The South Adelaide Football Club.

So as the 2013 season draws to a close, the SAFC have narrowly dodged another wooden spoon and its fair enough to say that our club has its share of turmoil at the moment.

Lets wind the clock back four years to the appointment of Ron Fuller as Coach. We set in place a five year plan, this plan worked around the coaching of the club and it focused on the off field issues that the club has that are anchoring it to the bottom of the ladder. Initially we began to see some success, we soon made the finals and won our first final, we bowed out of that finals series and have been at the bottom of the ladder ever since.

Our U/18 and Reserves teams have seen a similar result to our league side with both groups occupying the bottom of their respective ladders.

We petitioned the SANFL for boundary change based on participation rates and it was granted, its suggested that this will be several years before any results are really seen.

At the end of the fourth year Ron Fuller is Sacked, scant reasoning is given save the usual line that has been rolled out after the sacking of Rick Davies and then every other coach - that Ron had "lost the players". We now face a similar group of supporters who believe that a new coach in this case Darren Trevena will be the answer to their prayers and under him the club will come good again. I don't know what the odds are on Trevena if he gets the job being burned out by the club in less than three years, but i suspect they are not great.

I'm interested to know what it is that Trevena knows that Ron Fuller, a premiership coach in the SANFL does not know? Could it be that the problems at South cut far deeper than who the Senior Coach is?

What are those problems? Try - 1, Very poor standard of a number of feeder clubs, 2, Strong lack of interest / embrace of the club by locals and local football clubs, 3 - A repeated history of the worst losing culture in the SANFL post 1979 to current. 4, Continuous meddling / micro managing by people who should know better into the coaching operations of the club. 5, Problems in the local area spilling into the club. 6, A home ground that is largely a joke in terms of infrastructure and presentation to the public. There is likely more but these are the main ones.

My question is to those SAFC fans that are calling for Darren Trevena to be given the job, what you think it is that he is going to do about these issues that are causing our club to remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder?

Its with this in mind that I would respond that Andrew Jarman may be a better choice for the Senior Coaching position at South Adelaide.

Jarmans first move at North Adelaide was to hire his brother and establish a Football Academy for zones NAFC sides. Tell me that did not work towards building a good relationship between the NAFC and its zoned sides? For mine it tells me two things, one is that he has the runs on the board with making an attempt to deal with wider issues outside of coaching and two that he has a good sense of ideas and of what needs to be done to change things. Secondly Jarmans obvious extroverted personality might well be a strong point of influence in building the relationship between the SAFC and the local clubs as well as with the locals in the area.

Clearly I dont expect that AJ can change everything about the SAFC. Yet I put it to you that he has some form in having dealt with some similar issues and getting success as a result. Whilst I will support Trevena if selected, I would like to know what form he has in addressing these issues if the club is to become successful? For me the answer is clear, yet my fear is that tradition and the strong desire of having "A South Adelaide man" to coach the club will get the same result that it has always gotten. I do feel that if Ron could not do it then a radically different coach is needed.

If trevena gets the gig the club has just about lost me !

His mate , kappler is one of the committee selectors for the coach so once again a job is opened for the boys.

We need an outsider to be a success .

Can you tell me trevena's coaching record ??

Southee wrote:We need an outsider to be a success

Do you?

Roy Laird was a former player that was appointed coach...

Big Phil wrote:

Southee wrote:We need an outsider to be a success

Do you?

Roy Laird was a former player that was appointed coach...

Worked for them but has been tried before and ended in tears ..... 

Shane Butler and Clay Sampson were both former players appointed by the club and both crashed and burned.

Trevena was the Captain when Ken Sheldon was sacked after "losing the support of the players". That sacking resulted in another three coaches being burnt in quick succession. - Butler, Applegarth and Anderson. Another strong example of how sacking in this case Ken Sheldon was going to change everything and all the players would be on board etc etc...

Ben W,
obviously it is easier to get rid of one than several (i know it happens too often at Glenelg as well, this year i agreed with not reappointing the former coach but haven't agreed with all of the sackings/non reappointing in the past)

I've always carried around an old saying, that "more coaches are sacked because they fall out with the board, than for any onfield issues". I can't recall where I first heard it, but I guess the two sides of the issue are connected. Directors get nervous when the side is losing and members are heading for the exits. Having seen a lot of coaches come and go at Sturt over the years, before and after Oatey. I've given a lot of thought to why he lasted 20 years. Yes he got results, no doubt about that, but he was also very good at the internal football politics, that are part and parcel of all clubs. I'm sure the same applies to someone like Kevin Sheedy too. People who can get on with 17 year old kids and middle aged business men with equal ease, are rare individuals. I certainly wish you chaps good luck at South, as I sit and ponder how long Seamus (A thoroughly likeable bloke), will survive at Sturt, if we don't get at least a final 5 spot next year.

I sympathise totally with your thoughts, Ben and I agree with the wise words of CC.

It's not just about coaching, 'losing the players' is a death knell for a coach, but having a non- supportive Board is the same.

South might have success when they appoint a strong, not necessarily,opular coach and he's left to do his job without interference by a strong Board.

It's necessary to build a culture.

redandblack wrote:I sympathise totally with your thoughts, Ben and I agree with the wise words of CC.

It's not just about coaching, 'losing the players' is a death knell for a coach, but having a non- supportive Board is the same.

South might have success when they appoint a strong, not necessarily,opular coach and he's left to do his job without interference by a strong Board.

It's necessary to build a culture.

I thought that was why Ron Fuller was appointed, he came in to the Panthers and wielded the axe on who he didn't want and appeared to do things his way but still the problems existed.

Maybe the board need to be replaced.

Ron wielded his axe .... But things just got worse.

Southee wrote:Ron wielded his axe .... But things just got worse.

Maybe he should have used a HAMMER!

Big big talk today at the grand final with someone in the know...

Mathew Clarke looking likely to be South Adelaide coach for 2014 .

That one puts a different slant on things, doesn't it!

Some fairly strong comments made in this topic that personally find mind boggling!!
Ron Fuller was appointed for 5 years, and he served 4 of those before having his contract terminated a month ago. In his first year he cleared the decks of players he judged to be "not up to it". Among those who were given their marching orders were Parry ,Boyd and 12 months later, the Clubs favourite son, Ben Warren. All lined up at other sanfl clubs -all now have premiership medallions around their necks. Warren who allegedly was told "he was the worst captain in the history of the sanfl, " has now managed 2 premiership medals with Norwood.
The first year of Fullers tenure saw us take out the wooden spoon, the second saw us make the finals with a record low wins in the minor round. We managed to win the elim final against the bays who were in turmoil having sacked Mickan and hastily appointed Massie, we were soundly thrashed the following week against the Eagles.
The 3rd and 4th seasons of Fullers tenure were massively disappointing in my view. In both years we narrowly missed the wooden spoon.He clearly lost the players over this period in particular the Gen Y'ers  who found his 1960s style of motivation hard to accept. Anyone who saw the team play in the last 6 weeks of this season could not honestly say that he was getting the best out of the group and surely his time was up.
Personally Im not particularly interest in the clubs history of coaches and whether they were being "whiteanted" or hampered by the board. I believe our board is a very good one at present and has some very smart people making the decisions. They will continue to do the right thing by the club and no doubt will appoint the best qualified person available to coach the club.
It will be time for all supporters and members to wipe the slate clean ,forget what happened last year ,ten years ago or twenty years ago, because frankly it doesnt matter. Just get on board and support the club we love and support the coach whoever that may be.

Great post B&W.....agree 100%

Ben warren was nearly BOG in the grand final too this year !

I was there watching it and bloody hell all I was thinking is why the hell we got rid of him ... Really sad to think of that

Top bloke and lovely fella. I wish him well in his retirement .

Have just lost Michael Wundke to the Eagles !!!

Massive blow for the Panthers !!!

Interesting that 2 former South players will be commanding 1/3 of the entire Eagles salary cap in 2014.

Surely this is indicative of the problems at South?

I hope Gotch can make South a club players want to commit to and this constant coming and going of good players stops.

In this case and Ainger's, I'd guess it's not all South's fault though?

What else can go wrong...... go wrnog..... gowrn og. 

Nick Murphy and Josh Thewlis announced Co-Captains for South Adelaide in season 2014...

http://www.sanfl.com.au/news/sanfl_news/2388/

after his injury how is Rolfe going down there ? i believe he is the catalyst for South, if he's playing well, then the team is playing well, arguably the most under rated player in the comp

Big Phil wrote:Nick Murphy and Josh Thewlis announced Co-Captains for South Adelaide in season 2014...

http://www.sanfl.com.au/news/sanfl_news/2388/

with Nick, this is good to see given the farcical reason he lost the captaincy last year

Not a fan of co captains at all, Westies did this a few years back with the two Richardsons named as co captains, I didn't see the point, you only have one captain to run a ship not two.

Maybe one can be Captain of the League and the other Captain of the Seconds.  

testy wrote:Not a fan of co captains at all, Westies did this a few years back with the two Richardsons named as co captains, I didn't see the point, you only have one captain to run a ship not two.

Yep ! I personally don't get the 2 captain deal.

Never have for any side .