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Posted February 18, 2013 20:11 · last edited February 18, 2013 20:18

james dean wrote:

terminator_x wrote:

Cosimo wrote:


I don't feel sorry for him. He's had glory as a player, glory as a coach, including World Cup, good salary, 6 years at the Nix...

Poor Ricki for being criticised because his team is coming last and he doesn't have the best resources...oh the humanity.



Fair enough, let's take Ricki out of the picture then.

How much impact do we think a new coach is going to be able to have operating under similar constraints? As you pointed out, you've got to get the tactics spot on and keep the morale up to even be competitive with the other teams.

I'm not trying to defend Ricki or make a case for him being re-appointed, but I do think we all need to start being a lot more realistic about how this is going to play out and, even if we do get a new coach, how much difference we can actually expect them to make.

I feel sorry for any new coach coming in. First day at training, Newtown 2 in a nice strong northerly, Russ Grey scrambling up the bank to get the balls back because we can't afford new ones. Classic "what have I done?" moment.

More typical excuse making.  Your line on this is constantly evolving - first, Ricki is actually doing a good job, it's going to come right, then Ricki is doing a good job, Welnix just aren't supporting him, then Ricki is doing a good job the players are letting him down, then Ricki isn't doing a good job, but who could we get to replace him, then finally Ricki isn't doing a good job, but he's still useful somewhere in the club and then the final stage Ricki isn't doing a good job but no-one else could be expected to work in these conditions and what influence does a coach have anyway.  
All dusted off with the immortal line with it's amazing we have a team anyway so who are we to expect us to do better than last
My suggestion?  Let's get someone else in and see what they can do.  if you are right, and this is the best we can hope for, I really don't see much point in us having a team in the A-League.  No point carrying on like this when our team is an absolute joke


I love the way you take what I've said, exaggerate it slightly and then fire off an indignant response! It's like you're not even arguing with me anymore, but some hyper-real version of me that you've created :)

Off course my line is evolving, the situation is evolving. I certainly wouldn't be calling for Ricki to go if we were in the top 4. But we're not in the top 4 are we?

Nor did I say that a coach has no influence, or that last is the best we should ever hope for. What I have said is that over the long run, we - like every other A-League team - should expect to finish 5th or 6th on average. Once every ten years or so we should be able to win the league and once every ten years or so we should expect a season like the one we're having. But the realistic expectation we should have of any Nix coach in a 10-team salary-capped league is to finish around 5.5 on average (Ricki has achieved 6.2 prior to this season). If the only performance measure we impose on the coach is to win championships (or even regularly finish in the top 4) then we are just not set up to deliver on that and we will burn through a shit-load of coaches and money, possibly bankrupting the club.

Even if we get a new coach I think we need to seriously address our expectation levels. Probably the best thing a new coach could do is resurrect our record at home. That would make a huge difference to attendances, finances, and as we've seen in the past it at least creates a platform for pushing on into the play-offs on a regular basis.


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terminator_x edited February 18, 2013 20:18
james dean wrote:
terminator_x wrote:
Cosimo wrote:


I don't feel sorry for him. He's had glory as a player, glory as a coach, including World Cup, good salary, 6 years at the Nix...

Poor Ricki for being criticised because his team is coming last and he doesn't have the best resources...oh the humanity.



Fair enough, let's take Ricki out of the picture then.

How much impact do we think a new coach is going to be able to have operating under similar constraints? As you pointed out, you've got to get the tactics spot on and keep the morale up to even be competitive with the other teams.

I'm not trying to defend Ricki or make a case for him being re-appointed, but I do think we all need to start being a lot more realistic about how this is going to play out and, even if we do get a new coach, how much difference we can actually expect them to make.

I feel sorry for any new coach coming in. First day at training, Newtown 2 in a nice strong northerly, Russ Grey scrambling up the bank to get the balls back because we can't afford new ones. Classic "what have I done?" moment.

More typical excuse making.  Your line on this is constantly evolving - first, Ricki is actually doing a good job, it's going to come right, then Ricki is doing a good job, Welnix just aren't supporting him, then Ricki is doing a good job the players are letting him down, then Ricki isn't doing a good job, but who could we get to replace him, then finally Ricki isn't doing a good job, but he's still useful somewhere in the club and then the final stage Ricki isn't doing a good job but no-one else could be expected to work in these conditions and what influence does a coach have anyway.  
All dusted off with the immortal line with it's amazing we have a team anyway so who are we to expect us to do better than last
My suggestion?  Let's get someone else in and see what they can do.  if you are right, and this is the best we can hope for, I really don't see much point in us having a team in the A-League.  No point carrying on like this when our team is an absolute joke


I love the way you take what I've said, exaggerate it slightly and then fire off an indignant response! It's like you're not even arguing with me anymore, but some hyper-real version of me that you've created.

Off course my line is evolving, the situation is evolving. I certainly wouldn't be calling for Ricki to go if we were in the top 4. But we're not in the top 4 are we?

Nor did I say that a coach has no influence, or that last is the best we should ever hope for. What I have said is that over the long run, we - like every other A-League team - should expect to finish 5th or 6th on average. Once every ten years or so we should be able to win the league and once every ten years or so we should expect a season like the one we're having. But the realistic expectation we should have of any Nix coach in a 10-team salary-capped league is to finish around 5.5 on average (Ricki has achieved 6.2 prior to this season). If the only performance measure we impose on the coach is to win championships (or even regularly finish in the top 4) then we are just not set up to deliver on that and we will burn through a shit-load of coaches and money, possibly bankrupting the club.

Even if we get a new coach I think we need to seriously address our expectation levels. Probably the best thing a new coach could do is resurrect our record at home. That would make a huge difference to attendances, finances, and as we've seen in the past it at least creates a platform for pushing on into the play-offs on a regular basis.