Reset Rants

[townsendcalling]

It seems that many of the threads end up being rants about our reset, so I thought I’d start one exclusively for the rant!

Here’s my take, for what it’s worth. In the years to come, when we do return to significant competitiveness, have again awoken the sleeping masses who ‘barrack for’ Carlton plus picked up all the newbies, have a cup or two more in the cupboard (thus stretching us away from Essendon who are on the proverbial Road to Nowhere), when Cripps has notched up his 250 in the competition and we are discussing Deisel or Cripps in the center of our all time greatest team, when we are debating which was better Kouta’s last quarter in 99 against Essendon or Charlie when he single handedly torn Adelaide apart in that semi, when we refer to our 200 game superstars (Dow, O’Brien and De Koning) as the Class of 2018.....when I say all that to my grand kids or whoever is listening, I will also be saying that it wasn’t always like this

I will say that I stuck fat when the club took the bold / courageous move of 4 years of pain and sacrifice to ensure that we set ourselves on a course whereby we’ll NEVER have to reset again but simply top up and recruit wisely to stay as a contender.

There were passages on Friday night that frustrated me to the max (mainly from players who will not be part of the major resurgence) but I also saw enough isolated incidents to say ‘Yeh, this could be exciting!’

Rant over and out. 

[PaulP]

The starting point in all this is purely and simply whether or not you believe in the current regime and current approach, whatever the short term evidence may tell you. If Bolton is doing exactly what he outlined when he applied for the job, and he was awarded the job based on being able to stay true to the course, then the club should have the guts to back him in, 100%, no ifs or buts.

[Lods]

If you could set out a strategy and say 100% that it will work there wouldn't be any questioning of the direction.

But we can't do that.
There are elements we can control.
There are decisions we can make that seem like a good idea at the time ( a more attacking 2018)...but often circumstances can work to derail them (injuries to key personnel).
And there are elements totally out of our control....e.g We don't know what the future holds for players coming off contract....we've signed some of the young ones to extensions... some before they've even reached double figure games! Others remain a worry...They'll come for Cripps big-time.
....and there's the old coach killer-injuries!

There are key questions that remain over the ability of coach and list manager.
The potential seems there...how will those young players develop. (3 of last years rising stars are really struggling at the moment and a number one draft pick is seemingly out of sorts)

Have we cut too deep into the list leaving us with an extended time frame to turn the corner?

Now a rebuild seemed like a good idea at the time, but the best argument I've heard for it was.... "It's something that we haven't tried before."

I can't have faith in that...I need something more.

So for me there are some uncertainties that require a wait and see.
Now is not the time for a change of direction...but the road needs to smooth out a bit in the months ahead or the wheels will fall off.

[laj]

We've been given quite a list of good, young players, who alot of coaches would be happy to work with. By the 3rd year we should be seeing some movement up the ladder, playing with some direction, or at least having some idea of what you're supposed to do. Right now, 2 of our gun first round picks, Weitering and SPS look lost when they should be developing into stars. Last year, in about 70% of our games you could say we were right in it pretty late with a chance of winning despite just winning the 6 games. We were a prick of a side to play up until about round 18 when the young ones started to tire. We could well have expected to be top 10 or 11 based on that.

What we have done well is pick alot better beyond the first round. That will help as we develop.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Footy is a business, like any other business you have to deliver to the customers.....Stkildas rebuild has failed, Richardson will probably get the lemon and sars at seasons end, thats the reality.  Our rebuild is faltering, if its not the list then its the football department and we need to make changes to the staff or how we go about it, doesnt mean Bolton has to go but it might mean a shake up and a  few others have to go and my pet hate a Director of coaching gets placed above Bolton to fill in the gaps where he is lacking.
He is a novice coach who came from a successful club but he is still a novice, he looked rattled at his last presser and said we need wins and is hoping to get a few by mid year....he isnt an idiot , while he has downplayed results as a factor in the rebuild he knows every loss is another nail in his coffin and he looks like he is starting to feel the pressure. No one expects a win vs the Crows but if we get hammered by arch rival Essendon its going to test the character of the board...

I wouldnt sack him but like I said I would give him more support and tweak a few things in the footy dept.....

[PaulP]

Amazon operated at a loss for about 4 years before it turned a profit, and my simplistic knowledge of the business world leads me to believe they still have years where they lose money.

If the model, methods and personnel are sound, then sometimes you need to sit tight and have faith. I see little value in returning to the "sack coach after 5 minutes" model.

[cookie2]

The whole club is invested in this reset or rebuild or whatever word you want to use not just BB. Our reputation as a club is on the line more than  it's ever been before imo. It is a huge investment in that sense and so the club collectively must pull out all stops to make it work. I believe the time for finger pointing at individuals is over.  The time frame I believe, as I have posted before, is that we are turning the corner this year, very competitive next year and climbing the ladder with young talent really starting to impress.

So far this year we have concerns for a number of reasons which are well documented, Some sound like excuses others may be valid but I certainly have my own concerns. I desperately hope that the senior club officials are very closely monitoring things and if BB does need more assistance then he gets provided with it - whatever is deemed appropriate. No more singling out sacrificial lambs - I certainly would not be even considering sacking BB as an option until the reset time frame is completed. If he is sacked then he should have plenty of mates to keep him company and the next reset should be a much more extensive one both on and off field.

[PaulP]

Nice post cookie.

[hanwell]

Two rounds ago I was ready to revert to "old Carlton" and sack the coach. Now, after so many people with real affinity with the game (Derm, Duck,etc) pleading for us the supporters to be patient, I can see why.
I like Townsend can see the potential this group is brewing, we will get another very early pick this year, and by all accounts this is the best draft in a generation (like the Hawthorn one that set them up for a decade).
Throw in Ben Silvani who is almost a bonus even if someone throws his name up early it would only bite into our second round (which we have two picks from memory), almost like sos thought this might have been how this year may pan out.
Don't forget that we virtually have stripped the playing list back to bare bones, I can't think of any other club to have been this ruthless, virtually taken back to a GWS/GCoast scenario, year zero stuff. It's not a reset or rebuild, it is a re-creation.
Its a completely different sport but Manchester United used to be shite, they recreated their entire list and gave Fergie carte blache and they have never looked back, but it was not over night. Fans brought out a tee shirt that stated
" I barracked for Man U when they were shite!"
I will do the same, design one through Vista Print, date it and put it on mothballs.........
Faith is building as is my club
Hanwell out.

[PaulP]

Nice post H.

EDIT : and you should have faith regardless of what media people say - this week it's white, next week it's black..............