Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin is concerned the quality of the AFL could suffer if it reaches a ‘tipping point’ in cuts to its footy department.

The AFL confirmed on Tuesday it would limit the expenditure of clubs across the board, with just 25 football department staff allowed for the remainder of 2020.

Goodwin is understanding of the need to cut costs due to the coronavirus crisis, but is worried too much cutting could lead to a regression in the quality of footy.

Cuts in assistant coaches and other ancillary staff will also increase the scrutiny on the Senior Coach ..... mmmm!

26 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Cuts in assistant coaches and other ancillary staff will also increase the scrutiny on the Senior Coach ..... mmmm!

He might have to spend less time being a life coach and more time being a footy coach.

 

 

Cue outraged Saty charging in on his trusty white steed in 5..4..3..2..1..

How will it impact the quality? Football being over coached has done a good enough job of that as it is.

Maybe the game should be less coached, analysed, compartmentalised, scrutinised, etc.

Many observers talk about footy being a simple game at its core, and it should be!

This is an opportunity for the league and clubs to bring the game back from a two hour, over-thought, rolling scrum 

3 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

Goodwin is understanding of the need to cut costs due to the coronavirus crisis, but is worried too much cutting could lead to a regression in the quality of footy.

well duh, of course there will be a regression in many areas. can't have cake and eat it. in fact though, a reduction in over-coaching and more emphasis on the basics might just benefit some players. sometimes kiss is the way to go

The choice in who you cut will be interesting, and might give teams a competitive advantage.  You would think more advanced teams would need less assistant coaches, and more sports science and fitness.  Developing clubs might need more development coaches and less fitness and sports science (less need to keep the old players going?).  Who a team cuts will be an interesting strategic choice.  I would say we need burgo + a couple, a kicking coach, goodie and maybe Richo.  Add back from there.

 

Another Goodwin interview:

Here's the audio from the article.

3 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

Maybe the game should be less coached, analysed, compartmentalised, scrutinised, etc.

Many observers talk about footy being a simple game at its core, and it should be!

This is an opportunity for the league and clubs to bring the game back from a two hour, over-thought, rolling scrum 

So it will eventually lead to the shutdown of Demonland then, what will the opinionated do then

20 minutes ago, Satyriconhome said:

So it will eventually lead to the shutdown of Demonland then, what will the opinionated do then

Start riding scooters to training?

 

 

#dingonfire

46 minutes ago, ding said:

Start riding scooters to training?

 

 

#dingonfire

Deserves a dong, ding

5 hours ago, Watts the matter said:

How will it impact the quality? Football being over coached has done a good enough job of that as it is.

The loss of development coaches will be critical as the "hub/lockdown" situation continues. 

This club of anyone has learned how damaging the lack of good development to young players can be, thinking that all was required was to draft talent. 

Coaching is not about what happens on game day alone.  In fact it is the easy part of the job.  Getting the basics and the game plan/style into 40 odd players is not something that can be done by 1 or 2 assistants. 

And what if the plan has to change because critical players get injured?  Other players have to be taught a new/different role.  Look how miserable we were last year, when we had all manner of players on the field playing out of position, or not ready to play at senior level.

 

5 hours ago, daisycutter said:

more emphasis on the basics might just benefit some players

The "basics", as you refer to them, will be the first to go. With reduced staff, do you think for one minute that they'll be looking at a specialist kicking or tackling coach?

Though my main concern would be the off-field staff: physical preparation, weights, rehab, etc. Just watch the increase in injuries.

The coaches are worried about how the standard of footy might look like going forward , but the games it at its lowest ebb IMO.

The low scoring has reached a crisis point.

In 2000 we had 5 games by the end of round 1 where both sides scored 100 points.
Last year we had 3 games - for the entire season!

5 hours ago, ding said:

Start riding scooters to training?

 

 

#dingonfire

Hi-5ing yourself... gold haha.

ps kudos.

Stop trying to hide Simon

What did all our Coaches do in Round 1 over in Perth?

Looked like bugger all to me. Still played exactly like 2019....

9 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

Maybe the game should be less coached, analysed, compartmentalised, scrutinised, etc.

Many observers talk about footy being a simple game at its core, and it should be!

This is an opportunity for the league and clubs to bring the game back from a two hour, over-thought, rolling scrum 

Hope you exempt demonland from that ruling Moom.

7 hours ago, bing181 said:

The "basics", as you refer to them, will be the first to go. With reduced staff, do you think for one minute that they'll be looking at a specialist kicking or tackling coach?

Though my main concern would be the off-field staff: physical preparation, weights, rehab, etc. Just watch the increase in injuries.

The good teams will be Bing.

if you have to sacrifice anything, it should be the hangers-on, and the lifestyle coaches. The very last people to be "let go" should be the people who teach the basics... kicking, tackling etc etc.

If MFC get rid of people who teach the fundamentals of Footy so we can keep other , more generalised coaches, then we deserve whatever comes our way.

NO club can afford to get rid of kicking/tackling coaches less than MFC.

While we are at it, identify whoever it was that advised our mids to keep bombing it long to the forwards.... they would be the first people i would assist with a career adjustment.

Interestiing times ahead.

Edited May 14, 20205 yr by ding

I just hope that whoever we keep is prepared to work their [censored] off, as there will be many gaps to fill.

Would love to see the back of the touchy feely "coaches" but sadly in lockdown, I expect some of our precious petals to fall apart mentally. Mental strength has never been a strong suit at the Dees.

Will watch with interest.

8 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Stop trying to hide Simon

What did all our Coaches do in Round 1 over in Perth?

Looked like bugger all to me. Still played exactly like 2019....

100% agree.

Goodwin had 5 months to not just tinker with our game plan but to revolutionise it.

What did we dish up in round 1? The same inefficient, inaccurate, sloppy and mistake riddled football that we copped as supporters in 2019, but with only two players out.

Not good enough from a coach on an alleged $750-800K year. Lucky for him the game was quickly forgotten by the media and fans, amidst the beginning of the crisis.

 

 

Whilst I feel sorry for the individuals who have lost their jobs and their places on the gravy train, this could be the best thing ever to happen to the game.

Dozens of assistant coaches, line coaches and every other fad the AFL community can concoct, and the players execute the basic skills worse than they did 30 years ago. So much time is spent on structures and tactics that do nothing but complicate what should be a simple game and detract from the spectacle. These people have created the illusion that they are essential, when they are anything but.

I look at a player like Petracca who has all the talent in the world, but his natural instincts have been beaten out of him with a sledgehammer and he now does things like kick 40 metres side ways to a teammate on a worse angle, instead of having a shot at goal. There is no way he would have done that before reaching the AFL.

1 minute ago, poita said:

Whilst I feel sorry for the individuals who have lost their jobs and their places on the gravy train, this could be the best thing ever to happen to the game.

Dozens of assistant coaches, line coaches and every other fad the AFL community can concoct, and the players execute the basic skills worse than they did 30 years ago. So much time is spent on structures and tactics that do nothing but complicate what should be a simple game and detract from the spectacle. These people have created the illusion that they are essential, when they are anything but.

I look at a player like Petracca who has all the talent in the world, but his natural instincts have been beaten out of him with a sledgehammer and he now does things like kick 40 metres side ways to a teammate on a worse angle, instead of having a shot at goal. There is no way he would have done that before reaching the AFL.

I have to agree. It does seem the players are overly coached and overly structured.

Footy in the 1990's and early 2000's was so pure and high scoring with far less coaches and staff.

Is still love watching the Dees play as much as ever, but getting a little tired of watching neutral games when the losing side is struggling to kick 60 points in perfect conditions.

 

58 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Footy in the 1990's and early 2000's was so pure and high scoring with far less coaches and staff.

the zones have killed that style not to mention packing the fifty metre area. Can't see a reduction in coach numbers fundamentally changing the style of play

4 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

I have to agree. It does seem the players are overly coached and overly structured.

 

Footy in the 1990's and early 2000's was so pure and high scoring with far less coaches and staff.

Is still love watching the Dees play as much as ever, but getting a little tired of watching neutral games when the losing side is struggling to kick 60 points in perfect conditions.

 

Educated intelligent coaches,  who are bored with simply trying to motivate their players into walking machines,  instead want to turn our game from one of spontaneous exhilaration,  into some computer chess game.

 

Have anyone EVER enjoyed watching chess played.? 

 

I think the coaches have created a game for themselves to get into...   and left behind the masses, who just want to be entertained via spontaneity & exhilaration. 

The randomness of two-up, or a boxing match which can change in an instant.

 

Bring back 'footy',  and let the  'pole-iticals correct'  do something else.