Is it just me

[hillchaser]

Is it just me ... but does anyone else understand this infatuation with Choco. I must be missing something but to me he looks like a guy who lost interest in coaching, lost his players and has run out of energy. I don't want him coming to Essendon trying to find his mojo again. THis guy is on a decline and I hope we are not chasing him as a senior coach.

Given our run with injuries and considering the number of young players we have blooded I think we owe nights another year. Imagine Geelong if they had run out of patience with Bomber Thompson. Even though I was in favour of Hardwick ...and would prefer Lloyd as coach ..I think we should give Knights another year to see if he can turn things around. If not I don't think we should be going for tired old stager who hasn't seen any success for 4-5 years.

[Jazz_84]

i agree we shouldn't go for someone that is looking for their mojo again and i hope the EFC make the right call on our next coach, BUT Knights should not be it in 2011, i have ZERO confidence that he could turn this club around in quick time as he would need to do to keep his job for even longer.

Lloyd would be interesting as a coach, lol id have no idea how he would go and at the moment ill be over the moon with anyone other then Knights, tried and failed..... next please!

[Windy_Hill]

Obvoiously you guys have never been in a job where the steam has just run out and all you want to do is move on to greener pastures. Look, Williams has proven himself to be one of the best coaches of the last decade. His statistics prove that. He also seems to have that typiycal gnarled old bastard mongrel about him that would appear to be exactly what EFC needs. I doubt you will be hearing to much about "structures" and "visions" from Choco.

So he has had a gutful of his current job after 10 years - well who wouldnt?? He and hie employer dont like each other anymore, it happens. A change is as good as a holiday they say and there would be nothing better than walking into Windy Hill to re-kindle the flame.

In my opinion, Choco is the ONLY short term choice.

Unless we are prepared to risk another year of calamity under the Knights regime and hope that MAYBE, Bomber Thompson will be available (and I am not sure the members or the players are going take that chance)

[Jazz_84]

actually Windy you have no idea how badly im in that same position right now, and putting it that way made me think twice and agree with you, for the record i've been in favour of Williams from the day he left Port because of the mongrel and passion he can show as i too believe that's exactly what the EFC need right now, i guess saying "finding his mojo" left the door open for him to not possibly find it, but your right, moving to "greener pastures" you instantly regain everything you once had.

p.s to be honest i always wanted Leigh Matthews to begin with but as that's not going to happen Williams is of the same type and would substitute beautifully

[little_ripper]

I think the EFC is very happy with its history in the past 30 years. They like the stability that having one coach provided and enjoyed the success that Sheedy helped bring.

When they decided to call time on Sheeds I believe they did so with the belief that they wanted replicate that same experience again.

Hence they chose a young coach, hoping that he would have a very long and successful career at Essendon. I would hope that idea is still strong at Essendon and that if they end up believing Knights is not their man, that they will replace him with another young innovative thinker.

Going for Matthews, Williams or any other 50yr plus coach flys in the face of that ideal.

Just like essendon breeds/develops its own players, I hope that they decide to do the same with the head coach.

[Windy_Hill]

I think Williams is 52 - So if he coaches us for 5-8 years, thats a lengthy spell and he is still sub 60. (and lets be honest -it will only be three years afterwhich Hird will step up from his assistant role to fulfill his destiny)

[Ronny Rotten]

I feel for Knights ( & his family ) its a tough gig , an AFL coach. However the EFC Club is bigger than the coaches , any player or Board member. We have to do whats right NOW to get the club to be successful on ( & off) the ground.

No point going over past events re his appontment , previous coach's decisions etc. The decisions we make NOW via the review will impact heavily on the future , so lets GET IT RIGHT.

Do we appoint Williams , Laidley or whoever , do we look seriously at Richardson , as other clubs rank him highly? Do we go for an strong ,experienced campaigner? I feel at this point in time it defies logic to go for an new , un-tried coach in this current climate at EFC , so this could rule at Hirdy , Lloyd or Richardson at this point.

Or against current opinion we stick with Knights with say Williams as a mentor. As a condition of his staying on , restructure his contract to one year performance based with strick provisions to improve the defensive aspects of our game while maintaining our exciting attacking gamestyle. If there is no finals finish in 2011, providing there are no extenuating circumstance such as a bad run with injuries ( our recent bad luck with injuries must surely be over) then his time will be up.

Knights in his Press Conference yesterday did make an interesting point , this year of our 22 games , 14 of those have been against the top 8 teams. This must must make it difficult for a young inexperienced team to overcome & play consistent football however the experience could prove invaluable in the long term.

As a long time member i will remember the beatings because our day will come & payback time will be sweet when we thrash the likes of the filth , the scum , the pussies when we shove their big heads up their ass.

[BenDoolan]

Things have to change as of Monday. The first thing the club HAS to do is appoint Mark Williams - either as an assistant coach, senior coach or mentor. Why? Because he is available, he's a good coach, he is a good mentor, and other coaches within the club can learn a hell of a lot from him.

And on the "age" thing, Mick Malthouse is 57, has just coached his club to the top of the ladder, and is a serious premiership contender.

[Jazz_84]

restructure his contract to one year performance based with strick provisions to improve the defensive aspects of our game while maintaining our exciting attacking gamestyle

sorry but if he needs to have it written in his contract to have defence in his game plan then on that alone he needs to go!

[robbie67]

It's not just you, I dont want Williams either.

[Windy_Hill]

It's not just you, I dont want Williams either.

Then who Rob??

[robbie67]

Well I dont think we can get Bomber Thompson, and the coach I really like is Dean Bailey, but it would be hard to pull him away from Melbourne. So, I would look very hard at Chris Scott. I like blokes that are matter of fact, and I think Mark Williams is too emotional. He will buy into every press article, and it will destroy him.

[dom_105]

Anybody remember Choco's time as reserves coach under Sheedy? Anything to report of note?

[BenDoolan]

Anybody remember Choco's time as reserves coach under Sheedy? Anything to report of note?

Nothing from a spectator point of view. A massive rap from James Hird though.