Roos on 702 talking about coaching Swans

[YvonneH]

I am still reading the book.
I bought it on Kindle (through Amazon), so probably a cheaper way than the hard copy.

[dimelb]

Finished this morning. I think it is one of the most helpful books I've read on the subject of training players, the importance of learning patterns of play, and the reasoning behind the repeated exhortations to play your role. He argues that people outside the club saw us as trying to lock down games instead of moving the ball. There is an element of truth in this, and at times that's what was needed, but in fact the training emphasised "either get the ball or make the tackle". In either case the sequel was to move the ball. If we didn't have the ball they were trained to lock onto their man. I had to chuckle at that point thinking of all the times I yelled at the players (or the screen) "For God's sake man up!"

The chapters on his Melbourne years are especially illuminating, and while he refrains from bagging his predecessors (his US experience made a huge difference to his approach) it is quite clear that the early promotion of new draftees is a disastrous policy. You might think that's what we did, and are doing, with Heeney and Mills, but the difference is that they came from a Swans background before they were drafted and were much better prepared than, for instance, the unfortunate Jack Watts.

The most serious question that to my mind remains unanswered is: Why are there games where the whole team (except our fine captain) seems to forget what they have learned at training? I think one answer is that there times when it seems we don't take our opposition seriously enough. I'd be interested to hear other responses to this perpetual problem.