The heat on Suns coach Guy McKenna has risen with the Gold Coast board demanding a full and immediate review of their football department.
Under pressure following the club’s limp finish to the AFL season, McKenna faced the Coast’s directors on Thursday night but was given no clarity about his future.
The board will sit again within a fortnight when they receive the outcomes of the review which is to be overseen by football operations manager Marcus Aschcroft.
Suns chairman John Witheriff said that the board wanted a review of all elements of the football department after they missed the finals by losing six of their last seven matches.
Contracted for a further 12 months, McKenna is the foundation coach at the expansion club and has overseen a steady improvement since being admitted to the league four years ago.
But he is vulnerable after his young team spiralled to 12th after being entrenched in the top eight for the first 15 rounds.
The Suns started impressively to be 7-2, and was also 9-6 before skipper Gary Ablett suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a courageous win over Collingwood at Metricon Stadium.
Witheriff said the club had plenty to be proud of this year, including increases in crowds, membership, sponsorship and corporate hospitality but were setting a higher bar.
“The football team has delivered great wins this season on the field, and we are keen as a club to take the next step towards greater success,” Witheriff said in a club statement.
“The football review announced by the board will assist in making decisions about season 2015.
“As a young club we should be very proud, but our members and the Gold Coast community deserve to see us aiming higher every year.
“This review will give us the information we need to make the right decisions.”
The club has outlined coaching, high performance, welfare and administration, list management and recruitment, and their academy and second-tier team as areas to be reviewed.
Speculation surrounding McKenna’s position has intensified after rumours of player unrest emerged following the loss of 10 of their last 13 games.
The former West Coast premiership captain led the Suns to three wins in their debut season in 2011, three again in 2012, eight last year and 10 this season to have an overall record of 24 victories from 88 matches.
McKenna spoke after he fronted the board on Thursday, but before the club announced the review.
“I was comfortable with the outcome, that’s for sure,” McKenna told Channel Nine’s The Footy Show.
“I’m comfortable knowing that I will be there next year – because there is a contract.”
But he also referred to Wednesday’s sacking of Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson, who had two years left on his deal.
“Given the current landscape, that’s tough, but I presented to the board and that’s all you can do.
“Everything is in the lap of the board.”
After the board meeting, Suns chairman John Witheriff did not guarantee that McKenna would still be coach next season.
“I’m not going to pre-empt the report,” Witheriff said.
“I’m just simply not to make any comment about the report.”
Don Freo
Guest
Harvey's made sense because they had Lyon coming in. Sando's is symptomatic of a club lurching from crisis to crisis and if Gold Coast do the same, they will regress 3 years. Thompson won't be interested, he treated this whole year as a big joke. He has no passion for the silliness of club (mis) management or of "sack" mentality. He has already expressed that.
Rick200
Roar Rookie
To Casper & Don Freo The thought of Bomber Thompson coaching the Suns has me drooling.
Rick200
Roar Rookie
Did the Mark Harvey & Sando sackings amaze you ??? The Suns are currently conducting a review of the ENTIRE football dept WHY ?? If everything is going according to plan why do a full scale review ?? Negative stories about McKenna have been leak to the media WHY ?? Is there a move against him ?? Gary Ablett still hasn't signed WHY ???
Don Freo
Guest
Who is hedging their bets now? Now you realize few agree with your baseless claim to "facts" you have given yourself an out clause...he'll probably see out the year On Bomber, he was so dis-interested all year, I'd guess that the very last thing he'd want to do is coach a footy team.
Don Freo
Guest
Rick200. If you attack a person as "a dud", why would you be exempt from Casper's criticism? Nastiness invalidates any consideration of what you might be suggesting.
Tony
Guest
That's an amazing statement, Rick200! Sources?
Rick200
Roar Rookie
What I find interesting is Marcus Ashcroft (Football Director) doesn't want McKenna as coach. Malcolm Blight (Coaching Director) doesn't want him as coach. Several players don't want him as coach. Board members don't want him as coach. The board last Thursday decided to conduct a full review of the football department which will be overseen by Marcus Ashcroft ?????? I am getting the feeling that the Suns are hedging. They are looking to replace McKenna but if they can't find someone better they will persist with Bluey. Also it has been suggested the Suns board are waiting to activate a get out trigger clause in Guy McKenna's 2015 contract.
Rick200
Roar Rookie
Casper attacking everyone on the Roar isn't going to change anything McKenna will be sacked Bomber Thompson will coach the Suns
Don Freo
Guest
You would not have the faintest clue about that Thomas. You are just dropping in a cliche because you have formed an opinion. Tim Watson said Jarrod Harbrow didn't like being challenged by McKenna. That is not player unrest, that is a player, unable to step up into a leadership breach (in the absence of Ablett) and chucking a tantie when he was not treated with kid gloves. That is what you want a coach to do.
Don Freo
Guest
They were sitting comfortably in Top 6...above expectations. Have you checked their injury list for the last 8 games? It wasn't just Ablett... ...but if someone has an set against him, they'll say it was only Ablett and ignore the rest.
Don Freo
Guest
McKenna is only under pressure in the mind of the press. Speculation is some journalists' version of investigative journalism. This article even identifies McKenna as a premiership captain. That wasn't investigated.
Casper
Guest
Seriously mate, you have no idea what you are talking about. Outside the club we don't know whether McKenna is a good coach or not, but a drip like you shouldn't be calling him a dud as you haven't got a clue.
Rick200
Roar Rookie
Now Now Casper don't personally attack me. Leave that to McKenna apparently his personally attacks are world class. Obviously your jokes aren't world class going by that lame attempt of humour
Casper
Guest
You're the dud. Gold Coast still have an incredibly young list. They have only 5 players that played before 2011. And yes he does need 6, 7, or 8 years to be a finals side, as would any coach. Obviously the number after your name is not your IQ.
Rick200
Roar Rookie
Not Great, not amazing, not cutting edge just capable. Capable ain't going to win a premiership
Rick200
Roar Rookie
McKenna has actually had 5 years to put a competitive team on the park. How many more years does McKenna need 6, 7, 8 , 9, 10 years Sorry for saying this but McKenna is a dud
Thomas
Guest
There is player unrest at the Suns - the board probably want to make sure that's resolved one way or the other before the 2015 season.
Lroy
Guest
Ten wins in his fourth season and they want to sack him?? The Eagles finished 3rd in 1990 in their 4th season.. but they were stacked with blokes who had cut their teeth in the WAFL or had played games with other Victorian clubs. Worsfold, Matera, most of those guys were TWENTY TWO years of age when they made their DEBUT... 24-27 is when you expect to get the best out of your players. How old are the suns?? maybe twenty one??? McKenna is a footy coach.. not a miracle worker.. he has done very well so far.. let him see out his contract and do the review next year.
Taurus
Guest
McKenna is under pressure to keep his job, Sanderson has already been sacked, but Buckley remains as a protected species at Collingwood, despite his obvious incompetence and having destroyed any chance of the Pies regaining their winning ways.
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Guy McKenna is a very good coach who has taken a group of kids and developed them into a team which should have played finals this year. They have made steady progress each season, although their disappointing end to 2014 is a cause for concern. The game plan has developed from an attacking focus in 2011, a defensive focus in 2012 and with the players now having enough experience, i.e. 50 plus games it is time for potential to deliver. Is Guy McKenna the coach needed to help these players deliver? I'm not sure. He is obviously a great development coach, maybe that's where his best talents lie. If it were me making the decision I would give him another year.