Having put out a similar post some time back,I though I,d revisit something that always has intrigued me.Being a coach of such a high profile club requires a lot of self-belief and a very thick skin...peoples natural instinct is to find a source to blame for the teams short-comings.What makes a good coach?Is it the cattle he has at his disposal,or is it his ability to turn good ordinary footballers into great footballers!
I remember the plaudits heaped on Ronald Dale Barassi.....Supposedly a legendary coach.Ive got nothin against him,but I reckon that the Kangaroos,(or North Melbourne)"bought "their premierships in the seventies as opposed to the Hafeys,Jeanses,Parkinns,Sheedys,etc who coached sides to flags on the back of club culture and pride in playing for the jumper as well as being well educated in the game.
Sheedy is an interesting one.Despite having coached 4 premiership teams,their last flag in a manner that may never be equaled in our lifetime....the bomber faithful are questioning whether he is the right man at the minute....
Malcom Blight....coached a good ordinary side to 2 flags thanks to sparks of inividual brilliance at just the right time in grand finals...
Leigh Matthews is the interesting one though.
When my old mate Bomber john was alive and terrorising the message boards...the Brsipain Liars supporters were looking for Matthews head on a plate.The liars were struggling to keep in touch with the 8 while Essendon were rolling along and almost everyone thought that the flag was theirs in 2001...then..them prophetic words....."If it bleeds,we can kill it"Bang!Not only did they pull the Bombers pants down that nite,it was the catayst for a dynasty....and I was there to witness it with my own eyes....Was it the coach,an incredible injection of a sense of self belief?Fascinating stuff.
I,for one reckon Frawley didnt do too bad considering the weight of expectation....perhaps he became too reactionary in the end...but...before you tar and feather me...he did get the side to a preliminary final...not a bad effort in anyones speak....what went wrong has been well documented by other very learned puntroadenders.....The present and the future?Next year...is it a developmental process going on,or will Terry and his boys bear fruit?
Either way,its gonna be a fascinating ride.....Ahhhh!Who would be a coach?