Frawley 'secure' as coach
By Melissa Ryan
July 14 2003
Richmond has backed coach Danny Frawley for the duration of his contract and urged its supporters to have faith in its long-term plan to build a premiership side, as the club languishes in the throes of a seven-match losing streak that has derailed its season.
Richmond director of football Greg Miller said yesterday Frawley was "secure" in his position - his contract expires next season - and the beleaguered coach's confidence was not significantly battered by the onfield horrors of the past two months.
"I think he's got great faith in himself and so he should," Miller said. "It's easy to point the finger at one particular person - some members do that, most don't - but Danny knows that the foundations around the place are stronger in the past six to eight months and he knows he's secure and he knows we're going to work hard."
Captain Wayne Campbell will have surgery today to repair his torn Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season. Having joined vice-captain Darren Gaspar (knee reconstruction) on the sidelines, deputy vice-captain Matthew Richardson will assume the onfield leadership for the remainder of the season.
"A couple of times this year we've had no Gaspar and Campbell and Richo was captain, so that will be the case," Miller said.
With seven games remaining in the home-and-away season - and the club operating on a blueprint, which Miller delivered in a frank mid-season review - underperforming Richmond players have been given notice to improve and show they are worthy of challenging for a premiership.
"Every club, the last seven or eight players on their list, are always playing for their careers. Certainly all year when players are playing, you've got to weigh up whether they're value for money, you've got to weigh up whether they'll be in your next premiership side," Miller said.
"I wouldn't say it's any different to any other club but, of course, they're under scrutiny and when you're not performing as a club year after year, then the scrutiny's going to be even closer."
Miller said he could understand supporters' anger watching their team drift from the top four to the lower reaches of the ladder, but asked them to have faith in the process the club was putting in place.
"We realise the work we've got to do and we're not going to be swayed by minority groups or loudmouths," he said.
"When you build a list it takes time, so when you say 'how long?', right now it feels a long way away. Eight weeks ago it seemed one or two years away.
"We can only be frank with them, we can only tell them all the facts and they'll make their own choice whether they stick with us or wait until we get out of trouble and jump back on the bandwagon.
"I think most Richmond supporters have been very patient. We just ask them to be a bit more patient," he said.
Club president Clinton Casey urged members not to be "so reactive to the onfield performance" in the future as had happened this year with the club's membership down by some 2500 from last season, which has had a huge financial impact on the Tigers.
"Unfortunately it's not an overnight thing," he said.
"I don't want to say that it's going to take time but they are going to need some time to be able to create a playing list out of smart recruiting and enhancing the current playing list to take the team forward."
By Melissa Ryan
July 14 2003
Richmond has backed coach Danny Frawley for the duration of his contract and urged its supporters to have faith in its long-term plan to build a premiership side, as the club languishes in the throes of a seven-match losing streak that has derailed its season.
Richmond director of football Greg Miller said yesterday Frawley was "secure" in his position - his contract expires next season - and the beleaguered coach's confidence was not significantly battered by the onfield horrors of the past two months.
"I think he's got great faith in himself and so he should," Miller said. "It's easy to point the finger at one particular person - some members do that, most don't - but Danny knows that the foundations around the place are stronger in the past six to eight months and he knows he's secure and he knows we're going to work hard."
Captain Wayne Campbell will have surgery today to repair his torn Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of the season. Having joined vice-captain Darren Gaspar (knee reconstruction) on the sidelines, deputy vice-captain Matthew Richardson will assume the onfield leadership for the remainder of the season.
"A couple of times this year we've had no Gaspar and Campbell and Richo was captain, so that will be the case," Miller said.
With seven games remaining in the home-and-away season - and the club operating on a blueprint, which Miller delivered in a frank mid-season review - underperforming Richmond players have been given notice to improve and show they are worthy of challenging for a premiership.
"Every club, the last seven or eight players on their list, are always playing for their careers. Certainly all year when players are playing, you've got to weigh up whether they're value for money, you've got to weigh up whether they'll be in your next premiership side," Miller said.
"I wouldn't say it's any different to any other club but, of course, they're under scrutiny and when you're not performing as a club year after year, then the scrutiny's going to be even closer."
Miller said he could understand supporters' anger watching their team drift from the top four to the lower reaches of the ladder, but asked them to have faith in the process the club was putting in place.
"We realise the work we've got to do and we're not going to be swayed by minority groups or loudmouths," he said.
"When you build a list it takes time, so when you say 'how long?', right now it feels a long way away. Eight weeks ago it seemed one or two years away.
"We can only be frank with them, we can only tell them all the facts and they'll make their own choice whether they stick with us or wait until we get out of trouble and jump back on the bandwagon.
"I think most Richmond supporters have been very patient. We just ask them to be a bit more patient," he said.
Club president Clinton Casey urged members not to be "so reactive to the onfield performance" in the future as had happened this year with the club's membership down by some 2500 from last season, which has had a huge financial impact on the Tigers.
"Unfortunately it's not an overnight thing," he said.
"I don't want to say that it's going to take time but they are going to need some time to be able to create a playing list out of smart recruiting and enhancing the current playing list to take the team forward."
