Bombertalk

As it appears you got your job based on dumb luck and a fantastic ability to tell jokes (that one about Essendon playing finals in 2008 was a f*cking ripper!!!) I thought I might give you a couple of pointers regarding coaching, and in particular, coaching the Essendon Football Club. You see Matthew, unlike Richmond, Essendon are a proud club and have built a tradition based on success and winning. We don't accept mediocrity, and we certainly don't accept players, let alone most of the team, putting in less than 100%. I know that this idea goes against everything you learned at Richmond, but trust me mate, it's the way forwards and it's the way it's been at Essendon since day one.

After watching the game on Saturday night, I've got a couple of questions - do you actually speak to the team before the game and attempt to motivate them? Or do you all sit around in the change rooms combing each others pubes? The way the team played in the first half against Richmond I've got a feeling it may have been the pube combing. Seriously, what, if any, instructions did you give the team prior to the game? It looked like they were involved in some sort of elaborate game of hide and seek. When Richmond had the ball we'd hide, and on the two occasions that we had the ball, we'd all go into seek mode and run straight for it trying to get a cheap kick. Kudos to you mate - what a brilliant game plan!

I'm also concerned about the positions that some players are played in:

Winderlich in defence: the last time you did this was against Collingwood and Medhurst had the time of his life. What made you think it would work against Richmond? Which brings me to my next points - do you actually do any thinking? It looks to me like you shit on a page, work it round with a twig, and then nail to the wall under the heading "Game Plan".

Lloyd playing all over the ground: Lloyd is a full forward, and a bloody good one at that. Considering that Lucas is injured at the moment, is there any danger of Lloyd actually playing full forward? Just leave him in the goal square so he can lead up at the play, and he'll kick you goals. Playing him all over the ground hurts the team and exposes his lack of mobility.

Ryder in the ruck: he's not a ruckman. Play him forward or back, but not ruck. You'll end up killing what could be one of Essendon's only shining lights for the future.

Slattery as a key defender: Slattery is a tagger. He may not be a very good one, but it's the only role he can do with any degree of success. Just stick him on a prime mover (Deledio would have been good on Sat night) and let him go to work.

Further, I couldn't help but notice we looked soft on the weekend. Any danger of getting JJ or Pev back into the team just to show the younger players in our team how to go about attacking the ball? At the moment it looks like you are operating poorly run creche.

I've got a number of other suggestions for you, but I'll leave them for next week.

Regards,

GRINGO

Thanks Gring - the only laugh I've had all weekend.http://bombertalk4.com/posting.php?mode ... de947f5ab5#

Pisser.

But surely you are joking about JJ. He's deadset gone. Cannot play at this level anymore. Pev has a busted jaw (and this will be his final season).

We need some experience and toughness in the middle. They all butcher the ball, so what's one more who does it?

Nice post Gringo lol but I have to disagree on 1 thing...

You said to keep Lloydy at FF all the time...

I say it again You can't Captain the side in 1 position only...

Great Captains are the ones that can play all over the ground...
1 of the things that was very pleasing to see last night was that Lloydy finally stood up and tried his heart out all over the ground...

Still def Not convinced that he is the Main Man for Captain but willing to see what he can produce...

The rest - Spot On...

I heard that JJ was rested and didn't play the VFL game and is going to play on Friday. Really needs to make something out of his last chance.

agree with stryper

LLoyd has started the game at Full Forward for at least the last three weeks and has done dick all until moved up the ground.

Once he had his hands on the footy, reminded his team mates he was there, he drifted forward and kicked goals, great goals.

Excellent captains game, and I would be happy if he did what he second half of the tigers game every game for 4 quarters.

Winderlich I think was moved into the back pocket because he is still regaining touch and fitness after being out. And before you say well he should be regaining touch in the seconds...well he is the best available and adds much needed experience....

can't comment on slattery. but i reckon he will improve with the team.

Nice work Gring, spot on on most counts IMO.

JJ may be finished, but mosts our guys have and never will even get started. Rather carry an old broken warrior who know's no other way than to be hard at it, than a bunch of soft boy's who not only wont get down and dirty, but butcher the ball just as bad as JJ has done his whole career. Give the very few young fellas who will make it a glimpse of the attack on the ball that they should aspire to.

Lloyd should play 80-85% of the game at FF. I agree he needs to push up a few times just to get some early touches, but he adds nothing to our midfield and shouldnt stray for from goal often.

I disagree with your oppinion on Ryder, he will be a fantastic ruckman, so a few spells in the ruck will give him good experience. Dont expect to see him dominate to he really fills out at about the age of 25-26 until then any experience he gains can only benefit him, whilst also limiting his time there to ensure not to break him down in a very physically demanding position.

Finally, Winder playing in defence again is just proof Knights doesnt have a clue. The Kid can potentailly be a fantastic midfield/winger but a glaring weakness is his ability to contest overhead and this is exposed too much in defence. If knights doesnt already know this after coaching winder in the two's and then his flogging against Medhurst in the one's then he is a bigger moron than I already thought.

Very humourous Gringo.

Just a few comments; I prefer to look at blokes like JJ & Pev playing when we had injuries to Watson & McVeigh. I look at a team in terms of balance between how many in & under tough nuts are in there versus how many skilful outside receivers are in. You should always have at least 4-6 tough nuts.

We now have got Hislop (he is a maniac in close & has no fear), Lonergan, Watson, McVeigh, Reimers & that's about it. Hocking is another who would slot in well now.

No Paddy in the ruck means bringing back that muppet Laycock. I dont want to see him back in the 1sts until he hardens up & gets a few consecutive BOG games in the magoos. ATM, he is my number one trade bait, as we might get a 1st rounder for him (if we can get a few 2nd hand car salesman in doing a pitch). And from all accounts Bellchambers just isn't ready.

Winders not fully fit & doing a job no one else wants - do you reckon it's a co-incidence that Nash had his best game of the year playing midfield instead of down back like he has all year? No one else wants the job back there, & at least blokes like Slatts has a go & he is the one getting the tougher opponents to play on each week. Winders doesn't want to play down back, neither Nash or Reimers - no one wants a gig in the most thankless position on the field.

Blokes like NLM, Welsh & Lovett should be blokes in your sights more than anyone. I reckon it's these guys poor form that has caused Knights to re-evaluate how quickly our team can get some finals action. He probably thought at the start of the year that these guys were good solid players who can be relied upon to perform week in/week out & he has been sadly mistaken. Also some of the 3/4 year players like Laycock & Dyson are decidedly ordinary. So he has decided to put all his eggs in the youngsters basket, just like Billy Stephens in 1977.

Knights has shown he has got balls; a bloke like Bailey would be playing JJ & Pev week in/week out, just to try & improve his win/loss ratio in the short term. Knights has said stuff the short term, I don't reckon our senior players are up to it & it might cost him his job at the end of 2010. If that happens, the next bloke coming along will be licking his lips at our list, just like Sheedy did in 1981.

Chris wrote:Knights has shown he has got balls; a bloke like Bailey would be playing JJ & Pev week in/week out, just to try & improve his win/loss ratio in the short term. Knights has said stuff the short term, I don't reckon our senior players are up to it & it might cost him his job at the end of 2010. If that happens, the next bloke coming along will be licking his lips at our list, just like Sheedy did in 1981.

HAHAHAHAHA, you are joking right?

Including JJ and Peverill would just add to our current pastings...both of those guys are well past their prime.

despite all that

Pev still has a broken jaw, and JJ struggles in the magoos.

The problem Knights has had this season, is that he has had NO CHOICE but to play the players he has had.

Unless you have been living under a rock, Essendon has probably had its worst season for injuries in the past 15-20 years.

WTF??

What a great letter, Mr Gringo. Perhaps with Lucas back this week, we might see Lloyd play FF instead of doing bit jobs all over the ground.

tom9779 wrote: The problem Knights has had this season, is that he has had NO CHOICE but to play the players he has had.

I agree but not many were missing on Saturday night. Lucas and Davey are the only ones who would be automatic inclusions. The only other two being Dempsey and Gumbleton, neither of which are anywhere near close to cementing spots in the senior side.

We have had a rough run with injuries, I agree. But the excuses have gotta stop sometime...

=D> great letter...

can anyone dumb it down a bit and send it to matty

rednblack wrote:=D> great letter...

can anyone dumb it down a bit and send it to matty

It's dumb enough already...