Mark "Bomber" Thompson - Overrated?

[michael roach]

Hafey didn't get the flick, he walked out on us.

There was a board vote whether to keep him on and he won the vote to be kept on as coach.

But the vote wasn't unanimous, I think GR was one who voted against him, Hafey found out about it and quit because he felt he didn't have the full support of the board.

 

[Sintiger]

Hafey didn't get the flick, he walked out on us.

There was a board vote whether to keep him on and he won the vote to be kept on as coach.

But the vote wasn't unanimous, I think GR was one who voted against him, Hafey found out about it and quit because he felt he didn't have the full support of the board.

That's true but GR made it known he was the one who voted against him and if you listen to tommy and KB on the subject he decided that if he didn't have the support of Graham Richmond it was pointless because GR had so much power .
Its semantics really because Graham Richmond made sure Tommy Hafey was leaving but its true that he was officially reappointed for 1977 .

 

[JR8]

Probably the biggest mistake RFC ever made . His record at Collingwood, Geelong and the Swans suggests we would have never got ourselves in the situation we did in the 80's if he was a 20 year coach for us , which he should have been . Players would not have gone because they would have been loyal to Tommy . Graham Richmond presided over our greatest triumphs and then presided over our greatest failure .

Excellent post Sin.

GR should never have voted against T-Shirt Tommy. :-\

 

[Lennox Street]

Hafey also got the flick after taking the Pies to 4 Grand Finals in 5 years.

He never played politics or kept the board on side. No doubt he thinks it is one of his great qualities and strengths, but it is a little naive as well. You put people offside and they will wear it when you are winning, but they will delight in sticking the boots in when things get messy.

Maybe Malthouse is the equivelant? Maybe Malthouse wouldn't have been forced into the coaching succession plan if he had made nice with a few more suits at Collingwood and had some allies to fight for him when he lost the 2008 SF and started 09 (3w-5l) poorly?

 

[Bill James]

He did have a great Pres and CEO, but I agree; outrageous assertion.
The culture we have in Vic footy makes it almost impossible to get out of a job in a clean, up front way. Unlike NRL, where coaches/players make announcements during the year, we consider people incredibly disloyal if they leave for better money/lifestyle...

I have no probs with what Thompson did when he exited Geelong.

It is that fierce demand for loyalty that brings 5 times as many people to AFL games

 

[Tango]

any first year rooky coach that wins the GF against the best team all year and the best coach is a very good coach, regardless of the quality of his team......