Sexton contracted for another year...drat!!

[Sanctorum]

Readers of this forum will be aware that I have been questioning the retention of Danny Sexton as Director of Coaching. I contend that with all the criticism of Alan Richardson for the team's poor results since mid 2017, even greater responsibility has to be sheeted home to Danny Sexton as DoC, because in essence it is Sexton who is in charge of the entire coaching panel, including Alan Richardson. Sexton, who has never played at the elite level has been at the club in a variety of coaching positions since 2006, and it is very unusual for a coach at any level (unless you're a Sheedy, Malthouse, Matthews or Clarkson) to remain at the same club for 12 years, especially at a club that under-performs.

I have been reliably informed that Danny Sexton has been contracted for his 13th continuous year at St Kilda, but that his role as Director of Coaching will be res-shaped more into administration than coaching.

Whilst this is disappointing news, I believe the recruitment of Brett Ratten and Brendon Lade, and the role in leadership development by Billy Slater, will generate major changes in the coaching culture at the Saints and should result in much better on field performance in 2019!

[prwilkinson]

What’s going on with Gubby Allen?

[saintsRrising]

Job for the boys that one...

[Saintly66]

What’s going on with Gubby Allen?

Be confirmed after trade period I’d have thought

[SaintPav]

Is Cox still there?

[Cairnsman]

Readers of this forum will be aware that I have been questioning the retention of Danny Sexton as Director of Coaching. I contend that with all the criticism of Alan Richardson for the team's poor results since mid 2017, even greater responsibility has to be sheeted home to Danny Sexton as DoC, because in essence it is Sexton who is in charge of the entire coaching panel, including Alan Richardson. Sexton, who has never played at the elite level has been at the club in a variety of coaching positions since 2006, and it is very unusual for a coach at any level (unless you're a Sheedy, Malthouse, Matthews or Clarkson) to remain at the same club for 12 years, especially at a club that under-performs.

I have been reliably informed that Danny Sexton has been contracted for his 13th continuous year at St Kilda, but that his role as Director of Coaching will be res-shaped more into administration than coaching.

Whilst this is disappointing news, I believe the recruitment of Brett Ratten and Brendon Lade, and the role in leadership development by Billy Slater, will generate major changes in the coaching culture at the Saints and should result in much better on field performance in 2019!

There were media reports the AFL believe the game is over coached and is discussing the option of reducing the number of coaches? This could also extend to reducing the soft cap as well as other measures as the AFL are thinking the game has become a contest between two systems and not a contest of players that decide a result but rather a contest of coaching panels.

If these ideas start to gain traction has Lethlean got ahead of the curve and has already started looking to rationalise the DoC and head coach positions?

[WellardSaint]

what the hell does a Director of Coaching actually do? Geezus. Get paid big $$ for shuffling paper

[Sanctorum]

If these ideas start to gain traction has Lethlean got ahead of the curve and has already started looking to rationalise the DoC and head coach positions?

I believe Simon Lethlean is indeed "ahead of the curve", and that is undoubtedly due to his previous senior role in the AFL.

In the same communication I received from the club, the following was also noted:

"These changes to date include:

• Coaching - 4 coaches out, 3 new coaches in – Brett Ratten, Brendon Lade and Jake Batchelor
• List Management - Tony Elshaug replaced with new Head of List Management – James Gallagher
• Analytics - new Senior Analyst appointed – Darren O’Shaughnessy (7 years at Hawthorn)
• Leadership & Performance – Billy Slater appointed to run this program
• There will be one further change to be announced soon in relation to an experienced football person joining our program in an advisory role."

This is testimony to Lethlean's crucial role in rejuvenating the St Kilda FC, let's hope he is there for the long haul....wonder who that "experienced person joining our program in an advisory role" will be?

[Junior]

[quote=Cairnsman post_id=<a href="tel:1762383">1762383</a> time=<a href="tel:1539500626">1539500626</a> user_id=1376]

If these ideas start to gain traction has Lethlean got ahead of the curve and has already started looking to rationalise the DoC and head coach positions?

I believe Simon Lethlean is indeed "ahead of the curve", and that is undoubtedly due to his previous senior role in the AFL.

In the same communication I received from the club, the following was also noted:

"These changes to date include:

• Coaching - 4 coaches out, 3 new coaches in – Brett Ratten, Brendon Lade and Jake Batchelor
• List Management - Tony Elshaug replaced with new Head of List Management – James Gallagher
• Analytics - new Senior Analyst appointed – Darren O’Shaughnessy (7 years at Hawthorn)
• Leadership & Performance – Billy Slater appointed to run this program
• There will be one further change to be announced soon in relation to an experienced football person joining our program in an advisory role."

This is testimony to Lethlean's crucial role in rejuvenating the St Kilda FC, let's hope he is there for the long haul....wonder who that "experienced person joining our program in an advisory role" will be?
[/quote]

Gubby Allen

[skeptic]

I like Lethlean...
He’s tried to get on the front foot in his limited time.

Reckon over the next 12 months we might see some big changes

[chico2001]

[quote=Cairnsman post_id=<a href="tel:1762383">1762383</a> time=<a href="tel:1539500626">1539500626</a> user_id=1376]

If these ideas start to gain traction has Lethlean got ahead of the curve and has already started looking to rationalise the DoC and head coach positions?

I believe Simon Lethlean is indeed "ahead of the curve", and that is undoubtedly due to his previous senior role in the AFL.

In the same communication I received from the club, the following was also noted:

"These changes to date include:

• Coaching - 4 coaches out, 3 new coaches in – Brett Ratten, Brendon Lade and Jake Batchelor
• List Management - Tony Elshaug replaced with new Head of List Management – James Gallagher
• Analytics - new Senior Analyst appointed – Darren O’Shaughnessy (7 years at Hawthorn)
• Leadership & Performance – Billy Slater appointed to run this program
• There will be one further change to be announced soon in relation to an experienced football person joining our program in an advisory role."

This is testimony to Lethlean's crucial role in rejuvenating the St Kilda FC, let's hope he is there for the long haul....wonder who that "experienced person joining our program in an advisory role" will be?

Gubby Allen
[/quote]

Didnt we count up that we had at least 11 coaches the last couple of years...and now more"advisors" are being employed..WTF so when does Lethlean have an impact in this area via a "rationlisation". Its bulls***, a non performing team with at least 11 "coaching" personnel. Get " ahead of the curve" by recruiting top players to the club, now and every other year. That's his job, He is getting paid top dollar and he should be putting in a top performance
There is no testimony to his"rejuvenation"...going the early crow a bit arent you?

[groupie1]

Was Choco Williams going to join too?

[saintly]

Was Choco Williams going to join too?

No, he left Ajax and i think has gone to a vfl team

[Saintmatt]

Was Choco Williams going to join too?

No, he left Ajax and i think has gone to a vfl team

Werribee

[minneapolis]

What’s going on with Gubby Allen?

He is doing an amazing job at North.

[Impatient Sainter]

I have heard Sexton called the 'cookroach' because he would survive a holocaust. He must he a slippery customer.

[Stian]

I have had a look at the list of coaches on the Club website. It is interesting that Ratten is listed (as a Senior Assistant Coach) just below Richardson and ABOVE Sexton (the Director of Coaching).

The other coaches then are listed in what appears to be seniority. Maybe I am reading too much into this but it doesn't look like an editorial error. I am hoping that it really does reflect the true "pecking order" in the Club.

Fingers crossed.

[chico2001]

I have had a look at the list of coaches on the Club website. It is interesting that Ratten is listed (as a Senior Assistant Coach) just below Richardson and ABOVE Sexton (the Director of Coaching).

The other coaches then are listed in what appears to be seniority. Maybe I am reading too much into this but it doesn't look like an editorial error. I am hoping that it really does reflect the true "pecking order" in the Club.

Fingers crossed.

Does it say how many coaches there are at the club?

[Sanctorum]

I have had a look at the list of coaches on the Club website. It is interesting that Ratten is listed (as a Senior Assistant Coach) just below Richardson and ABOVE Sexton (the Director of Coaching).

The other coaches then are listed in what appears to be seniority. Maybe I am reading too much into this but it doesn't look like an editorial error. I am hoping that it really does reflect the true "pecking order" in the Club.

Fingers crossed.

Sexton's CV on the St Kilda website states:

"Danny Sexton has a wealth of football experience as a player and coach."

On the VFL website there is a post from 2006:

"SEXTON LANDS AFL JOB
The TAC Cup is proving to be a great launching pad for future AFL coaches as well as players, with 2006 Northern Knights coach Danny Sexton accepting a position with St Kilda Football Club.

Sexton, who led the Knights to a narrow Preliminary Final loss in his one season at the helm, will be a Development Coach with the Saints.

Before this year he spent two seasons with the Calder as an assistant to Robert Hyde, which included a premiership in 2004.

Sexton also coached the Cannons’ under-16 team and has been a vital component in the Knights’ involvement in the very successful VET football program at Essendon-Keilor Secondary College.

Sexton’s playing career included stints with AFL clubs North Melbourne and Fitzroy before he joined Port Melbourne in the VFA, where he spent seven years.

Sexton is the third TAC Cup coach to step up to AFL ranks since the 2006 season"

A further search indicates that he never actually played in the seniors at either North Melbourne or Fitzroy, nor has he coached even close to the elite level before coming to the Saints, which refutes the claim on the Saints website that he "has a wealth of football experience as a player and coach."

My beef with Sexton is that he has spent 12 years at St Kilda and successfully climbed the ladder to the highest level as Director of Coaching without possessing the credentials that would be expected for such a position; that is what I raised with the club recently, and led to the response I have cited. The concern I have is that Sexton may well be seen as the guiding light for Alan Richardson and Simon Lethlean and other senior coaches - the team's regression to 16th in 2018 suggests to me that the club should have extended their clean-out of coaches to include Sexton.

[Stian]

I have had a look at the list of coaches on the Club website. It is interesting that Ratten is listed (as a Senior Assistant Coach) just below Richardson and ABOVE Sexton (the Director of Coaching).

The other coaches then are listed in what appears to be seniority. Maybe I am reading too much into this but it doesn't look like an editorial error. I am hoping that it really does reflect the true "pecking order" in the Club.

Fingers crossed.

Does it say how many coaches there are at the club?

Yep, there are 11 (including Peta Searle) and it is a "live" list in that the old staff have been removed and their replacements have been slotted in.

[chico2001]

Cheers, so that means they have not cut back on any coaches from last year, just changed a few out and still have Sexton who appears to be a legend at the club. The club has bullshitted their way through this with "enhancement" about Sexton and they have done the same with Lethlean.