Malcolm Blght anyone?

[skeptic]

No please don’t hurt my family they have nothing to do with this... Just listen.

Obviously the man can’t cosch now but being a 90s child, only properly remembering seasons post Plugger leaving, mid-2000 before Timid quit was about as bleak as it got...

We had one draw up to round 10

Harvey and Burke were still warriors... Andrew Thompson was very much turning into one too.
Winmar gone
Everite and Loewe a shadow of themselves. Aussie Jones was on the booze... Tony Brown was nowhere near it and Joel Smith had long since gone.
One Wakelin brother was seriously injured, the other was just ok.

A young kid named Brett Knowles who I barely remember statistically was playing some decent footy whilst after promising starts, Brett Moyle, Joey McLaren and Chad Davis had stagnated.

A young Jason Blake started promisingly that season in the same game that a young Max Hudghton shed tears after dropping a 5 goal lead. I think a young Stevie Baker was around too.

Barry Hall was underperforming and undisciplined. Jason Heatley... well most were surprised he was still on the list

Tim Elliot, Gavin Mitchell, Jason Trianedes, Tony Delaney, Sean Charles, Fred Campbell... the saints that sin

David Sierkowski actually began to step it up a little in the ruck highlighting what a bad decision it was to recruit a Damian Monkhorst

James Begley, Matthew Carr, Damian Ryan, Cayden Beetham were the rest of the kids... unfortunately not much for us there with the most talented of the bunch destined to go to Freo at seasons end.


Then along came Malcolm Blight and “The Ride”... arguably the most expensive rip off of our clubs history especially when one begins to read up on just how bad Blightey was... truly awful stuff.

The thing however is this recruitment acted as this huge circuit breaker for our club.

The cycle of doom and gloom stopped at least for a while and it was replaced by hope and excitement.
In came Fraser Gehrig, Aaron Hamil, Lawrence, Callaghan... and in the recruitment category came a handful of dashing young men named Riewoldt, Koschitzke and Milne...
Sure it wasn’t the be all and end all of our rebuild but we were off.


I hate to say it but I can’t see another way out of this... we need a coup. A HUGE signing... the biggest name. Someone that generates excitement... will instill hope in the future, attract fans and players a like.

I say throw the cheque book out there... get the biggest name we can. Who is it? Is it Alistair Clarkson? I can’t think of anyone bigger.
New coach
New board
And with the excitement, a big FA and a few seasoned veterans to help us stem the flow then turn it around.

[bigred]

Will never forget that trade/draft period.

A good mate of mine was living interstate and I think it was on the day that it all wrapped up I ended up on the phone with him for probably two hours just going over the new list.

It was just incredibly positive.

If we managed to get a fish, I would be surprised. We need a positive run after the bye or we have no hope.

[Jacks Back]

I hear Mark Neeld is available now.

[sks023]

We need a gun midfielder who wins he's own football
No one comes to mind any suggestions ?

[Teflon]

Good thread
I think signing Clarkson on a 5 year deal could be that spark that ignites this club
He's the mongrel type ruthless coach we need - we ought to go hard now
I fear we won't
The Lethlean review is turning into "let's blame players- not leaders just 50-100 gamers..." and stay silent in the coach....
It's mates rates between coach , board and reviewer....
Nothing will change

[loris]

Well if we get Clarkson, a big name like Blight, I hope we don’t repeat the scenario and kick him out after a few games !
Does anyone know if Clarkson likes to play golf ??

[Teflon]

Well if we get Clarkson, a big name like Blight, I hope we don’t repeat the scenario and kick him out after a few games !
Does anyone know if Clarkson likes to play golf ??

Unlike Malcolm, I don't think Clarkson has retired yet..

[Sainternist]

Well if we get Clarkson, a big name like Blight, I hope we don’t repeat the scenario and kick him out after a few games !
Does anyone know if Clarkson likes to play golf ??

It would be pretty different to getting Blight, Loris. Blight was actually coaxed out of retirement and he had already settled up in Queensland.

[loris]

Teffers & Nisty...... I was attempting humour there ... sorry it didn’t work. I’ll blame the 2 glasses of Pinot Noir I had tonight with dinner!

[prwilkinson]

If Clarkson is looking for a fresh new challenge, he’d get it at St Kilda.

[thejiggingsaint]

There is absolute ZERO chance of Alastair Clarkson EVER coaching the Saints. I know things are pretty bleak at the moment, but entertaining an idea like that smacks of TRUE desperation.

[Crossy66]

Would we entertain a certain embattled coach from Freo?
There's the go home factor plus, he can certainly coach and his time may be up in Freo.
Thoughts?

[Teflon]

Would we entertain a certain embattled coach from Freo?
There's the go home factor plus, he can certainly coach and his time may be up in Freo.
Thoughts?

Lyon was good a decade ago
I’m not sure he’s moved with the game or society....more broadly speaking ....

[wally]

I would keep the coach and flick all the assistants maybe Voss, Scarlett, Mooney Leppitch etc.
I would try to get Roos as an overseer (general manager?) of the whole operation as he does understand
the business and it should operate including recruiting and what is needed.
If we look fair dinkum we might attract a player or two.

[Crossy66]

Would we entertain a certain embattled coach from Freo?
There's the go home factor plus, he can certainly coach and his time may be up in Freo.
Thoughts?

Lyon was good a decade ago
I’m not sure he’s moved with the game or society....more broadly speaking ....

At around 50, he is a similar age to Clarko, Hinkley, Worsfold. Last coached in a GF 5 years ago and has 3 in the last 9 years, second only to Clarko. He is also younger than Richo. Does he still have the fire in the belly? who knows. As for his recent off field problem, it occurred six years ago and hard to condemn without the facts.
Maybe a Lyon / Fyfe Deal

[Zed]

I think the theme is we need to do something different and employ a few people who think differently

Perhaps its in the coaching box. Perhaps its at Board level. Perhaps its in admin or recruitment. We have become such a bland nothing club - everyone is on the same page - which is normally seen as a good thing. However its now a case of groupthink, nobody willing or able to seriously challenge the internal workings

[shanegrambeau]

I don’t have a clue about what is going on underneath, but as a supporter it seems like the team that re-ignited everything really came from Grant Thomas and the synergy he had around the boys up to 2006. Strange decisions like rotating captaincy, using the “nu/biz/corporate /gobblygook or not choosing a ruckman and expecting Komi to carry the day in that last game against Melbourne aside, Lyon was so focused and motivated, he walked into a readymade set of motivated and willing lads. I can’t think that anyone will want to play or coach us until we get some positivity first. It might be, that this bottoming out is the juncture for us to bounce back. We need at least six wins from somewhwere and for the stink to get off from us before we think of luring big name players as we will get ripped off now in our vulnerable position.

[whiskers3614]

Would we entertain a certain embattled coach from Freo?
There's the go home factor plus, he can certainly coach and his time may be up in Freo.
Thoughts?

Would rather stab myself ln the eye!

[Crossy66]

Would we entertain a certain embattled coach from Freo?
There's the go home factor plus, he can certainly coach and his time may be up in Freo.
Thoughts?

Would rather stab myself ln the eye!

So thats a no from you ?

[tony74]

Not much out there. Knights would take the job in a heartbeat. Ratten would need to be convinced.

[evertonfc]

Love to have this bloke back in the red, white and black - where he started his coaching journey.



Sounds like he's all done at Hawthorn after 14 years.

Allan Jeans was all done at St Kilda after 16 years...but had plenty in the tank for Hawthorn after that.

[desertsaint]

come home clarko!

[degruch]

Jeff's making that much noise about it (granted, it is a hot topic) that Clarko's exit has to be a distinct possibility. I've often thought of the Blight decision and how, although it was completely insane, costly and had no hope of longevity whatsoever, it signalled enough intent from the club that it landed an entire school of fish (Voss missing from the OP) and could have set us up for a number of premierships (had we capitalised on our chances). I don't know if I have the fortitude to live through it again...does the club?

[Dis Believer]

Well if we get Clarkson, a big name like Blight, I hope we don’t repeat the scenario and kick him out after a few games !
Does anyone know if Clarkson likes to play golf ??

Somehow I don't picture Clarkson having the temperament for golf...…….

[saynta]

Well if we get Clarkson, a big name like Blight, I hope we don’t repeat the scenario and kick him out after a few games !
Does anyone know if Clarkson likes to play golf ??

Somehow I don't picture Clarkson having the temperament for golf...…….

I don't think they make clubs small enough for clarko.