James Hird .. Can he actually coach ?

[ledge]

Just thinking , all this drug stuff aside , what is Hirds coaching record and would he be in the gun if he wasnt who he is and the drugs fiasco was never around.
I would be seriously questioning his coaching anyway, they don't actually look like they are going anywhere and I haven't seen any signs of things he has bought to the table coaching wise, or on the day coaching.

[Sedat]

No. So please keep him there, Essendon

[ReLoad]

Just thinking , all this drug stuff aside , what is Hirds coaching record and would he be in the gun if he wasnt who he is and the drugs fiasco was never around.
I would be seriously questioning his coaching anyway, they don't actually look like they are going anywhere and I haven't seen any signs of things he has bought to the table coaching wise, or on the day coaching.

he has a billion excuses int he bag for the faithful, even if he was the worst coach in the league he is their Jesus, so as such wont be going anywhere, which suits me, you and the rest of the AFL just fine.

Imagine if our club had their resources.......

[Ozza]

Imagine if our club had their resources.......

I know that they have had many premierships in their history - but in recent times, 11 years without a finals victory is pretty pathetic for a so called 'Big 4' club.

The 'Big 4', by the way, is becoming one of the bigger misnomers in the AFL.

[Greystache]

I know that they have had many premierships in their history - but in recent times, 11 years without a finals victory is pretty pathetic for a so called 'Big 4' club.

The 'Big 4', by the way, is becoming one of the bigger misnomers in the AFL.

And 15 years without a top 4 finish. They are in the middle of a Richmond like era and nobody seems to be noticing. Given the way they've topped up with aging veterans, and their current trajectory, it looks like continuing long term.

They've nailed their colours so firmly to Hird's mast that really only the drug saga could see him displaced, which as Sedat said is fine with all of us.

[Twodogs]

And 15 years without a top 4 finish. They are in the middle of a Richmond like era and nobody seems to be noticing. Given the way they've topped up with aging veterans, and their current trajectory, it looks like continuing long term.

They've nailed their colours so firmly to Hird's mast that really only the drug saga could see him displaced, which as Sedat said is fine with all of us.


Yep agreed.

[Ghost Dog]

He's a fanatic. Fanatics are always concealing a secret doubt - Smiley, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

[josie]

He's a fanatic. Fanatics are always concealing a secret doubt - Smiley, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Well said Ghost Dog - and there is a touch of the Bill Haydon "glamour & no backbone & no substance" in Hirdy too. Just realised the "no substance" is not the right term to use.

[bulldogtragic]

If you watched the Bevo video you saw how he said he walked into the club and acknowledged the good and the improvable things. The latter was gameplan, dealing with our kids and things he could control.

When Hird came in after the disaster around Matty Knights he focussed on injecting questionable substances into his players so they could run harder, for longer and lift more and little change other than topping up the coolaid.

A person who walks in and sees a group of men at the height of fitness and determines the answer lies in drugs legal or not, is not a critical or inventive thinker, or taking responsibility for the way his players need play. So, Im not in the camp that sees anything special in him and there's nothing in his tactics, strategy or broader management that says he's any good either.

[Maddog37]

They played better wen he was away and Bomber took over. That tells me everything I need to know about Hirds coaching.

[ledge]

Watching fox footy and Bomber on with King, really damning on the club getting worse in everything pretty much , their average score is 71 a game,the lowest since 1966.
But somehow they are saying its not Hirds fault.
Johnson just had a go at Hirds coaching and so did Maclure. Using the drug thing as an excuse but it was only this week they found out it was appealed !

[ledge]

After last nights game I still see nothing Hird has bought to the table as coach , they kick sideways when going forward thus allowing the opposition to get back and clog everything up and then get caught out on the rebound , they are not heading anywhere, how long will it take the Essendon board to see this ?

[wimberga]

A mate of mine plays Essendon VFL.

He has been talking about how they get coached for exactly the same game plan as the seniors, and really has doubts about the game plan.

According to him, every part of the way they are supposed to play is counter intuitive and highly technical - there is no time for intuition or making your own decisions.

Says he hates it and wants to play a style like we do, where the players are backed in to play on instinct and surge forward, stuff every player wants to do anyway.

[Remi Moses]

Have a look at last night .
Went helter skelter , then ran out of puff.
Difference between them and us though is they have an experienced team, we don't.
Great coach ,#standbyhird;)

[mjp]

And 15 years without a top 4 finish. They are in the middle of a Richmond like era and nobody seems to be noticing.

Essendon supporters have been noticing.

We are never really going to know with Hird and coaching unless he gets a couple of years clear of everything related to the 'Dank era' programs. They were pretty handy in 2013 before the finals ban came along...they defend very well (could have nearly won last night despite North dominating in general play)...so hard for the club to make a decision though due to his status and the ongoing sideshow.

[westdog54]

Essendon supporters have been noticing.

We are never really going to know with Hird and coaching unless he gets a couple of years clear of everything related to the 'Dank era' programs. They were pretty handy in 2013 before the finals ban came along...they defend very well (could have nearly won last night despite North dominating in general play)...so hard for the club to make a decision though due to his status and the ongoing sideshow.

But his status and the ongoing sideshow most surely be a factor in all this?

At the end of the day their best return under Hird came in what will forever be a tainted season. Even without being booted from finals in 2013 they pretty much scraped into the 8, and they've been so inconsistent this year I can't see how they make finals.

[Dancin' Douggy]

If you watched the Bevo video you saw how he said he walked into the club and acknowledged the good and the improvable things. The latter was gameplan, dealing with our kids and things he could control.

When Hird came in after the disaster around Matty Knights he focussed on injecting questionable substances into his players so they could run harder, for longer and lift more and little change other than topping up the coolaid.


A person who walks in and sees a group of men at the height of fitness and determines the answer lies in drugs legal or not, is not a critical or inventive thinker, or taking responsibility for the way his players need play. So, Im not in the camp that sees anything special in him and there's nothing in his tactics, strategy or broader management that says he's any good either.

Great point. My problem with the whole affair is that even the "legal" stuff they were injected with is a disgrace and out and out cheating.