How long will Roos escape criticism?

[Damien]

This post is not designed to bag out Paul, it is that I am just interested in how long you think the fickle Sydney and broader AFL Media will give him before the knives come out.

Bomber Thompson only just started getting some pressure applied to him - what will be Roos breaker?

I understand they are building a team etc, but at the same time you can look at certain moves, player matchup etcs and ask why....You can also look at the coaching staff being Eade's regime as opposed to a changing of the guard.

I guess basically my question is, will Paul be given a free ride into 2004? Or will the spotlight be focused on him earlier?

[robbieando]

Look he might start having some pressure put on him by the media soon. But I think unless something really bad happens I doubt most of us fans on RWO and the club itself will put any on him.

[swan_song]

I wouldn't think there'd be any REAL pressure on Roosie...I think he's doing about the best possible from his playing list at the moment. Where there may be presure is from the melb media I guess, and maybe from the likes of Colless who have already signalled a tough year financially...the old, 'bums on seats' mentality coming through again.

[Charlie]

He'll get the "Roos is struggling, the Swans are in real trouble" routine from Mike Sheahan soon... but the real stuff won't come unless we are last after 12-14 rounds.

On a vaguely related note, I sat very near to Peter Schwab at the Richmond/St Kilda game. Considering the pressure he has been under, he seems one very cool character!

[NMWBloods]

I don't think he will get a lot as the media is not overly interested in the Swans and most think our list was pretty ordinary anyway, so a poor season won't come as a huge surprise. I think the pressure will only come if we lose too many by 5+ goals.

[gloveski]

A fair comment our list wasn't rated at the start of the year so realistically unless we cop about 3 hidings in a row not to many murmurs from the media .Sides like st.kilda who continue to struggle even with some of the best young talent in Australia must be starting to put their coach under the pump a little.
You can see eade and wallace licking their lips at the prospect of coaching an underachieving saints

[Cheer Cheer]

In Melbourne Grant Thomas is know as cornflakes and that pretty much sums it up about him. IMO he will be the next coach to get sacked out of the current 16. He has a 21% winning record, and if it doesnt improve soon, will be struggling.
His comment on the weekend how he stated publicly that he believes the saints are a better team than richmond, yet getting beaten by them pretty much sums up cornflakes. All talk no action.

[treespirit]

Only Patrick Smith calls him Cornflakes, but that is because he is the best AFL journo around. Cornflakes and the St Kilda President (Rod Butterss) seem to be partners in ineptitude, so look forward to many years of St. Average.

[Rizzo]

I guess we need to see some hope that things will get better in the form of some of the young guys stepping up or the much maligned middle tier players making the transition.

[Charlie]

Wallace, Eade and the often forgotten Brittain will be licking their chops at the goings-on at about five clubs this year... Hawthorn, Richmond, St Kilda, Geelong and Melbourne. My predictions for this year:

Hawthorn: Wallace
Richmond: Brittain
St Kilda: Eade

Thompson and Daniher to survive.... this time.

[chammond]

Wallace, Eade and the often forgotten Brittain will be licking their chops at the goings-on at about five clubs this year... Hawthorn, Richmond, St Kilda, Geelong and Melbourne.

I think the wolves would also be baying at Fremantle and West Coast if they don't make the finals.

And Mark Williams has skated on thin ice at times over the past two or three seasons. A bad season might bring him undone.

When it comes down to it, there aren't many current AFL coaches who would feel 100% comfortable about their position - maybe 3 or 4?

[Jimmy C]

Originally posted by Charlie
My predictions for this year:

St Kilda: Eade

I said exactly the same thing last year, although, the 'Aints weren't in a position financially to axe Thomas' contract at that time. Thomas said last year (when Rocket snatched it) that Eade would be an excellent choice of coach for St. Kilda-he's obviously alot smarter than he looks. Rocket is the kind of coach they need to get them rolling.