(04-20-2021, 12:46 AM)kruddler link Wrote:What has what happened before Sam Walsh was even born got to do with where we are at right now as a football club.
People are frustrated. I am too. But don't let logic escape your thinking.
Realistically we are in the same position as a St kilda or an essendon. A team that has not had success recently (or for a while) who has a new coach on board and is working through it as best they can.
Now both those teams have put in worse performances than us this year. But because the media pumped us up we are imploding.
That seems to be ignoring our injury list and ignoring our performance against Richmond....and our 2 wins.
Now, I can tell you how the next week will go...
We'll turn up to play against the lions, go ok for most of it, have a down period where they kick away and despite some good signs we will ultimately lose by 3 or 4 goals.....and you know what, that is ok because they are a better side than us.
Further to that...
An older player will have a shocker.
An out of form player will play their best game of the year.
A young player will show promising signs and we'll pump him up prematurely.
The coach will get chastised for some words.
Some people will be ready to burn their memberships.
The media will turn the heat up on the club....again.
Bookmark this and tell me how I did.
You'll probably be pretty spot on.
It's like watching the '300' for the fiftieth time.
Same script.
You'd just like to see the Spartans have a winning season.
I think the main problem is this.
In a developing side you'll often have the odd poor performance but there is a general upward trend that folks can get excited about.
We seem to have those moments.
Teague's first games gave that hope.
Our problem is we then have these periods where things don't progress, or go backwards, that deflates the supporter base.
The loss against Port was bad but it's given extra emphasis because it fits a pattern we've seen before.
Supporters are frustrated by it, our ex-players are angry and distressed.
I've no idea what the dynamics are that cause this malaise.
It's been a pattern over the last 20 years, but your right when you say the events and characters of 2002 have little relevance to 2021.
Even a culturally crippled side should have recovered by now.
The problem I see is that there seems to be little stomach for the sort of independent review that could identify on-field and off-field issues.
We've had players, coaches and admin from other clubs that have passed through the doors in the last 20 years who would be able to give some really good comparisons...and maybe identify common issues.
It may be we work our way through it all without such a review.
But it might also be possible that such a review would fast track the process.
That of course depends on a group in charge that have a desire to implement any recommendations.