistant coaches to back Denis up as well as drill quality skills into the players. IMO, it is the assistant coaches who are letting us down, more so than Denis, just the way second-tier players who don't step up damage a team more than the senior players playing below their best.

I would suggest a little caution. The way I would do it is this: 2005/6 refresh playing group with trades/draft. In 2006, if things don't appear to be going so well - we need to see if genuinely talented players, and those who have passion for Navy Blue can turn it round next year - then and only then think about changing senior coach.

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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.

and what wopuld the new coach do? Sack half the playing list and begin recruiting blokes to play His gameplan.

And if it doesn't work?

Sack the coach and away we go

the merry go round of mediocrity.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

So let me get this right in my own mind .......

You want to get rid of the CFC recruiting manager after 1 year in the seat because you think he got it wrong picking Russell.

You were confused on draft day when he picked Russell because you saw him play in 3 (?) games last year. Did Russell play badly in your view in the those 3 games??? How was the rest of Russells year in SA ????

Did you watch Buddy Franklin last year?? Would you have drafted him top 5 on those 3 games. Did you watch Clarke this year??? Would you draft him top 10 on those 3 games. Did you watch Kennedy this year?? Would you draft him top 15 on those 3 games?? Just wondering if 3 games is really enough of a sample???

Getting back to last years draft.........You say you are happy with the choice of Harlett, who has been injured most of the year and hasn't had the chance to show anything as yet. You are happy with Raso who is running around for Hailebury and was an educated late pick at best that may or may not work. Did you see him play for the Stingrays last year or for Hailebury????

I presume you are happy with the choice of Bryant so far????

Backwell? I can only presume you are happy with him because you didn't mention him earlier.

You like the look of Egan. Yes he goes okay but if he continues to shirk contests when the heat is on how long do you think he will last at AFL level. Would it interest you to know that Collingwood where going to pick Russell at pick 10 if we had passed on him. The Pies actually thought Russell would make it through to pick 10 so they gave up there original pick 7 in another deal and missed out on their man. Egan was their 2nd choice. Lets see if he has the desire and 100% commitment to play another 3 years let alone 10 years. There's alot more to playing AFL then getting a kick. Just ask Angwin.

Pattison is decent tall and I rated him but he is up and down with his form in the VFL and his overall lack of mobility still might be in question at AFL level.

McQualter. Now you know I'm a fan but he was not a top 10 pick even in my eyes. CFC needed to inject an agile, very quick ball carrier into the team and Mini is not in that mould. Mini is an extractor at the contest. Yes we did need a Mini as well but we also needed what we got in Russell.

Monfires. Very good talent and was a possible pick 9 but he is 180cm and at that height has some limits where he might play. Russell can basically play HB, Wing, HF and onball in years to come.

Meyer. Good talent but not overly quick. Skills are solid but in years to come there is every chance Russell will leave him for dead.

You say.......IF they stuff up and you DON'T trust them enoguh to get it right.

On one draft you have arrived at these views. My opinion is that it is hardly what you would call a reasonable 'Core Sample' to make that call......even if it is just your opinion.

Oh by the way........50% of the recruiting staff did change over at the start of 2005 so for the new staff, it is actually their first year.

Regards Cazzesman

PS. Anyone see Crowley (kicked 4 goals), Mundy (rising star nominee this year), Murphy and Thornton play for Freo on Sunday. Apparently they went okay. Anyone know who recruited those 4 to Freo???

_________________
Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Was it Gerard Neesham? I bet it was Neesham

_________________
Love Cricket? Love me

No cigar for you laddy......

Actually that's a good thing because you with a cigar would be scary budding Billy.

Regards Cazzesman

_________________
Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

That is just blatantly incorrect BM.
















It's affect not effect

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Congratulations CK95

I agree an overhaul is required at the end of this season no matter what the results this season needs to be erased from the histroy books i think we took one too many turns at alberkerky.

Anyway the coaching staff needs to have a shake up and perhaps LIbba will be the fall guy regardless if he where to go i agree to new guys would be ideal and a recent ex Captain or highly regarded leader type would be a key as that is something severly missing in the playing list. And i agree probabaly a dedicated Skills coach would be good maybe we could lure one from Westcoast as i think they set the benchmark for Skils on the field.

PLaying list needs a restructure and will be very much determined by our finishing position finishing last will give us the biggest scope for change and with that positioning some players will be cut some will be traded and we will have to aggressive in the trading where we can and target players who maybe fringe or in abundance at a club... or Homesick players interstate who have failed to give there full potential because they are interstate what ever we really have to work hard to uncover some hidden talent which may fix our problems which we have in abundance but may not be fully noticed in other clubs as they may not have any obvious deficiencies. ANyway i think there will be some major chakeups at the end of the this season so should be a very intersting period in the club at the end of September.

Wayne Hughes

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For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!