Williams to the Dogs

[Bruce Almighty 0]

I think the funny part of all this is that Williams has gone to the doggies to be the forward line coach

I thought in the final against the cats that was the area that let them down and then they have gone and hired a former midfielder

did rocket eade coach williams? if so maybe he has good info on williams or friends etc

[Rflowerwing 0]

did rocket eade coach williams? if so maybe he has good info on williams or friends etc

Eade personally recruited him and coached him at the Swans for seasons 2001 and (part) 2002.

Whatever the negativity here about Williams, it was clearly not shared by the Football Dept of the MFC who had offered him a new contract which he rejected in favour of the Bullies. Casey was an important consideration in his final decision.

Williams is widely regarded as one of the more promising assistant coaches in the AFL system.

[Rflowerwing 0]

Plus none of them got the chance to help the Melbourne Football Club win a Premiership while they were a player in the 80s and 90s (or admin like Schwab) and they have a BURNING desire to help the Demons win a flag this time around.

...but that's just it - every single one of them had the chance to win us a flag and came up short. No doubting the burning desire mind you.

The answer I was looking for was that in their combined 250 years or so of experience in AFL football in a range of roles including player, coach, chairman, director, CEO, administrator and media commentator, none of them have first hand experience of what it takes to be an AFL premiership quality team and organisation.

That is why people like Bailey, Wellman and Mahoney (and the departed Williams) are of such crucial importance to our future and why the Mates should let them get on with the job without interference.

[Guest skipper3]

Now your just been a fool!

Show me the "no love".

there's also a problem with him being thick as a brick and having no love for the MFC whatsoever

[mo64 5,278]

Eade personally recruited him and coached him at the Swans for seasons 2001 and (part) 2002.

Whatever the negativity here about Williams, it was clearly not shared by the Football Dept of the MFC who had offered him a new contract which he rejected in favour of the Bullies. Casey was an important consideration in his final decision.

Williams is widely regarded as one of the more promising assistant coaches in the AFL system.

A question for you Rflowering. Who calls the shots when it comes to set-plays at centre bounces and stoppages, the coach or the assistant?

[Guest Golgothan]

A question for you Rflowering. Who calls the shots when it comes to set-plays at centre bounces and stoppages, the coach or the assistant?

How long is a piece of string?

[Guest melbman]

How long is a piece of string?

Twice the length from one end to the middle

[Mono 454]

Eade personally recruited him and coached him at the Swans for seasons 2001 and (part) 2002.

Whatever the negativity here about Williams, it was clearly not shared by the Football Dept of the MFC who had offered him a new contract which he rejected in favour of the Bullies. Casey was an important consideration in his final decision.

RF, where did you hear/read this reported?

And what, he didn't want to travel to Casey regularly?

[Swampfox 190]

Not really sure how anybody but players and people on the inside would know what paul williams coaching ability is or isnt

I also find former champions of the game making great coaches is looking at things through rose coloured glasses

I do think that whoever we get its important that they are either recently retired or at least have some demonstrated ability of the position

[Rflowerwing 0]

RF, where did you hear/read this reported?

And what, he didn't want to travel to Casey regularly?

Let's just say that I received this information from the best possible source.

Williams lives in an inner north western suburb. The relative attractiveness for at least part of the year of the Whitten Oval v Casey Fields is a legitimate consideration for a professional, career coach. Proximity of home to workplace is one (of a number of) factors we all would consider when weighing up a job offer.

[Hards 2]

Before anyone jumps on the Williams left MFC because of Casey bandwagon, a couple of points:

1. Right now the Dogs would look a far more attractive midfield unit to work with than ours.

2. No one gets a job as an Assistant unless they have a link to the club they are going (at coaching or administration level), eg Williams having been coached by Eade.

3. If its true that Casey was a factor, then its not surprising, and its one of the things we're going to have to deal with if we elect to spend a significant amount of time in the region.

Lot of factors involved, that's the point

[Guest Golgothan]

Before anyone jumps on the Williams left MFC because of Casey bandwagon, a couple of points:

1. Right now the Dogs would look a far more attractive midfield unit to work with than ours.

....

Lot of factors involved, that's the point

He's gone to the dogs to coach the forward line.

Williams is pretty well respected as an assistant coach and is considered likely to become a senior coach at some stage, if it was me i'd want to get experience coaching more then one area and under a few different coaches. In 2 years or so if he's being consider for a senior position, his CV looks a lot better if he's got a multitude of experience under different coaches. Seems like a logical career move

[hoopla 418]

Our midfield was disappoitnting under Paul Willams.

But whether or not he is a loss will depend on who takes his place. I hear that Scott West is a difficult character so I'm not sure he's the man. He also comes from a battling club.

Woey will probably put his hand up. I wouldn't take him.Would you?

[Mono 454]

Williams lives in an inner north western suburb. The relative attractiveness for at least part of the year of the Whitten Oval v Casey Fields is a legitimate consideration for a professional, career coach. Proximity of home to workplace is one (of a number of) factors we all would consider when weighing up a job offer.

[censored]. A professional coach does what he needs to. A little extra km's is nothing.

Williams is a [censored].

[Yencks 8]

you have no reason to say that williams is a [censored]

however, i am with some people in beleiving that, if we were to become a very proffesional team on and off the field with a solid home and administration and went to casey every now and then and did lots of community work but were a serious grand final threat...people would want to come to melbourne

i dont blame williams...he has no real emotional connection apart from at syndey (and at collingwood?) so whats wrong with him trying new things probably for more $$$

its different with coaches

when players want to leave or dont want to come, then they are tossers

[Mono 454]

you have no reason to say that williams is a [censored]

however, i am with some people in beleiving that, if we were to become a very proffesional team on and off the field with a solid home and administration and went to casey every now and then and did lots of community work but were a serious grand final threat...people would want to come to melbourne

i dont blame williams...he has no real emotional connection apart from at syndey (and at collingwood?) so whats wrong with him trying new things probably for more $$$

its different with coaches

when players want to leave or dont want to come, then they are tossers

Read what you have written!

Clubs have 40+ players and 5 or 6 coaches. If one of those players is not prepared to drive to Casey for training he's a [censored]; but a coach similarly placed is not? [censored].

As for coaches having emotional connection; nobody, including coaches and players is expected to have an emotional connection to a club these days. $'s is all it would seem.

I have no problem with Williams going to the dogs for money & opportunity. I do if travel time to Casey is a reason for moving on. That makes him a [censored].

I for one think we are well rid of him; go the dogs. I repeat earlier posts: our mids went down, down after his arrival. We may have been a tough case - so be it.

From where I sit, he gave no upside at all. He has nothing to recommend him.

[Guest Luke Williams]

Woey would be great Hoopla.

Mrs Hoopla would think this as well so I hope you are saying no to Scott West and yes to Woey.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I am sure DB has his eyes set on an appropriate candidate for midfield coach.

Woey would not be on my list for the role.

I am not sure why there is this compulsion to appoint ex MFC people to coaching/ leadership positions. I want the best person for a job no matter their past club allegiance. I certaintly dont want to entrench a culture that has sunk us for 40+ years.

[Weedster 174]

I'm not saying you're wrong and he may well end up being very good, but I struggle how anyone could rate him highly at this juncture.

By what parameters do you make such an assessment ??

Could not agree more...I have seen nothing yet to suggest DB is the man for the job..our season started pathetically and we meandered down hill from there...the last game against Richmond when we had nothing to lose in rolling the dice was an absolute disgrace ... we can't afford another year like that.

[hoopla 418]

We have no choice but to keep faith with Deano...the fact is that he inherited a sub-standard list.

It would be nice if we could get a ruck expert in to help with the midfield. We need some sort of genious in there to train 'One Mark' Jamar( unless Meeson somehow comes good !)

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I'm not saying you're wrong and he may well end up being very good, but I struggle how anyone could rate him highly at this juncture.

By what parameters do you make such an assessment ??

Apologies... didn't see the response til just now.

You'll note I said "so far." There's been a few opportunities for him to go for the quick fix, and he's stuck to his guns as far as keeping on the 23 and under track.

I think you put too much stock in the word "highly" though. So far I like what he does in the media (which is probably not too significant in the end), and am happy that he's stuck to playing kids who earn their spots, not playing older guys on reputation for a cheap win. I think it takes some nerve to adjust your list, after just a year in the job, to the point that there's only 10 guys over 25, and of those, Carroll probably won't be playing next year, Jamar is a non-entity, Robbo could very well be a spent force... and of the remainder only JMac is in his thirties. He is coaching for short term pain, to long term gain. Given what we wanted, and needed, he's done a bang-up job so far.

I agree, of course, that there's little we can glean on match day. As he's managing a list that NO-ONE could coach to many wins, IMHO.

My point, if you take it in context, is that there's no reason to jump on the dump DB bandwagon.

Could not agree more...I have seen nothing yet to suggest DB is the man for the job..our season started pathetically and we meandered down hill from there...the last game against Richmond when we had nothing to lose in rolling the dice was an absolute disgrace ... we can't afford another year like that.

That's absurd. You're going on 22 rounds where he coached the biggest basket-case in the AFL? At the start of the season there was talk we wouldn't win a single game all year, given our list. What did you expect at the end of the year when you're playing a midfield of kids? Vast improvement? It sucked as a game, but unless you missed it, the whole season sucked. And of course we can afford another year like this... We can afford another 2 if they net us guys like Watts... We're in a precarious position, but what the cub has realised is: what we need more than another 5-10 years of mediocrity and quick-fixes, is a flag. And this is the way to build one. Worked for the Hawks didn't it?

Which brings me to my next point. One of the major criticisms of Daniher was that he was reactionary. When the Swans won, he focussed on defence, when it was WC he focussed on midfields and running games... He did whatever the flag winner from the year before did. That was a recipe for SOME success, but not flags. He wasn't innovative. That's what I'm hoping, when he gets a decent squad in, he'll do. My only concern with the Hawks model is that it has worked so well, everyone will be doing it. Carlton are a couple of years ahead of us in that regard. Also, the Hawks did it well because they traded strongly, as well as took advantage of some fairly amazing recruiting... What if pick 1, 17 and 19 are duds? Then where are we?

But that's another thread for another day.

[H_T 2,941]

You playing second fiddle again ? Refer to post #20.

It's either subliminal thinking or you're improving - slowly.

Well that's good to know... .

Fingers crossed whoever it is, they can make a significant contribution.