Murray MiddletonWhy St.Kilda Should Sack Ross Lyon
June 10th 2008 12:54
If St.Kilda finishes outside the top eight this season - which is a near certainty - they must sack Ross Lyon. The reasons are as follows:
1. St.Kilda is the least enjoyable team to watch in the competition. They used to be fun.
2. Lyon is correct. His side is soft. However it is the coach's role to instil toughness in his side. Has a side coached by Leigh Matthews or Mick Malthouse ever been soft? Softness starts at the top.
3. St.Kilda has not won a match away from Telstra Dome since round twelve last season. In the past two seasons they have won only two matches away from the Dome. Any time they are asked to play interstate or at the MCG, they fail to cope with the elements. Why is this the case? The buck must stop with the coach.
4. Rather than developing young talent, Lyon has traded for recycled players: Charlie Gardiner, Steven King, Shaun Dempster, Adam Schneider and Michael Gardiner. Out of the these players only Adam Schneider has any chance of being at the club in two years time. At times this season almost half of St.Kilda's team has consisted of recycled players. Lyon regularly selects the likes of Fiora, Birss, Dempster and Charlie Gardiner. There is a reason that each of these players has not made it at their previous club. Lyon has shown no confidence in his younger players. As a direct result, his younger players play without confidence.
5. Lyon has tried to turn St.Kilda into Sydney. He initially adopted three captains, topped up the list up with rejects from other clubs and forced an overtly defensive style of play upon his team (otherwise known as 'tempo football'). In adopting such an approach, Lyon did not acknowledge the strengths of the list that he inherited. From 2003-2006 St. Kilda played a fast and attacking brand of football that catered for the team's strengths. The list is not, nor has it ever been, suited to playing 'tempo football'. Lyon has defended his brand of football by stating that it is a style that will hold up in finals matches. This may be true. The only problem is that his team has not been good enough to play in finals.
6. St.Kilda players spend the majority of their time at centre bounces pointing to each other. Confusion reigns every week (which is personified the most by the performances, or lack there of, of Raphael Clarke). No other team in the competition does this. A good coach would run a well-drilled team. At every centre bounce every player should know his role and his opponent. These are the bare essentials. As it stands, most St.Kilda players spend their game day's enacting the duties of a traffic policeman. It is reminiscent of the Tim Watson era.
7. Aside from Sam Gilbert and Leigh Montagna, no St.Kilda player has improved under Ross Lyon.
8. Many of St.Kilda's good players have regressed under Ross Lyon: Dal Santo, Koschitzke, Riewoldt, MaGuire, X.Clarke, Gram. This is no coincidence. Clearly the team is not encouraged to play to the strengths of their good players. While the players must take some responsiblity, they are evidently not challenged (or inspired) by their coach to reach new heights. Although Grant Thomas was somewhat of a dictator, at least he had the players on side. There is no evidence that Lyon has the players on side. When North Melbourne beat the Bulldogs two weeks ago the players surrounded Dean Laidley and smothered him with hugs. Have the St.Kidla players ever demonstrated such aafection for their coach?
9. There is a perception in the wider football community that Ross Lyon inherited a list that was on the decline. This is not the case. Lyon turned the team into the rabble that it now is. Prior to his tenure, the same group of players played a good brand of football and made the finals in three consecutive seasons. Lyon's list management and tactical misgivings have caused this decline. St.Kilda still has the following good players: Riewoldt, Hayes, Ball, Goddard, Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Montagna, Sam Fisher, Gram, Harvey, Hudghton. To add to this Lyon has middle range players such as Schneider, Baker, Gilbert and Michael Gardiner at his disposal. This ought to represent the core of a very good team.
10. Lyon said that opposition teams knew that there were certain soft individuals in his side. This was a thinly-veiled swipe at Aaron Fiora. However it is Lyon who continues to select Fiora. When the Saints played Brisbane he opted to play Fiora ahead of David Armitage - a second year player who is already one of the toughest tacklers at the club. Armitage had kicked five goals in his previous four senior matches and was developing steadily. To make matters worse Armitage was raised in Queensland and the match would have given his parents an opportunity to see him play. Instead Lyon dropped Armitage for Fiora. It is beyond belief.
11. Robert Walls was responsible for appointing Ross Lyon. Although Walls was once a premiership coach, his views on the game are outdated. Walls is a Carlton man, through and through. He has no regard for the plight of the St.Kilda Football Club.
12. The current St.Kilda board did not appoint Ross Lyon. Therefore his failure need not be viewed as their failure.
13. If Lyon is sacked the situation may be salvaged. If the final year of his contract is honoured, he will obliterate the club's playing stocks. Considering the imminent introduction of two new teams - and the draft picks that will accompany them - this will mean that St.Kilda will not be in contention until 2020. The likes of Dal Santo, Ball, Montagna, Clarke, Gram, Sam Fisher, Riewoldt and Koschitke are the perfect age for a tilt at success. They just need someone to inspire them.
14. Lyon's demeanour at press conferences is akin to that of a robot. To be frank, he is a poor man's Paul Roos. He shows little emotion and frequently resorts to using buzz-words such as 'tempo football', 'scoreboard pressure' and 'subjective opinion' when assessing his team's performances. These words amount to nothing. He treats the team's supporters as if they are idiots. St.Kilda supporters deserve more than this.
15. Disregarding all previous reasons: ROSS LYON DOES NOT BLEED FOR ST.KILDA.
1. St.Kilda is the least enjoyable team to watch in the competition. They used to be fun.
2. Lyon is correct. His side is soft. However it is the coach's role to instil toughness in his side. Has a side coached by Leigh Matthews or Mick Malthouse ever been soft? Softness starts at the top.
3. St.Kilda has not won a match away from Telstra Dome since round twelve last season. In the past two seasons they have won only two matches away from the Dome. Any time they are asked to play interstate or at the MCG, they fail to cope with the elements. Why is this the case? The buck must stop with the coach.
4. Rather than developing young talent, Lyon has traded for recycled players: Charlie Gardiner, Steven King, Shaun Dempster, Adam Schneider and Michael Gardiner. Out of the these players only Adam Schneider has any chance of being at the club in two years time. At times this season almost half of St.Kilda's team has consisted of recycled players. Lyon regularly selects the likes of Fiora, Birss, Dempster and Charlie Gardiner. There is a reason that each of these players has not made it at their previous club. Lyon has shown no confidence in his younger players. As a direct result, his younger players play without confidence.
5. Lyon has tried to turn St.Kilda into Sydney. He initially adopted three captains, topped up the list up with rejects from other clubs and forced an overtly defensive style of play upon his team (otherwise known as 'tempo football'). In adopting such an approach, Lyon did not acknowledge the strengths of the list that he inherited. From 2003-2006 St. Kilda played a fast and attacking brand of football that catered for the team's strengths. The list is not, nor has it ever been, suited to playing 'tempo football'. Lyon has defended his brand of football by stating that it is a style that will hold up in finals matches. This may be true. The only problem is that his team has not been good enough to play in finals.
6. St.Kilda players spend the majority of their time at centre bounces pointing to each other. Confusion reigns every week (which is personified the most by the performances, or lack there of, of Raphael Clarke). No other team in the competition does this. A good coach would run a well-drilled team. At every centre bounce every player should know his role and his opponent. These are the bare essentials. As it stands, most St.Kilda players spend their game day's enacting the duties of a traffic policeman. It is reminiscent of the Tim Watson era.
7. Aside from Sam Gilbert and Leigh Montagna, no St.Kilda player has improved under Ross Lyon.
8. Many of St.Kilda's good players have regressed under Ross Lyon: Dal Santo, Koschitzke, Riewoldt, MaGuire, X.Clarke, Gram. This is no coincidence. Clearly the team is not encouraged to play to the strengths of their good players. While the players must take some responsiblity, they are evidently not challenged (or inspired) by their coach to reach new heights. Although Grant Thomas was somewhat of a dictator, at least he had the players on side. There is no evidence that Lyon has the players on side. When North Melbourne beat the Bulldogs two weeks ago the players surrounded Dean Laidley and smothered him with hugs. Have the St.Kidla players ever demonstrated such aafection for their coach?
9. There is a perception in the wider football community that Ross Lyon inherited a list that was on the decline. This is not the case. Lyon turned the team into the rabble that it now is. Prior to his tenure, the same group of players played a good brand of football and made the finals in three consecutive seasons. Lyon's list management and tactical misgivings have caused this decline. St.Kilda still has the following good players: Riewoldt, Hayes, Ball, Goddard, Koschitzke, Dal Santo, Montagna, Sam Fisher, Gram, Harvey, Hudghton. To add to this Lyon has middle range players such as Schneider, Baker, Gilbert and Michael Gardiner at his disposal. This ought to represent the core of a very good team.
10. Lyon said that opposition teams knew that there were certain soft individuals in his side. This was a thinly-veiled swipe at Aaron Fiora. However it is Lyon who continues to select Fiora. When the Saints played Brisbane he opted to play Fiora ahead of David Armitage - a second year player who is already one of the toughest tacklers at the club. Armitage had kicked five goals in his previous four senior matches and was developing steadily. To make matters worse Armitage was raised in Queensland and the match would have given his parents an opportunity to see him play. Instead Lyon dropped Armitage for Fiora. It is beyond belief.
11. Robert Walls was responsible for appointing Ross Lyon. Although Walls was once a premiership coach, his views on the game are outdated. Walls is a Carlton man, through and through. He has no regard for the plight of the St.Kilda Football Club.
12. The current St.Kilda board did not appoint Ross Lyon. Therefore his failure need not be viewed as their failure.
13. If Lyon is sacked the situation may be salvaged. If the final year of his contract is honoured, he will obliterate the club's playing stocks. Considering the imminent introduction of two new teams - and the draft picks that will accompany them - this will mean that St.Kilda will not be in contention until 2020. The likes of Dal Santo, Ball, Montagna, Clarke, Gram, Sam Fisher, Riewoldt and Koschitke are the perfect age for a tilt at success. They just need someone to inspire them.
14. Lyon's demeanour at press conferences is akin to that of a robot. To be frank, he is a poor man's Paul Roos. He shows little emotion and frequently resorts to using buzz-words such as 'tempo football', 'scoreboard pressure' and 'subjective opinion' when assessing his team's performances. These words amount to nothing. He treats the team's supporters as if they are idiots. St.Kilda supporters deserve more than this.
15. Disregarding all previous reasons: ROSS LYON DOES NOT BLEED FOR ST.KILDA.
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Comment by WheresyourJacket
Do you think that Riewoldt will go to the gold coast?
Comment by NotJustMuffins
What about Mark Harvey? will he be bleeding for Freo or will the lack of performance from the playing group alienate his attitude towards the club?
What about Bomber Thompson? he made some comments in 2006 towards his players to perform or he was leaving. (I know the coach has to take some of the blame but the cats were rubbish with almost the same list that they won the flag with last year, and made the semi in 2005) But that doesn't sound like someone who bleeds for his club. Is it really that important in the modern game to have that affection for the club you are coaching?
Comment by Anonymous
Not bad for a man formerly known as 'bomber'
Malthouse - crying after the grand final
Matthews - bristling the moustache after every lost and saying "wook i'm not werry happy"
Comment by Anonymous
Yes, I think Riewoldt will go to the Gold Coast. The Saints need him to sign on for the rest of his career to avoid the distraction. It is obvious that R iewoldt is not prepared to do this. It is worth mentioning that by the time the Gold Coast arrive, he will be 28 or 29 - his best football will be behind him.
Richardson and Riewoldt are both terrible kicks for goal. It is the one question mark that hangs over them. At this point the same can be said for Franklin. However he has so many shots at goal each week that it doesn't seem to matter.
-MM