AFL football is a game of snap decisions. Rarely does a player get to feel completely relaxed and without pressure, particularly as the game seems to be played at a pace that seems to continually increase.
The wrong split second decision can have dire consequences, just ask Jack Ziebell. The best players in the AFL – or any sport – are those that can make good decisions consistently when under pressure.
However, this breakneck speed need not apply to how the club’s administration does business. Indeed, it’s much more constructive for the club to make decisions based on sober reflection rather than momentary whims.
Knowing this, it makes Port Adelaide’s decision on Matthew Primus all the more bizarre.
No one in their right mind would claim that Port Adelaide were on a finals bound trajectory in the way they were going, but looking at the 2012 season, you see that the Power had won five games and were sitting in 14th place.
Some of their wins came against quality teams like St. Kilda, North Melbourne and Carlton.
Furthermore, their heaviest loss was by only 58 points. This is more than can be said for several teams above them on the table.
So the first question that must be asked is, was Primus kicked out for the season’s performances? Or was he kicked out because of a weak performance against an expansion side who had nothing to lose in a milestone game for the coach?
Because if it’s the latter, it does not seem like a sober judgement to me.
But just suppose Port Adelaide were doing this out of frustration for their season’s efforts. Why notify him now with four rounds to go and thus leave Primus with little choice but to leave?
I realise the club gave him the ‘choice’ to keep on coaching them for the rest of the 2012 season, but that really is not much of a choice after all.
At the end of the year, the club could have sat down and reflected upon the year, much like Brisbane did with Michael Voss, and come to a conclusion that would have satisfied everyone.
Instead, they have a caretaker coach and their leading midfielder is now reconsidering his prospects at Geelong.
There is no doubt football is a ruthless enterprise. Primus said as much during his farewell conference.
But those who are ruthless indiscriminately lose far, far more than those who are cautious with their culling.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Yes!!!!! :D :D :D Thank you so much for that. One of my pet peeves is that every coach who leaves a club, against his will, is described as having been sacked. In the case of Primus, it's nonsense. While he did have an option for a third year, both parties needed to agree in order to execute the option. Port didn't agree. Thus, he wasn't sacked.
Walt
Guest
The SANFL wont get drawn into this until they are forced to. I still cant understand how the owners of the club can hide away like they have. The SANFL blame Port Adelaide for their own debt, its like blaming your kids for your debt.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Walt, As the SANFL own the licence, then they own the club. If they own the club, then they need to invest in it. They've been very quiet as, at the end of the day, the SANFL is responsible for this mess.
Baldrick44
Roar Pro
There doesn't seem to be many clubs that are going to exchange coaches at the end of this year- the only other club that possibly might would be Carlton and that doesn't look as likely as it did some weeks ago so I don't know if the idea of 'stealing a march' on the competition really is all that relevant. What's more with the new 'poaching' rules in place for coaches I don't know if letting Primus go now really gives them any hope of talking to current assistant coaches with any real vigour. Finally, I think if someone was notified four weeks before the season was ended that his coaching tenure was over at the end of the season, it would take a supreme level of effort to continue to care about what they were doing- particularly as some may see them to be selfish for 'clinging on'.
Walt
Guest
You are referring to the SANFL, correct? They are the license holders of the PAFC. The SANFL has been very quiet throughout all of this. They have their man in Keith Thomas doing the talking. The SANFL are not responsible for financing the coaching hunt. The PAFC board are. Even though it is in the SANFLs direct interest for the PAFC to be a successful as it can be. Confused? You can see one of the reasons things are so messy down at Alberton.
Cameron
Guest
Why did ithave to come down to this for a full review of the football club.Surely they knew that they needed to have a full review of the club. Anyway,what happened to the other reviews that were done?? I totally agree with you, Baldrick44. I'm a Port supporter and I think that the Admin could have dealt with this a lot better and that if they didn't want Primus as coach anymore,then tell him after the season has concluded.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
If Port's owners arent prepared to invest in Rodney Eade - who has refused to rule himself out of contention like Roos did, so he wants the job - then the AFL needs to take the licence off them.
Happy Hooker
Guest
Why couldn't they wait until the end of the season? Because they decided they need a new coach, and they have to start the search now. They can't risk having all the good ones snapped up, not that Port has the money to go into the market for a Mick Malthouse, Rodney Eade or Paul Roos. Primus hasn't been sacked. All that has happened is they have decided not to offer him another contract.