There is no blueprint for what is required to be an effective coach. It largely depends on the temperament of the group and how the coach relates to his players, which is why we have seen many approaches deemed equally successful at the top level.
I found it interesting reading journalist Mark Robinson’s comments about Mick Malthouse in Tuesday’s Herald Sun. He proposed that perhaps Carlton players were responding negatively to Malthouse’s erratic behaviour in the coach’s box.
“Maybe his players see it and are now playing with fear rather than confidence, believing every mistake would invite a Malthouse tantrum,” Robinson wrote.
This can be the problem with ‘fire and brimstone’ coaches who resort to giving their side a spray at every opportunity. In a way it shows a lack of respect to the player and can definitely have a negative effect.
Players know when they make simple mistakes, such as a dropped mark or a bad kick – the basic fundamentals of the game. And while some coaches deem it a lack of concentration and worthy of a spray, most times the cause of the problem is the exact opposite.
Players, especially the self-driven dedicated types, can over-think situations such as executing a short pass to the extent that they change their natural style and end up making an error.
That is not to say that there is no room for the good old fashioned ‘spray’ anymore. Players that disobey team orders and structures or those that simply aren’t working hard enough may need a blast from time to time.
It is hard not to blame coaches for giving a heated message to their group. Football is a passionate game. Coaching can be a cutthroat caper and it is often the first position a football club looks to change when they are struggling on the field.
In recent times we have seen AFL coaches Brett Ratten and the late Dean Bailey made the scapegoat despite more concerning underlying issues at their respective clubs.
The best coach is one who can diversify their message and relate to all of their players on an individual level. What makes one player tick can shatter another player’s confidence or motivation to perform. An effective coach makes their players want to give 100 per cent for them out on the field.
Great communication skills may in fact be the most important characteristic needed to be successful. There is no use having all the ideas if you cannot convey them effectively or you lose support of the playing group. Think Mark Neeld.
The roles of a coach change so drastically at different levels of football. Country football coaches often play the role of recruiter, opposition analyst, player welfare manager, fitness coordinator… the list goes on.
Coaching senior football is something that I endeavour to do one day. At the present I am enjoying coaching junior football, where I have been fortunate enough to coach consecutive U12 premierships with Northern Territory club St Marys. I would like to think it was because of my coaching, but in reality I have been blessed with a talented group of kids that are prepared listen.
Obviously coaching senior football is a whole different ball game, but we cannot discount the importance of having good junior coaches – that’s where the champions are made. I have seen talented junior footballers lose interest in the game or not develop as well as they should have due to poor coaching.
I have been coached by a variety of people with different credentials, from those that have played well in excess of 200 AFL games to those that have never played a game of competitive football; those that have fantastic football brains and also by those that simply have no idea.
I’ll leave you with what has been my favourite quote I have heard from a coach addressing his playing group.
Playing for Northern Territory in the NAB U18 Championships, we faced NSW/ACT in the final game of the carnival.
With us having a 0-4 win-loss record things were getting desperate and in our pre-game address our coach Brenton Toy stated: “I don’t care about winning; this is not about winning. I just hate ******* losing! And so should you guys.”
While it may sound stupid for some, it resonated so well with the group that a match-winning goal from eventual draftee Jake Neade gave us our first and only win of the carnival.
Gecko
Guest
Radelaide that's interesting background re Bassett. Definitely a strong CV for a future senior AFL coaching role. Interesting info re Mackie's tip-off too. Re Ross Lyon, his midfield coaching role at Sydney was important but so too was his experience as the coach of Carlton's VFL side. Similarly, Hinkley's experience at Geelong was important but so too was his experience coaching country footy teams at senior level. I think a coach's CV is incomplete if they've only had experience as an assistant coach, because assistants generally haven't demonstrated skills in shaping club culture or whole club discipline, setting whole-team structures, working intensively with the board, or even communicating with the player group as a whole.
Radelaide
Guest
I think a good example is Nathan Bassett who joined a struggling Norwood in the SANFL, took them to a GF in his first year and then won back to back the following 2 years now at Bombers and they look even better than last year even with all their issues. Other examples are Alastair Clarkson at Port when they were good at the beginning of 2000's, Ross Lyon was midfield coach at Sydney from 2005 and Hinkley at Geelong during their build up to a powerhouse and he only got a chance when Cats players personally rang up Port CEO to recommend him (Cheers Mackie).
Gecko
Guest
I actually think AFL clubs are a bit backward with coaching selections. Deep Thinker above notes that some clubs have promoted recently retired champions directly into senior coaching roles, when it's patently obvious that the skills set required for senior coaching is very different from the skills set to be a player. I'd argue that even promoting successful assistant coaches to senior coaching roles is highly risky when they lack experience as the leading coach at a club and lack the all-round skills (think Mark Neeld, Mathew Primus, Scott Watters and possibly Mark Harvey). Since the demise of Hird and Voss, and with McCartney and Hinkley doing well with the Bulldogs and Power, maybe we've seen a shift towards clubs realising the value of coaches with proven coaching success at lower levels. St Kilda's appointment of Alan Richardson is already looking like an excellent choice. This pattern has actually been there for all to see, if they looked. In recent years, for example, Blight, Pagan, Ross Lyon, Clarkson, etc were all successful leading coaches at lower levels before they became successful at senior AFL level. In my book, choices like McCartney, Hinkley and Richardson (and probably Sanderson) are the way to go in the future.
Simoc
Guest
Maybe you could do a bit on AFLs worst coaches Jackson. I'll vote for Damien Drum as the worst coach in modern history and the first quarter of Freo vs Swans under him and Eade as the worst quarter of football in AFL history. And part of the selection panel that picked Drum was John Inverarity, the Oz cricket teams chairman of selectors.
Deep Thinker
Guest
True. But Scott has done a good job with Geelong.
Simoc
Guest
At Brisbane and Geelong the make-up of the sides was mostly big hard running players that always hurt the opposition. The recruiting was excellent. Certainly yelling at players can only be effective if used very sparingly and directed at the team. You need confidence to perform and instilling that in the team is what the best coaches do.
Michael huston
Guest
Scott has done a good job with Geelong but Much of the foundations of that team began with Thompson
Pillock
Guest
I'd agree Arthur coaches influence, both bad and good is overstated. That's not to say there are not good and coaches just that any coach need good players to perform equally a good coach with poor players rarely excels.
Radelaide
Guest
I feel it is all those things but what separates the best from the rest is the successful communication to the players which inspires them to play that way.
Cat
Roar Guru
Something all those coaches you mentioned have in common, is long term board support and well funded footy dept's.
Deep Thinker
Guest
Can't say that I agree. Plenty of examples in elite sport where coaches make a major difference. When Buckley took over from Malthouse, Collingwood had the youngest premiership team for a long time and were about to embark on an era of dominance. They have underperformed with Buckley handling the reins despite having arguably the best midfield in the game. The resignation of Sir Alex Ferguson has coincided with the decline of Manchester United. Darren Lehmann taking over Micky Arthur has led to the revival of the Australian cricket team. Guus Hiddink taking over as Socceroos coach led to Australia making the final 16 of the world cup. Plenty more examples. I don't think the AFL coaches are all elite coaches. For some reason, many AFL clubs pick recently retired players with virtually no coaching experience - many for the sole reason that they are 'favourite sons' at the club. Hird, Voss and Buckley all come to mind. Coaches with AFL experience don't tend to get second chances unless they are premiership coaches which means AFL coaching experience tends to get squandered.
Deep Thinker
Guest
I would throw in Chris Scott - the way he has managed the transition from the loss of so many great players at the Cats and kept the club in the race for the flag is highly impressive in my mind.
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Jackson, Short answer is to get the squad playing at a total sum greater than the individual parts. That's the answer in an ideal world. In which case manager is perhaps a more pertinent title than coach. Then there's all the other stuff, too much to mention, handling egos (both players & executive), progression planning, strategy, tactics, developing/fine tuning skills, etc, etc).
Michael huston
Guest
Some of the best coaches in recent times - Malthouse with Collingwood; devised a strong game plan that helped them to a flag. - Paul Roos with Sydney; influential in making the swans a well-oiled, disciplined unit with it's own unique style of play. - Alistair Clarkson, a genius coach who takes bold risks and bold strategies to test his players and make them consistently show their worth. Also turned Hawthorn into an attacking machine. - Mark Thompson; you need only look at his win-loss record with Geelong to realize whatever the hell was going on in his head was amazing. - Leigh Matthews with Brisbane; turned his team into the toughest, strongest most physical team maybe ever, and maintained consistency to make it to four consecutive flags. I know it seems like these are just the coaches of the best teams from the last decade or so, but it truly is because they led their teams to victory in their own unique ways that many of the inferior teams coaches could.
Arthur fonzarelli
Guest
One thing I am convinced of is that the influence of coaches on win / loss percentages at the elite level is far less than the media and supporter hype would have you believe . Just as everyone who makes it to the top level as a player CAN PLAY , I would argue that every coach at the elite level CAN COACH . And where there may be variations in quality , it's generally in areas the public never see .