From Left Field

[3rd generation saint]

I know a lot of people are getting frustrated with Ross Lyon and his game plan, I'm one of them.
But who would you replace him with? Any suggestions?
Here's one from left field who has been missing from our line up and forced to retire.
Know he would be a very raw rookie coach but if he could instill into the side to play with the same hardness and ferocity he played with then we might win a few more games.
I speak of Aaron Hamill.

[danners]

i think that would be an excellent choice but maybe not for a few years.

give him some time to learn and i feel he could be a great coach

[mad saint guy]

Not this soon after retirement. Would want to see him coach TAC cup/state league side for a season or two first followed by a few years as assistant coach at an AFL club.

Certainly has the passion and footy smarts for it though.

[3rd generation saint]

I chose him because of how he played the game, but also how many players of his ilk, ended up being great coaches.
Sheedy, Malthouse, Barassi to name a few

[Iceman234]

I'm not calling for RL's head, but if I had to chip in with a LF name, I'd throw our Aussie into the mix.

[Solar]

would love to see him come in for barker as the forwards coach, asap. Our forward line is a mess

[JeffDunne]

If we were to change coaches it should only to bring in a proven performer.

It's what we should have done the last time and it's what was promised.

I have no doubt Lyon technically is a good coach. However I have serious doubts he's got what it takes to lead a group of men into battle. He's too soft.

[saintsrus]

would love to see him come in for barker as the forwards coach, asap. Our forward line is a mess

Brilliant!

Barkers appointment is still a head scratcher, looking from the outside that is

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Great players don't always make great coach's just ask Tim Watson or Tony Shaw

[Armoooo]

I'm not calling for RL's head, but if I had to chip in with a LF name, I'd throw our Aussie into the mix.

I am too young to remember the details but didn't he once give a half time address to the players which eventually lead to a comeback from us?, I think it might have been 1998 maybe?

either way it would be good to have somebody at the club with enough charisma to get the boys enthusiastic...

[SaintDippa]

Regarding the RL game plan. When we attack we look good and get the scoreboard ticking over.

I'm just getting a little annoyed with what normally follows. That is 20 minutes of 18 men behind the centre of the gound. The secord quarter last night when I felt we were on top, 18 men were behind the ball and with our pressure any turnover was wasted with no one to kick to.

This negativity is RL sourced (has to be) and is piccing me off.

[Iceman234]

Regarding the RL game plan. When we attack we look good and get the scoreboard ticking over.

I'm just getting a little annoyed with what normally follows. That is 20 minutes of 18 men behind the centre of the gound. The secord quarter last night when I felt we were on top, 18 men were behind the ball and with our pressure any turnover was wasted with no one to kick to.

This negativity is RL sourced (has to be) and is piccing me off.

Apparently not SaintDippa - apparently the players aren't executing the game plan correctly... I can't put my finger on it but there must be a huge breakdown in communication somewhere because we seem to be the first quarter premiers.

[melton girl]

okay you can shoot me down with what i am about to say.
how about what the players think when they are going great and playing at full steam that all of a sudden they get it into their heads we can't do this for lyons we are being disloyal to gt .they are not willing to change the way lyons wants them to play because of what happened to gt.l was one of the biggest fans of gt but its time to move on,ross lyons is our coach its up to the players to want to play for him and the stkilda football club.

[esaint66]

If G does retire this week or soon i say we keep him round the club with johnny barker helping the fowards seeing as he knows what they are capable of 1st hand.

[Saints43]

If we were to change coaches it should only to bring in a proven performer.

And the board (who didn't appoint RL) must be looking into this now.

A lot of people here are saying to be patient but this game doesn't wait for anyone. Lyons contract only has 36 H&A weeks to run. 18 months with only one more opportunity to changethe list.

As Lyon was not brought to St Kilda to rebuild - as evidenced by the drafting & selection policy - we can only assume he was brought here to have an impact on finals. He has not done this and at the minute it doesn't look likely.

The board must be looking now. No more L-Plates.

[Eastern]

If G does retire this week or soon i say we keep him round the club with johnny barker helping the fowards seeing as he knows what they are capable of 1st hand.

Bloody Good idea, that !!

[Eastern]

No more L-Plates.

What's WRONG with L-Plates ?

!!

[marksnsparks]

There is one of two things going on at St Kilda at the moment:

(a) The whole team is in a form slump

(b) The whole just don't respond to RL and they're not playing for him

I'd say the probability of (b) is higher.

Get rid of RL and get Sheedy in for 2 years to try and get the best out of this list before they are too old.

I've previously said stability is the way to go, but now my pain is too great...you have stables, you get donkeys...as we can see

[St DAC]

Clearly after a 4/4 start imploding as a club and sacking a coach not yet halfway into his contracted period is the way to go. Why not confirm the well held belief we are a joke of a club, and couldn't run a chook raffle? Why should we show fortitude, even when it's our club motto?

Let's show the rest of the AFL world just how pissweak we are. Sack the coach I say! Why not; it's what we do when things get tough.

[/sarcasm]

[Otiman]

Hutchison for head coach, Ross Lyon for "assistant coach" but on his current salary.

He really does know how to rally the troops, and I really think Lyon struggles in this area. He is obviously tactically astute, but on match day when it comes to revving the boys up, he struggles (due to lack of experience perhaps)

[JeffDunne]

St DAC, if we miss the 8 this year we will have no choice but to review where we are at with Ross.

Next year Ross will be on his last year of his contract and we either give him the licence and security to rebuild the list or we allow him another crack at winning it.

Either way, without a contract extension in place Ross and the club will be enormous pressure if the loses start mounting and we continue to play boring as bat-sh*t fotball.

If we're not going to make a decision on Ross at this end of this year then we might be in a world of trouble if he can't get it together next year.

IMO we either extend or cut at the end of this year if we know what's good for us.

[plugger66]

St DAC, if we miss the 8 this year we will have no choice but to review where we are at with Ross.

Next year Ross will be on his last year of his contract and we either give him the licence and security to rebuild the list or we allow him another crack at winning it.

Either way, without a contract extension in place Ross and the club will be enormous pressure if the loses start mounting and we continue to play boring as bat-sh*t fotball.

If we're not going to make a decision on Ross at this end of this year then we might be in a world of trouble if he can't get it together next year.

IMO we either extend or cut at the end of this year if we know what's good for us.

He was given 3 years so let him have 3 years. We dont have to make a decision until next year. Lets not do the Saints thing and sack a coach before the contract ends. Has sacking GT helped us. I think not Sacking RL wil help either just gives the players more excuses.

[St DAC]

Next year is next year. Ross was signed for 3 years, and should serve them unless he is deemed incompetent, and he's clearly not.

I agree the year should be reviewed at years end; as it should be each year. But calling for a change of coach 8 games into a season is lunacy, especially when you are 4/4, not 1/7 or 2/6.

Let's see where we end up after round 22 before tossing the baby out with the bathwater.

[JeffDunne]

If we miss the 8 and let him have another crack next year we might be starting a rebuild after 3 years out of the 8.

A club in our position would be mad to let Ross face next season on the last year of a contract after two failed seasons.

If we started next year 0-4, it would be a feeding frenzy.

If by mid-season we haven't re-signed him we would be where Melbourne and Carlton were last year - rudderless.

We need to decide on Ross at the end of this season. It would be stupidity not too.

If we decide we need a rebuild, extend him and let him get on with it.

If we decide we're still in a position to have a crack at it then we need to decide if Ross is up to it. No point wasting an opportunity if you think you are in that position.

Personally I think we'll do the former, extend him and allow him to make some tough choices. I hope though it's done for the right reasons and not done out of fear of bad press.

[Otiman]

Let's see where we end up after round 22 before tossing the baby out with the bathwater.

I think our baby will drown in the bathwater before then.