Every season coaches are fired and coaches are hired… it’s just a part of the business that is the AFL.
With 150 years of history and tradition, the Melbourne Demons Football Club is facing what could be its most important few years in which the future of this once great club could be redefined.
With their CEO and president resigning and their head coach being sacked all within a few months, the Demons and new CEO Peter Jackson have the arduous task of filling those roles with people who will take the club forward.
In the coaching department, the Demons will have a wide range of potential coaches to choose from, ranging from premiership coaches through to first time candidates.
Here are a few of the obvious front-runners:
Former senior coaches:
Rodney Eade
Mark Williams
Gary Ayres
Paul Roos
Matthew Knights
Mark Harvey
John Worsfold
Dean Laidley
Current assistant coaches without senior coaching experience:
Alan Richardson
Scott Burns
Todd Viney
Peter Sumich
Simon Goodwin
From all of these potential candidates, there are undoubtedly a few that could slot into the role at Melbourne.
It will undoubtedly come down to the basics of Melbourne will want in their coach, whether it will be someone with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the toughest job in footy, or will they go with another untried head coach.
The famous saying, “Those who do not learn from history, are only doomed to repeat it” could apply to Melbourne’s selection. After all, where have two untried coaches gotten them?
With a serious rebuild being needed, the favourites to win the job are either Eade, Williams and Roos.
Roos and Williams are premiership coaches, whilst Eade has much respect in the industry as someone who could easily jump back into a head coaching role.
Williams seemed destined to be the next in line to the throne at Greater Western Sydney behind Sheedy, but his off-season move to Richmond could show that if he is going to be a head coach again, that he wants it to be at a Melbourne-based club.
Roos seems to be the popular choice amongst the media, as he is much respected and has shown in his time in Sydney that he is able to build a premiership-quality culture amongst the playing group and the football department.
The process of picking their new coach will be a long one as they know that they have to get it right, and I think as a football fan in general it would be great to see Melbourne become a competitive force once again.
Who do you think will coach Melbourne in 2014?
Scott
Guest
Mark Williams is the best choice. He has worked with young talent at GWS and Richmond, both these clubs were struggling as well, which means he is already ahead and will know how to get the best out of them under adversity. But I believe a lot of players need to be shown the door, it is very obvious that there are players bidding their time
TomC
Roar Guru
Seems unnecessary.
Bayman
Guest
The blue rinse set loved Craig at Adelaide, langou, but there would be any number of fans who actually know something about footy who would be happy for him to get the Demons job. I'll leave you to work out why at your leisure.
Michael
Roar Rookie
I think a lot of people are speculating that he's had enough, that he's done his coaching dash and will choose to leave of his own accord at the end of the year.
TomC
Roar Guru
There seems to be a lot of rumblings about Worsfold being shown the door at the Eagles. I don't really understand why, but he would be the obvious front runner for the Melbourne job.
langou
Roar Guru
The other candidate of course is Neil Craig. He had a great record at Adelaide and if he can turn the club around in the next 10 weeks and decides he is once again enjoying the challenge of coaching then he could be a dark horse.
langou
Roar Guru
I agree Trev on both counts Eade should have been given first crack at rebuilding the Bulldogs considering his great record at the club and he is the perfect fit for Melbourne. As opposed to Roos he wants to coach because the last thing you want is a coach who has come up only because he has had a too-good-to-refuse offer thrown at him
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Pick me,pick me
Trev
Roar Rookie
I reckon Rocket would be a great fit for the Dees. His good in the media so he'll help sell the club and his proved he can turn struggling sides around quickly when he took over the Bulldogs. As a Dogs supporter I think we should have give him at least these 2 seasons to develop the list but our loss may be Melbourne's gain.
Brendon
Guest
Choco, he was good a Port, just got a bit stale, great with the kids and is a tough bastard.
Griffo
Guest
I wouldn't want Melbourne to go too hard for Roos and end up hime being like Malcolm Blight at St. Kilda. Sure Roos is a fantastic coach but if he doesn't want to do it then Melbourne shouldn't offer him more until he signs
Griffo
Guest
I'm a Melbourne supporter who wore the number 3 on his jumper when he was kid and i can tell you that Garry Lyon is the last person i'd want coaching the demons
stam
Roar Rookie
They want Roos, Roos doesn't want it, next best is Williams, that's about it.
Johnno
Guest
Terry Wallace or bomber Thompson, or even Micheal Voss. Ron Barassi unlikely he'll make a comeback to help the Dees when they need him most, his coaching days he probably won't comeback. Garry Lyon may have a go to.