Execution ends torture by a thousand cuts

It’s hard to figure out what medium-term benefits Port Adelaide gain from sacking their senior coach after fifteen rounds.

 

Short term, the players are likely to play out of their skins against an in-form Collingwood tonight. Mick Malthouse cannot be pleased to hear of his fellow coach’s demise.

 

Longer term, Port have plenty of time to identify available coaching talent and scoop the cream before others have a chance.

 

In the medium term, whoever takes over as caretaker has little option but to continue with the Williams gameplan. It’s too late in the season to contemplate significant restructure.

 

From half a country away, it seems to have been a media-driven frenzy of speculation for the last eighteen months over Williams’ future, relations with CEO and Board, relations with players, relations with assistant coaches, and relations with whoever could be used to create the impression of discord.

 

It may be that there is and was genuine discord between Williams and one or many of the aforementioned groups, but there’s little doubt that the media in general have blood on their hands tonight.