Clubs get smarter with debutante coaches

Have we seen the last of debutante coaches struggling to come to grips with the myriad tasks they need to manage? These days, finding an experienced mentor/assistant goes right along with appointing a debutante coach.

 

Some readers may be old enough to recall the not-so-slow-motion train wrecks that were the emergence — and disappearance — as coaches of Tim Watson, Peter Rohde and Bernie Quinlan. Fair enough that the Rohde and Quinlan appointments had as much to do about money as capacity to coach, but they did fail spectacularly.

 

Two years ago, the Barcodes led the way by announcing a deal to have Malthouse move to a Director of Coaching role when Buckley took over. Never mind the tension between them, Eddie Maguire and fellow Board members knew their star needed a sounding board. With the increasing tension, moving Malthouse out and Eade in provides the experience as a foundation, just in case Buckley falls in a heap.

 

Last year at about this time, the Bombers engaged in their own changeover, engineering Bomber Thompson and a star-studded panel of assistants to ease James Hird into the role.

 

Now, Brenton Sanderson has Dean Bailey watching his back at Adelaide, while Mark Neeld will be able to lean on Neil Craig’s experience.

 

Brendan McCartney appears, at the time of writing, to be going without a “senior assistant” at the Western Bulldogs, while St Kilda are yet to announce a senior coach for 2012. It’s also worth noting that neither Brad nor Chris Scott have former senior coaches on their panels.

 

The ranks of suitably-experienced former head coaches are being thinned out, with only Malthouse and Mark Harvey among the recently dethroned who haven’t been snapped up by other clubs. Gary Ayers remains active, but may have been away from the top level for a little too long, while Matthew Knights appears friendless.

 

What does the employment of a “senior assistant”, especially one just turfed out of his own club, say to a new coach. Is it a positive story about fast-tracked development in the lead role, or is it an insurance policy?