Quote:
"It's amazing how it all unfolded, we won that much of the game in the first quarter - more than the opposition - and really sort of fiddled with it.
"They kicked five goals and we had a couple of points and I reckon the self-esteem and confidence levels really dropped ... it became very much a reactive mode from that point onwards.
Excuse my ignorance but isn't it the coaches job to get the players mind's back on the job ?? Isn't the coach supposed to get them focussed on the job at hand ??
This is a bloody woeful cop-out from Pagan, if he cannot get the players to play the game the way he wants or at least get them to rise up against adversity, then clearly he shouldn't be in the job.
Quote:
"Port Adelaide just grew and grew ... we really got ourselves into a mire and a lot of our young guys didn't know how to retrieve the situation," he said.
Again, as senior coach it is HIS job to instill faith in the young players and give them a clear direction of how to retrieve the situation. Surely the 1/4 time & half-time breaks are where it all should have happened. By 3/4 time, it was just way too late to get anywhere in the game, it was well lost by then.
Quote:
"We're pleading with our supporters for another chance - we've got an opportunity in the next two weeks to turn it around and get right for the first round," Pagan said.
You can plead all you like Denis, we have been supporting you & your methods for some years now with hardly any derision or scorn. However, you can't stand up now four years in and 'plead' with the supporters for another chance, you've been given plenty thus far.
It's time to put up or shutup, we are looking for improvement and there is little/none coming. Yes, we have had to rebuild the playing list and yes, we have introduced a lot of young talented players but surely the days of 100 point thumpings should have ended ??
Quote:
Carlton had no multiple goalkickers while the Power had 13 players who put majors on the board.
Why is this happening ?? We have supposedly a formidable attack with players capable of kicking bags or 2-3 so where is it falling down ??
Here's a clue, let's have a look at the game-plan first, surely there is something not right there ???
Overall, I understand & agree with the sentiment that it was only a practice match but it's the impression that we portray that is of most concern to me. Why are players looking disinterested & not working cohesively ?? If we start the season with an 'easybeat' mentality, then it will transfer across to the regular season and we will be looked upon as the basket-case of the league.
All I want is for our players to try their best at all times, be fierce in competition and never give the opposition an easy kick or goal. If we tried this and still got beaten then I'd wear it even though it would hurt.
But bugger me, there is no way known that I'll cop a smashing from a group of players who couldn't give a toss.
Denis Pagan, I have supported you through thick and thin and have always maintained that you are the right person for the job. However, time is now running out and you have now been placed on the Sheik's "Endangered Species" list. A failure to deliver a vast improvement in team morale & a complete elimination of 10 goal drubbings in 2006 will see me calling for your head come season's end !!!!!!!!
Time to deliver buddy !!! $800K per annum means that we want results, not calls for support once again when it has been clearly virtually undying in the past.
Get on with it, the meter is running .................