The Malthouse Assistant - Doomed to fail?

[Maldonboy38 6,390]

No Neeld and Watters just are flawed communicators and people managers.

The same cant be said for Malthouse.

This is where we do agree RR. In both cases, Neeld and Watters did poorly in the man management area. This surprises me a lot considering how many of the players coached by Malthouse say he is a leader of men who helps create good people, not just good footballers. I can't help but think that however good Mathouse is as a coach who coaches players, he is poor at developing strong assistants who can become quality senior coaches. Buckley and Brad Scott might prove my insights to be wrong, but so far the evidence suggests I may be right and may one day prove it.

[PartyTimeJohnny 537]

I think it's more to do with coaches coming out of a finely tuned club admin wise like Collingwood and going into clubs that are admin shambles.

[Lucifers Hero 39,597]

This is where we do agree RR. In both cases, Neeld and Watters did poorly in the man management area. This surprises me a lot considering how many of the players coached by Malthouse say he is a leader of men who helps create good people, not just good footballers. I can't help but think that however good Mathouse is as a coach who coaches players, he is poor at developing strong assistants who can become quality senior coaches. Buckley and Brad Scott might prove my insights to be wrong, but so far the evidence suggests I may be right and may one day prove it.

IF Brad Scott succeeds it will be more a result of having spent many years with Lethal rather than a couple of years with MM. As for FIGJAM, well what can one say...

[old55 23,397]

IF Brad Scott succeeds it will be more a result of having spent many years with Lethal rather than a couple of years with MM. As for FIGJAM, well what can one say...

If one has listened to him any time in the past number of years one will realise he has progressed a very long way from there.

[dazzledavey36 54,282]

Think Buckley will be a very successful coach - multiple flags. BTW, I note that the OP doesn't suggest that Bucks is a "doomed Malthouse assistant"

I doo too. He is trying to change that boys culture Malthous left behind.

They did well in the trade period aswell.

[Demonsterative 3,020]

I doo too. He is trying to change that boys culture Malthous left behind.They did well in the trade period aswell.

I doo too. He is trying to change that boys culture Malthous left behind.They did well in the trade period aswell.

Buckley has had the talent on field to perform much better than they have performed!!! Malthouse left him a club that were premiers and runners up. If Malthouse was such a bad people person, why did he get his players to perform whilst Buckley can't?

Buckley is under performing and the spot light should be on him more.

On another note, Buckley was a 'Pho Assistant' under Malthouse. He was pushed into the 'Opposition Analysist' role just to give him a role until he took over. Malthouse did not utilise Buckely as a 2IC, he just put up with him because he had to.

At this point Buckley is a failure.

[Still Waiting 94]

Malthouse had the biggest club purse to spend on players and staff but always has been a intimidating type. Those who strait faced him were often heaved aside and/or ignored. He is no supercoach. He has had some success but many others could have achieved the same results. Even Eddie got sick of his autocratic beligerent nature.

[puntkick 325]

At this point Buckley is a failure.

At the most over resoursed coach and player club in the competition and fixture

Not with standing how long did it take for Mathews and Malthouse to climax

We used to be patient and polite. Now we're AGGRO and IMPATIENT.

Go Roosy Go Dees Go 13th

Shes a comin Trains a comin We're a comin FO FIGJAM

[Lucifers Hero 39,597]

Buckley has had the talent on field to perform much better than they have performed!!! Malthouse left him a club that were premiers and runners up. If Malthouse was such a bad people person, why did he get his players to perform whilst Buckley can't?

Buckley is under performing and the spot light should be on him more.

On another note, Buckley was a 'Pho Assistant' under Malthouse. He was pushed into the 'Opposition Analysist' role just to give him a role until he took over. Malthouse did not utilise Buckely as a 2IC, he just put up with him because he had to.

At this point Buckley is a failure.

I will go out on a limb to say Buckley will not win a premiership...regular top 8 team but not the big one!

[John Crow Batty 8,861]

I think the jury is still out on Buckley but a verdict will be reached before the end of next season IMO. He was handed a tough gig based mostly on his playing reputation and friendship with Eddie with little practical experience in coaching. He was always a prima donna and acted like one. FIGJAM might end up being his epitaph. Not the best qualification for people managing.

It appears he is attempting some sort culture change at the pies. As to why I am not sure. Malthouse seemed to keep the bogans there under control and performing well. I seriously doubt that he has full control unlike his media persona suggests. What irks me the most about him is that flawless media persona. Always has the right things to say, eloquent, measured and never appears flustered. Seems in full control but rumblings and evidence suggests otherwise. Starting to appear like another phoney all talk no action type. Perhaps he should had taken Gary Lyon's lead and built a media career instead.

[bing181 9,193]

Watters and Neeld aren't the first high-credentialed assistants who have failed when elevated to the top job - and I'm not just referring to football coaching.

Being the manager brings a whole different set of skills and responsibilities, and exposes even the slightest shortcoming so ruthlessly. With the best will in the world, it can be difficult to predict who will and who will won't make the grade until they're actually put in the line of fire.

[Swampfox 190]

The ability to manage people and get the best out of them cannot be underestimated

It is difficult to asses as an assistant coach when compared to the senior coaching job

Its also one of the reasons some ordinary footballers develop into good and sometimes great coaches

Hafey , Jeans , Mathouse, Pagan and Clarkson were all ordinary footballers just as Watters and Neeld were

[Satyriconhome 10,728]

I don't think the failure of Neeld or Watters has anything to do with Malthouse at all.

I think it just mounts a strong case that both the MFC & The Aints needed an Experienced coach at the helm.

The clubs chose the wrong candidate.

simple.

There you go WYL we finally agree on something....but you won't stop the keyboard warriors with 20/20 hindsight pontificating for three or four pages, most having coached or led at the highest level they know exactly what they are talking about.......hah

[jnrmac 20,055]

Malthouse had the biggest club purse to spend on players and staff but always has been a intimidating type. Those who strait faced him were often heaved aside and/or ignored. He is no supercoach. He has had some success but many others could have achieved the same results. Even Eddie got sick of his autocratic beligerent nature.

IF Malthouse didn't win the flag with Collingwood he would undoubtedly be a failure. The fact he won it in twelfth year at the Pies was very lucky for his legacy as a coach.

[jazza 1,323]

Buckley has had the talent on field to perform much better than they have performed!!! Malthouse left him a club that were premiers and runners up. If Malthouse was such a bad people person, why did he get his players to perform whilst Buckley can't?

Buckley is under performing and the spot light should be on him more.

On another note, Buckley was a 'Pho Assistant' under Malthouse. He was pushed into the 'Opposition Analysist' role just to give him a role until he took over. Malthouse did not utilise Buckely as a 2IC, he just put up with him because he had to.

At this point Buckley is a failure.

Major worries about Bucks. The stupid pre ordained comments after they beat Carlton, very silly and inane talk. The comments after finals loss were about change/culture, but he failed to cut the list after Heater.

My thinking is the Pies will struggle to make the 8 and Eddie will stick by his love child through thick and thin. This will be a laugh a minute ride for the next 3 years

and in that time our rebuild of a rebuild of a rebuild will be completed.

Happy days for Dee supporters.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,693]

IF Malthouse didn't win the flag with Collingwood he would undoubtedly be a failure. The fact he won it in twelfth year at the Pies was very lucky for his legacy as a coach.

In his own inimitable, backhanded way, Kevin Sheedy made the excellent point that Mick Malthouse must be an outstanding coach because any coach who manages to stay with the same team for over a decade without winning a Premiership must be doing something right.

[DemonFrog 1,354]

[dazzledavey36 54,282]

Buckley has had the talent on field to perform much better than they have performed!!! Malthouse left him a club that were premiers and runners up. If Malthouse was such a bad people person, why did he get his players to perform whilst Buckley can't?

Buckley is under performing and the spot light should be on him more.

On another note, Buckley was a 'Pho Assistant' under Malthouse. He was pushed into the 'Opposition Analysist' role just to give him a role until he took over. Malthouse did not utilise Buckely as a 2IC, he just put up with him because he had to.

At this point Buckley is a failure.

They were hit pretty hard with injuries this year. Beams, Thomas, Toovey, Fasolo, Keefe, etc. Yet they managed to still blood about 6 talented kids.

With Taylor Adams plus pick 6 and 11 they get some very talented players to go with the likes of Grundy and Kennedy and so on.

They will be a force next year.

[TGR 1,367]

In one corner, you have the Malthouse assistants who were basically his sycophants, who were doomed to failure. These guys got great references from the great man. I heard the Neeldy wanted 350k at Carlton in 2014 and the board laughed. Also, heard that many in the club asked "what have we done (appointing him)" a few days in to his tenure. Also heard that several staff approached Connolly before round 6 in Neeld's first year seeking his removal. Connolly's reply was "finances will keep him here". Whether the word "unfortunately" was used at the end of his reply, I cannot rule in or out. As I have said long ago, the "Brett Lovett No Lollies No Coaches Box entry" story will be legendary for years to come" as will the "Mitch Clark wearing the wrong color shoe laces to training so go home" story.

In the other corner, you have Alan Richardson. Have a look at what Malthouse has said about his one time assistant publicly. Something tells me that someone who had the guts to stand up to Malthouse (Richardson, Buckley) is the type of guy a club wants in its corner.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Malthouse had Collingwood in the Grand Final in 2011 with 7 of his regulars out injured and wasn't that far away from a flag; Buckley took over the following year and you would have to think that he should have been a chance to get a flag in his first year but finished 4th. The following year he's finished 8th so they are heading in the wrong direction.

They've lost a few of the players that got them to the flag and runner up and I think he will struggle, even though the general consensus is they've recruited well. It will take a while for the young ones to come on and take over from the lost senior players and there's no guarantee that they'll be as good.

He seems to want to do a Neeld and get rid of any player that wants to question his authority and that worked out well didn't it.

[Dees2014 2,377]

Oh I disagree.

Collingwood have serious culture issues, which Malthouse ignored and Buckley is fixing. It will advantage them in the end but may take a year or two. I'm tipping they will not make the eight next year while they go through this.

I think they are regretting already their decision to trade Dawes, although it may have been related to his tendency for injury, in which case they were smarter than we were!

[Carlos Danger 380]

Malthouse had Collingwood in the Grand Final in 2011 with 7 of his regulars out injured and wasn't that far away from a flag;

They would have won it if not for the undying McGuire/Buckley succession plan.