Knights offered three-year deal

[s'dreams]

Good news - paricularly given the richmond game today.

Dons to offer Knights three-year deal and a pay rise
Caroline Wilson | June 29, 2009

ESSENDON will move to reward coach Matthew Knights with a pay rise in 2010 and a new contract, which will tie the 38-year-old to Windy Hill until the end of 2012.

The Age understands the Bombers' board had empowered club chief executive Peter Jackson to open negotiations this week for a new deal with Knights even before last Friday night's thrashing of Carlton.

Mindful that Knights is one of the lower-paid senior coaches in the competition, Essendon is expected to rewrite next year's deal with both parties keen to continue the astonishing rise of the Bombers' younger brigade for at least the next three years.

In what could prove one of the last significant deals struck by Jackson, who departs the club after 14 years at the end of the season, he is expected to meet Knights' manager, Daniel Richardson, in the coming days.

It is understood that even if Knights reaches his maximum incentives this season, his annual salary will not reach $400,000 — less than half the figure North Melbourne sources suggested that their club would be prepared to pay a new coach.

Although Essendon chairman Ray Horsburgh stated last year that he hoped Knights would still be at the club in 2012, the move to extend the reign of the coach of just 35 games by two years, along with a significant pay rise, has come after the Bombers have exceeded the expectations of most this year.

After a shaky opening against Port Adelaide and rumours of discontent among its senior players, Essendon has proved to be one of the more exciting performers of 2009, with youngsters Tayte Pears and Cale Hooker leading the young brigade and holding down the two key defensive positions.

The turning point for the club probably came against Collingwood on Anzac Day when ruckman David Hille went down for the season and Paddy Ryder was moved into the ruck.

The Bombers won that game in a thriller and, after Friday night's second win for the season over Carlton, sit at 7-6 and seventh on the ladder.

Collingwood's last premiership captain and former coach Tony Shaw predicted at least 90,000 would flock to the MCG on Friday night for the return bout between the two sides.

The Bombers current position is a far cry from where many predicted at the end of 2007 after the club decided to part company with 27-year coach Kevin Sheedy and a membership revolt against Horsburgh and Jackson was threatened.

Jackson was the focus of some skepticism when he stated after signing Knights that Essendon should play finals in 2009 and push for the top four in 2010.

"I will get kicked up the bum, I suppose," Jackson said in October 2007, "and Matthew is going to be the first one to kick me for putting a timeline on these things, but three years from now, which is 2010, I think you'd expect Essendon to be pushing up to a top-four spot if these kids are as a good as we think they are."

Not only has Knights exceeded expectations since then but the Bombers have continued to increase their membership, which is now more than 40,000, and major sponsorship agreements and will make another profit of at least six-figures this year.

Cheers - STI

[dom_105]

PJ must have cashed in some Boer War bonds. First plasma screens for press conferences, and now this.

I was just thinking about it today. I think Knights is in quite a unique situation where he needn't worry about the club screwing him over. Assuming that the club stays on track, he will be around for a while yet. He would be an idiot to walk out of Windy Hill for Richmond, even for $1 Million/year.

[BenDoolan]

Well deserved.

I guess the club has also given him a pat on the back....

Patrick Smith has been awfully quiet lately.

Wonder how the saveessendon.com crew are going these days?

[Madden]

I think he's done really well and I support the extention completely.

BUT (and be mindful I'm just playing devil's advocate here...) what would happen if we missed the 8 this year and in 2010? Then we have a coach who has failed to get us to the finals 3 years in a row (and keep in mind PJ said that the aim was finals in 2009 and Top 4 in 2010), with two years still to run on his contract. I don't think that this will happen, but its possible at the very least - in which case we would probably be in some trouble financially with paying him out.

Personally I'd prefer if they left this till the end of the year, but they are obviously doing it now for a reason (which is likely that they have got word that Richmond is sniffing around), in which case I fully support the decision.

[Emska]

PJ must have cashed in some Boer War bonds. First plasma screens for press conferences, and now this.

I was just thinking about it today. I think Knights is in quite a unique situation where he needn't worry about the club screwing him over. Assuming that the club stays on track, he will be around for a while yet. He would be an idiot to walk out of Windy Hill for Richmond, even for $1 Million/year.

Your right Dom.
I like your signature; very clever.
Yeah Kevin Sheedy backed out of the Bombers and now he's working at the arse end of Richmond.
I am reading his book at the moment; quite interesting.
Anyway, The Essendon board isn't about to get rid of Maddy Knights, he is doing too much good for our team.
Although if I were him I would take the deal. But thats just me.

[BenDoolan]

I think he's done really well and I support the extention completely.

BUT (and be mindful I'm just playing devil's advocate here...) what would happen if we missed the 8 this year and in 2010? Then we have a coach who has failed to get us to the finals 3 years in a row (and keep in mind PJ said that the aim was finals in 2009 and Top 4 in 2010), with two years still to run on his contract. I don't think that this will happen, but its possible at the very least - in which case we would probably be in some trouble financially with paying him out.

Personally I'd prefer if they left this till the end of the year, but they are obviously doing it now for a reason (which is likely that they have got word that Richmond is sniffing around), in which case I fully support the decision.

Good point.

While finals is the measurement of success, I think we can all see the the improvement in the entire list, since he's taken the reigns. I do know that he has assembled a marvellous support group in the football department which now provides excellent opportunities for our players to get the best out of themselves. He connects with the young kids, gets them motivated and encourages them to excel - and they respond and respect him. These are just some of the major differences he's made, and we're certainly heading in the right direction. It doesn't appear that he leaving one stone unturned in his attempt to make us successful again.

Does he deserve a pay rise? Certainly. Does he deserve a contract extension right now? I think so.

[MH_Bomber]

Its a good move and well deserved display of confidence in where Knights is heading. I also hope that we'd do everything in our power to hang onto the whole coaching team because whatever they are collectively doing is having a fantastic effect on our young team. Campo, GOD, Richardson and Cormack we need to keep as well. They seem to work well together supporting Matthew Knights in achieving the turn around in the squad we are witnessing at the moment.

[Windy_Hill]

Well deserved.

I guess the club has also given him a pat on the back....

Patrick Smith has been awfully quiet lately.

Wonder how the saveessendon.com crew are going these days?

BD, you were asking about the current whereabouts of the saveessendon.com gang. Well I found a picture of them going over Patrick Smith's latest newpaper article

[BenDoolan]

Well deserved.

I guess the club has also given him a pat on the back....

Patrick Smith has been awfully quiet lately.

Wonder how the saveessendon.com crew are going these days?

BD, you were asking about the current whereabouts of the saveessendon.com gang. Well I found a picture of them going over Patrick Smith's latest newpaper article

[Madden]

I think the other point to be made here is why is PJ making this decision? Surely it should be a matter for the new administration (as they will be the ones who cop the flaq it it all goes pear shaped). If they love Knighter too then they could easily extend his contract in the off-season.

[BenDoolan]

I think the other point to be made here is why is PJ making this decision? Surely it should be a matter for the new administration (as they will be the ones who cop the flaq it it all goes pear shaped). If they love Knighter too then they could easily extend his contract in the off-season.

The Board is essentially making the decision, they're just getting Jackson to deal with the negotiations.

[dom_105]

The board have to sign off on any deal anyway, I don't think it matters who's making the deal.

[tom9779]

No brainer decision. Knights has the team progressing, even if he struggles when we make finals(which we will) its better locking onto him and his support group.

Would be a much bigger debacle if we had the alternative, which is not signing him. Leave the coaching round a bouts to richmond/north.

coaches arent part of any salary cap/drafting rules i dont think eh. so really any contract is just a financial and confidence boom for knights either way.

[tom9779]

Well deserved.

I guess the club has also given him a pat on the back....

Patrick Smith has been awfully quiet lately.

Wonder how the saveessendon.com crew are going these days?

like all the essendon fans, hoping for finals and enjoying the ride.
in defence of em, i hope that in 20 years time, saveessendon.com is a reality again, but this time for m knights, as it would have meant flags and plenty of finals.

on the douche from the australian. its not awfully quiet, i see it as pleasantly quiet....for the 99.9999999999% of us.(i am sure patricks mum still pretends to love his muck)

[grassy1]

He's starting to win me over,but yet to PROVE himself over a FULL SEASON.That decision is JUMPING THE GUN in my book.He's LOCKED In until the end of next season.Were we worried about losing im to GOLD COAST as Bluey's Assistant?

[BenDoolan]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html

Not true punters....Caro got it wrong.

Good onya Caro