A happy club?

[ROK Lobster]

Not at the moment. From my point of view, there is a general lack of comradery, unity of purpose, mateship etc etc at the club. Reading through the threads confirms others have noticed manifestations of this too: Hall pushing Monty into the fence, double standards, certain players ignored, underdone players coming straight in to the seniors, lack of game time for certain players, general apathy amongst the playing group, wtf is going on with Saddo?

I think this is the major challenge for the leadership group atm, to get the team up and going, and playing like a team. We are potentially a hiding away from becoming an absolute rabble. Lets hope that win lose or draw next w/e the Swans pull themselves together and play like a team, not like a bunch of blokes newly introduced who do not care much for each other, because that's how things are starting to look from the sideline.

[Wil]

Re: A happy club?

Originally posted by ROK Lobster

I think this is the major challenge for the leadership group atm, to get the team up and going, and playing like a team.

WTF!? This is the coaches job! This is the coaches single most important job!

[ROK Lobster]

Re: Re: A happy club?

Originally posted by Wil
WTF!? This is the coaches job! This is the coaches single most important job!

And your point is? I agree that this is part of the coach's responsibility but surely this is part of the role of the leadership group too? And at the moment the team needs a lift and it has to come from the top down - the 'leaders' need to 'lead'. Or is being part of the leadership group just justification for another $50K in the contract?

[OldE]

I read an article by Neil Jameson last year, and a quote stood out when I read it, and it's sprung to mind more than a few time over the last few weeks.

"Now, those disenchanted with the major codes are pondering whether the plunge on professionalism is producing a generation of poorly mentored, socially stunted athletes trapped in a world of fart jokes, binge drinking and electronic games where the male instinct to remain forever-14 is indulged on a daily basis. Not so much heroes, as overpaid pests on the run from accountability. A harsh generalisation, perhaps, but, by mid-2004, you could have been excused for think that the NRL and AFL had been taken hostage by a bunch of delinquents."

(Neil Jameson, "Professional Foul" in "The Best Australian Sports Writing 2004" ed. Garrie Hutchinson, Melbourne: Black Inc., 2004. p. 203)

I never thought I'd join the anti-professional chorus (and I'm still not sure that I will), but 23 year olds selling their houses for over a million does seem a little excessive. And for what? Kicking a football with little consistency? The players are playing as though they're spoilt at the moment- taking for granted their massive paychecks and luxurious lives. Maybe we should send them to Africa to build houses next pre-season- to do something that might make a genuine difference to some people in the world, and along the way give the players some perspective outside the Eastern Suburbs bubble.

I'm lucky too- don't get me wrong. Educated, clothed, sheltered, relatively wealthy. Enough time and money spare to indulge my football obsession to the nth degree. I'm just as spoilt as they are.

But maybe a little perspective will help their game. Make them see that their time at the top, or relative top, is fleeting and uncertain. That when they have been given so much, maybe doing their job in return isn't so hard. I wouldn't mind a team that lost if it was a team maintained their dignity while doing so. At the moment we appear devoid of accountability, resposibility and perspective. (There are certainly some individuals in the team of whom this doesn't appear to be the case, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Kirky certainly appears to have some perspective on the world, and I think it shows in his attitude to football)

Now, please go ahead and tear me apart, because yes, I'm on my high horse, and I thoroughly deserve it.

I wasn't sure how to reference something in a book on a forum without getting in trouble for copyright. I hope that is ok.

[LittleSchneider]

No I agree Erin.

Many of them take their lifestyle for granted - not all of us have the luxury of playing our favourite sport for a living and earning a lot of money to do it!
Some of them behave a little immature and many of them should look at how they conduct themselves - the word "Professional" doesnt just apply to the fact that AFL is a pay-packet sport but should also apply to the players - both on and off the field.

When you look at the recent behaviour of many of the NRL and Rugby boys (ala Cameron Shepard, the Bulldogs last year and the Knights this year) its disgusting to see them treat other people (especially women) the way they do and dont hold any disregard for the law or morals and ethics.
(Now look whos on her soap box). Im not saying all players are guilty of this - but it seems that the trend amongst players of the football codes is overwhelmingly towards the above mentioned.

[satchmopugdog]

I am pleased there are people like Andrew Schauble to restore the balance.

[OldE]

You're right- he's another who deserves respect.

I don't think it's a coincidence that players who appear to have some perspective- such as Kirk and Schauble- are also among our most consistent.

[ROK Lobster]

Wayne Carey was consistently very good too. This thread has, in a couple of posts, strayed far from where it was intended...

[OldE]

Sorry, my fault

[liz]

Eirin, you theory is plausible but is it anything other than speculation, either to fact or effect on on-field success?

There is nothing unique at the Swans in terms of full-professionalism. All clubs are pretty much the same. So why have the Kangas and Eagles won five games this year and the Lions and Hawks just one apiece?

Maybe its a combination of skill, talent, confidence, luck, early season form, lack of injuries.

[footyhead]

This is all delusion. How many of the team do you actually know?
Calling into question the teams moral ethics cos they are plying badly is rediculous. Get a life.
Better still get a religion.

[Matt79]

Originally posted by footyhead
This is all delusion. How many of the team do you actually know?
Calling into question the teams moral ethics cos they are plying badly is rediculous. Get a life.
Better still get a religion.

Now now FH, take it easy, it was only her opinion!
I don't know Erin at all, but I would suspect from many of her posts that she may indeed have a religion and even if she dosn't what effect does that have?

[OldE]

Originally posted by footyhead
This is all delusion. How many of the team do you actually know?
Calling into question the teams moral ethics cos they are plying badly is rediculous. Get a life.
Better still get a religion.

It has nothing to do with ethics. I didn't raise any point about religion or ethics- that was done by others. I'm talking about perspective and social responsibility. I just wish footballers in general- not just at the Swans- would acknowledge the fact they are damn lucky to get paid a ridiculously large amount of money to play a game. And that maybe there are things more important in life than football. And realising that ultimately football is ephemeral and fame is fleeting may help them get their bums into gear and realise the sun does not shine from their backsides. And maybe then they're have the kind of attitude neccessary to win football matches.

[OldE]

Originally posted by liz
Eirin, you theory is plausible but is it anything other than speculation, either to fact or effect on on-field success?

I guess it's a problem that is league-wide, not specific to the Swans. I do think that the attitudes of players to football can effect games- not that that's rocket science. Keeping egos in check is an important part of managing a senior football team.

I have no hard proof, no real evidence that this is a problem, but I certainly think there is something different about the attitude of several of the players to football at the moment. Some I wonder why they even bother to show up... they clearly would rather be someone else. For all the mistakes Bevan has made of late, you couldn't deny that he had worked hard. So why aren't the other players? Why do they seem lazy and bored?

One could arrive at one of several conclusions. Mine was that the several of the players have a bad attitude, and maybe that comes from getting a minimum guarenteed $100,000 a year in their early 20s, with little regard to whether or not they are doing their job well.

That's why I'm a fan of dropping senior players for a few weeks. Surely at a loss of $2,000/week in match payments, it wouldn't take them long to realise they have to find some form and fast.

[DST]

Originally posted by eirinn
It has nothing to do with ethics. I didn't raise any point about religion or ethics- that was done by others. I'm talking about perspective and social responsibility. I just wish footballers in general- not just at the Swans- would acknowledge the fact they are damn lucky to get paid a ridiculously large amount of money to play a game. And that maybe there are things more important in life than football. And realising that ultimately football is ephemeral and fame is fleeting may help them get their bums into gear and realise the sun does not shine from their backsides. And maybe then they're have the kind of attitude neccessary to win football matches.

Hi Eirinn,

There is no doubt that footballers get payed well but your comments above are niave and ill informed.

Having a brother in law who has played AFL for the last 9 years and a couple of best mates who continue to play at the highest level I can tell you that the commitment and courage displayed by the players along with the constant public scrutinity means these players earn every cent they currently receive.

You see the players for 2 & 1/2 hours a week and know nothing of the scarifices they make physcially & socially to ensure they get themselves on the park week in and out in order to help their mates out.

My brother in law went through 3 shoulder reconstructions and two broken jaws (each time feeding himself through a straw for weeks on end and still trying to retain fitness while wired) to get himself out on the ground to do what he loved and to be with his team mates. Both of my friends have been through knee reconstructions and the months of rehab to get themselves back on the park.

I would hope on reflection you look at your above comments and retract them as they really are so far from reality it's not funny and nothing more than an insult.

DST