RSS: Swans just not playing well: Roos

[liz]

All very valid points Lobster. All just goes to show how hard it is to tell, and how much luck plays a part too - ie being on the radar when the chance comes along and then being good enough to make the most of it.

It's what Schneider did, and because he made such an impression in his first year he was forgiven the subsequent woes in his second year and is gradually developing into a versatile and handy player.

And it is why Bevan is still getting chances that some think his form doesn't warrant. His first year was very very good - a deserved 4th place finish in the RS award - and I've frequently heard players and coaches talk at functions about how inspirational they found him that year.

[ROK Lobster]

I suspect he is a stubborn soul who thinks it's his way or the highway.

Is that bordering on arrogance?

[Bear]

Roos asks a lot of his players... sets the bar higher than any other coach... to chip along the boundary line with precision passes to gain ground. He feels that each kick short to a man a metre in front of his opponent is a better opportunity to retain possession and gain ground than any longer kick to a 50-50. Even if Barry is on an inexperienced FB.

Shame that after an average of 3-4 kicks (wing or half forward line) we turn it over due to the opposition knowing exactly what we are doing - as if it wasn't obvious!?! - and would have been better moving it quickly into a less congested forward line in the first place, i.e. actually backing our so called star studded forward line one-on-one.

Oh well, we can always blame the players for not performing to the centimetre perfect expectations of the coach. It is a very even competition, and if 22 players are not on their game, we are going to get beaten, because we don't have any stars.

[ScottH]

Just not sure that I agree on the point about it being Roos's first gig as a coach cuts too much water with me.

He finished in 1997, had a year in the media analysing the game then went onto a coaching role, has coached in his own right since 2004 and played over 330 games, many with a side that had some very low but some very high points also. Played in a GF and coached a premiership. Also kept an extensive diary note of every game he played in.

I reckon on that form he would have formed some sort of understanding of flexibilty in coaching game plans and styles. I suspect he is a stubborn soul who thinks it's his way or the highway.

He also spent a year (or more )overseas (US) visiting various major sporting organisations, learning about how the work.

[Bloody Hell]

Excellent example, but... Consider Slater, at the time he ws dropped he had a better record than Hayden. If he had been afforded the same chances (which was about 12 more tests) as the Queenslander he may well have resurrected his career.....

Read Slaters biography?...The similarities there and here is that you've got to lose the confindence of the playing group before you're dropped.

[top40]

RSS: Swans just not playing well: Roos

Leigh Matthews stated during the off season that the Swans would struggle in 2007 because of an ageing list.

Not withstanding his great experience as a long term coach with both Collingwood and Brisbane, I refused at that time to be persuaded. "Who's Leigh Matthews?" I pondered, .."..what's he ever done?" I reasoned that Hall, Barry and Kirk may be just turning 30, but they were all late bloomers, with least three years left for all of them. Spider, I try to rationalise, was at a new club, and would consequently be refreshed. O'Loughnan was the only one I predicted might suffer in '07 due to ageing.

On the evidence of our last three losses, I am getting very concerned that the great 'lethal' man was absolutely on the money. The theory goes that if you play a lot of finals football, you are in fact playing extra seasons, and ageing a lot faster. Hence, the appearances in final for the last 4 seasons, (and 11 tough games to boot), represents at least an extra season of footballl. It gets even tougher for blokes like Mickey O, Leo Barry and Ben Matthews, who, (with breaks in seasons 2000 and 2002), have been playing finals football virtually continuously since the mid to late 1990's.

Leigh Matthews has in recent years witnessed the seemingly premature decline of great players at Brisbane like Michael Voss, (retiring aged 31); Justin Leppitsch, (retiring at 30); Craig McRae, (retiring aged 30); and Scott twins,(retiring aged 29 and 30 respectively). Aker is only just turned 30, and is clearly showing the signs of ageing with the Western Bulldogs. Alistair Lynch was the only Lions Premiership player who ever played beyond the age of 31, and that was probably due to a long absence from the game in the 1990's due to constant fatigue symdrome.

Am I being too pessimistic here?

[Wardy]

Put Simply we need a PLAN B (and at a stretch Plan C), and Roos and his merry band of hangers on better come up with a doosy.

[NMWBloods]

Leigh Matthews stated during the off season that the Swans would struggle in 2007 because of an ageing list.

Yes, and plenty here disagreed with him

The theory goes that if you play a lot of finals football, you are in fact playing extra seasons, and ageing a lot faster. Hence, the appearances in final for the last 4 seasons, (and 11 tough games to boot), represents at least an extra season of footballl. It gets even tougher for blokes like Mickey O, Leo Barry and Ben Matthews, who, (with breaks in seasons 2000 and 2002), have been playing finals football virtually continuously since the mid to late 1990's.

Leigh Matthews has in recent years witnessed the seemingly premature decline of great players at Brisbane like Michael Voss, (retiring aged 31); Justin Leppitsch, (retiring at 30); Craig McRae, (retiring aged 30); and Scott twins,(retiring aged 29 and 30 respectively). Aker is only just turned 30, and is clearly showing the signs of ageing with the Western Bulldogs. Alistair Lynch was the only Lions Premiership player who ever played beyond the age of 31, and that was probably due to a long absence from the game in the 1990's due to constant fatigue symdrome.

Am I being too pessimistic here?

No. I think it's a valid point.

[bandwagon]

No. I think it's a valid point.

True. And very worrying, especially for a midfield that was never quick to start with, and generally hasn't got the skills or reading of play that allow them to drop off the pace yet still be effective.

[Nolie]

All this talk about out of form players and not one mention of the biggest offender - Captain BBBBH.
He deserves a stint in the seconds.