Garry Lyon takes questions from journalists. AAP Image/Julian Smith
He’s a charismatic media personality, a wonderful ambassador for the game and an insightful footy analyst. But above all, Garry Lyon is a legend of the Melbourne Football Club. And it desperately needs him back – now.
If you hadn’t heard yet, the Demons have hit rock bottom over the past few days.
The board sensationally sacked senior coach Dean Bailey on Sunday following the team’s unacceptable 31-goal loss to Geelong the day before. Whether it was the right decision to sack Bailey or not is an entirely different argument.
But it’s happened and the club must push forward.
Barring Saturday’s insipid performance, there are no doubts the Demons are heading in the right direction from an on-field perspective. The talent and potential is there.
Remarkably, they’re every chance to finish 2011 with double figure wins, meaning they’ll still be a strong chance to play in the finals come the end of the home-and-away season.
Off the field though, they’re all over the place. There’s obvious tension between the administration and football department, while Bailey’s sacking proves the current board is a reactive one, not a proactive one.
Still, contrary to what most media outlets have reported, the Dees are not in crisis. But something needs to change before they hit one.
They’re desperate for leadership. They need an influential figure to unite the club and close the obvious chasms between key parties.
Cue Lyon. The saviour. The perfect resolution.
Since retiring, the former Demon captain has distanced himself from any official role with Melbourne. Instead, he’s enjoyed a successful career in the media, giving astute and engaging opinions across a variety of platforms.
But the time has come for him to dump his media commitments and return to where it all began.
The Dees need him.
Lyon would bring a plethora of positive traits to Melbourne.
Perhaps his most valuable asset would be his leadership – something the Demons need both in and off the field.
Lyon oozes the stuff. Ex-teammate Jeff White, who played a fair chunk of his career alongside the Dees’ 1990 Best and Fairest winner, told the Herald Sun on Tuesday that Lyon ‘is a leader in the media, he was a leader on the ground and he’s been a leader outside the footy club’.
When Lyon talks about Melbourne in the media, everyone listens. So when he spoke about his beloved club on Saturday, many took notice.
‘It disgusts me to see that score line,’ Lyon said on Triple M after the Demons’ recent loss. ‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was demoralising [to watch] that real lack of pressure and intensity.’
‘That’s not a loss, that’s a destruction of a club.
It was emotive and persuasive language. It was language that Melbourne sponsors and supporters would’ve been swayed by.
Most importantly, it was blunt language, the kind of language the club needs to hear – now and in the long term.
Lyon would also bring an incredible amount of passion.
Damien Barrett and James Brayshaw, two of Lyon’s closest colleagues in the media, said they’d never seen their workmate so shattered and miserable on Saturday.
‘I need to have a conversation with big Jimmy [Stynes]. I will sit down and have a chat to him,’ Lyon said.
‘But right now they have got to hold up, stay together and not blow up, because you know what happens in times like this – the club needs to close ranks and work through all the issues.’
It didn’t sound like an impartial commentator giving constructive criticism. It sounded more like a Melbourne supporter – a passionate one.
He bleeds red and blue and loves the club more than anyone else in the country. That sort of passion is needed at Dee land.
So if Lyon were to return to Melbourne, what could he do?
Yes he’s denied it countless times, but he’d make an outstanding coach. He’s passionate, articulate and knows the game back to front. Yes he’s had limited coaching experience and has been out of the inner sanctum for a while, but he’s watched and analysed so much footy over the past decade. Surely a man of his knowledge wouldn’t take long to settle into the caper.
If he ever changed his mind and decided to coach, there wouldn’t be too many people who’d stand in his way.
However Lyon doesn’t have to become the coach to make an impact at Melbourne. He could always be an influential member of the football department, a more visual ambassador of the club or even a close mentor to players and coaches.
Lyon could walk straight into Stynes’ role.
Unfortunately, cancer-stricken Stynes is far from well and, with no disrespect to the great man, isn’t healthy enough to be a president of an AFL club. But Lyon would be an adequate replacement. He understands the club’s needs and would promote the club’s brand with pure class.
Whatever the role, Lyon’s presence would undoubtedly lift the club tremendously, both internally and externally.
Baby steps were made during Footy Classified on Monday night, when Lyon admitted to feeling ‘guilty’ after watching Stynes – one of his best mates – struggle to get through a press conference on Monday. He’s now expected to meet with Stynes in the coming days to flag his interest about a potential role with the club. What that role will be remains to be seen, but apparently any role would be temporary.
But this role can’t be temporary. It needs to be all or nothing.
Lyon must show full commitment to the club. Otherwise he, and the club, shouldn’t bother.
Leader? Tick. Passionate? Tick. Good footy brain? Tick.
What more else could you ask for?
It’s time for Lyon to get his hands dirty. Melbourne needs him.
mark
Guest
What is going on with the Dees? . . . Sure we can all see the obvious poor performances, but that both the firsts and seconds can seem to throw games to make some kind of point then the coach gets sacked . . . this is a clear demonstration of disunity in a team or where a colective of players has influenced the "work place" . . the game . . the team and left supporters and the general public gob smacked. More over the selection process is a discrace when Matthew Wornock battled out in defence almost as the lone defender for a number of games earlier in the season and gets dropped when the "other" defenders returned suggests he was not doing well enough. The fact is for some weeks he was the only serious defewnder and is now languishing because he was dropped for no good reason. Finally Todd Viney had the guts to relegate Sylvia! Whilst a very valuable attacking player he has so often gone missing in deffence. Although this seems to be a common problem with the Dees. It seems the deffencive role of late is the domain of a selective few deffenders and the rest of the back line and midfielders is one of free running, leaving us well away from the ball in all sectors of the ground and giving the opposition a free hand. Lets go Demons lets get serious. Mark
Johnno
Guest
But Gary Lyon is a man of action., and constructive pints. He has made the good point on the AFL footy show, that Melbourne is in a rebuilding year.
Martin M.
Guest
Hmmm, all this sounds right. Barack Obama and Joe Biden have never even had jobs and ... Viola! Now the feel-good guru of fence-sitting is taking his feel-good approach, without any executive experience, to save Melbourne. He does have some coaching experience with the International Rules culminating in a 2-2 score line. The two losses were smashings too, as well overseeing some near smashings of the other extra curricular variety at night clubs. He was also an advocate for Peter Rohde getting the Western Bulldogs gig, as well as casting a vote for Dean Bailey over Kevin Sheedy. But that stuff is all washed away by just knowing that lots of people "feel" good about the next several weeks of treading on toes of employees who were apparently paid to do the job. This will be interesting watching lots of what I'm expecting to "Hope and Change" at the Dees.
yewonk
Guest
garry is doing the right thing it will be in the back of malthouses mind this new opportunity to coach the dees and he has lost his job at the pies no matter how you look at it.
todd
Guest
Justin. I agree with most of your comments. I think Stynes should remain in some capacity but not at the helm. A football director is also essential and the events of the past few weeks highlight that massive operational gap. Schwab and Connelly's renewal smacks of nepotism. They now must stand up. The Board must also stand up. Coaching appears to be the poisened chalice. If Viney doesnt want the job short term he shouldnt be here at all. Pass in to someone who wants it? It would actually have made sense to leave Bailey there for the remainder of the year and have the Board conduct (another) review in the meantime
Justin
Guest
Melbourne are a basket right now. Hats off to Jimmy Stynes who has been the major driver in eradicating the debts Melbourne had. Unfortunately on his watch (yes he has been gravely ill and I will touch more on this later) there have been clear factions bubbling away and they are now exploding. So Stynes now wants to have input from Lyon who is not officially tied to the club. Yet every time there is a problem Melbourne call on their "mates" to help them out. Schwab, Connolly, Lyon, Viney - all close mates. Lyon was the one who recommended Bailey remember and no doubt wqas a force behind him being sacked. So in the broader scheme of things if I were a Melbourne member I would be wanting to know why the Board isnt strong enough to say a few things - 1. Jim, you are Melbourne through and through but you are extremely unwell and must insist you step down from the Presidents chair, no if or buts. 2 Why was no football director chosen to sit on the board after Leoncelli left? Stynes was doing that also. This is unbelievable stuff when you think about it. 3.Make accountable the other board members who are clearly implicit in this strategy or not doing anything to change it. 4. If Lyon wants a say then do it from an official position not the sidelines. If not then shut up. Melbourne have not been a great club for a very long time and they need a clean out of the dead wood, some strong leadership and better stratgy to clims their way out of this situation and create a strong future.
Jason Cave
Guest
I reckon Garry Lyon would make a perfect replacement for Jim Stynes as president of the Melbourne Football Club-that is, if he wants the job. After all, if Lyon's co-host on the AFL Footy Show, James Brayshaw put his hand up to be president of North Melbourne, why can't Lyon do the same at the Demons?
Ben Waterworth
Roar Guru
Agree wholeheartedly Ben. Point out in the article that while he'd be a great coach, his presence in a footy department/management style role would be just as influential. No disrespect to the great man, bur not sure how long Jimmy Stynes can hold down the president role. Enter Lyon - the perfect replacement.
Walt
Guest
Neil Craigs situation goes much deeper. This year alone he has presided over 3 or 4 of the clubs worst losses. The players couldnt understand the game plan, they didnt want to play for Craig anymore, the supporters had lost faith in him and the clubs list is barer than Old Mother Hubbards cupboard. The knives were out long before the Saints game.
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
And when I say management, I mean club board director/president, not coaching.
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Ben - regardless of anything else goings-on at the Dees, Lyon would be an asset at the management level I reckon. Provided he quits the media roles to do so (unlike others we know of). Am still perplexed though as to whether it's a single loss or an overall record that footy fans find harder to take? Let's put it this way - if Man United lost 10-0 to Chelse (for example), would Sir Alex be shown the door within half a week? Or would the record overall be enough? Just a thought - perhaps maybe more for the Crows fans then - Craigy's record wasn't the most dreadful ever, but one big loss was enough to oust him. Which is worse - a single heavy defeat or the lack of a trophy but keeping the side off the bottom?
Walt
Guest
Lyons is like "the other guy" lurking around a broken marriage. Got plenty of advice here and there but then the crunch comes and he doesn't want to be a part of it. His window of opportunity to grab the reins of this club will close if the club appoints any other coach but him. The new person coming into the job would be welcome to say "If I take the job, Garry Lyon needs to stay away from what I am doing." He is always going to have plenty of influence through his roles in the media, but if he is serious, he should step up or shut up. I think the job is perfect for him, he will take a pay-cut but he will be doing the job he is destined to do. Miss it this time and it will be very hard to take seriously what he says in the future.
Chris
Guest
He's a hypocrite. he says he hates football politics, but he's engaging in the worst form of it right now. He doesn't have an official role within the club, yet he's meddling in their affairs. If he wants to make decisions about the club, he needs to be a part of the club. The problem with him skulking around the edges is that he has no accountability for his actions. As much as I think he's not up for the job, at least Brayshaw had the guts to put his hand up for the Kangaroos presidency. Lyons needs to do the same.
Redb
Roar Guru
It appears adminstratively and culturally Melbourne are in more trouble than the early settlers. Lyon has admitted he hates football politics, ironicially he seems the very best person for the job of cleaning up the factional interests inside Melbourne. Good article from Caroline Wilson today on the divided Dees. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/dees-divided-lyon-called-in-20110802-1ia0g.html