The Modern Coach Is
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Commander-in-chiefthe modern coach is ot for the first club,” said North Melbourne staff, the media and, through implementation of different the performance of all our One minute it is about a intoned with sharp directness if The demands of modern time, the concept coach Brad Scott, who has the media, supporters to impress systems or structures to make staff,” Scott said. player’s living arrangements, anyone stepped over the mark. coaching are becoming of the coach been in the job two years, after along the way. sure things are geared around “To be able to do that, the next training loads are being What such a system allowed more complex than ever. in the modern an apprenticeship as Mick No wonder effective senior working towards that vision.” I need to have relevant discussed. Then the president was for people to flourish As the face and leader game needs Malthouse’s development and coaches are now up there with The coach is pivotal in setting qualifications and at least a base is on the phone, then there is within their area of expertise— of the club, the role is explaining. assistant coach at Collingwood. the best and the brightest in that direction, but he does not level of understanding in all the team meeting detailing whether as an assistant coach, As the role has become What clubs need now more the community. work in isolation. The club’s those areas.” systems for the a physiotherapist, sports all-encompassing. N scientist, doctor or information more complicated, the gap than ever is a coach-manager, “The tactical side of things system must work to support It is hard game ahead, PETER RYAN between what the talkback set someone with a skill set akin to and actual football planning is the football department’s vision to imagine and then the technology manager—without imagines clubs require and what that of any modern executive potentially the easiest thing,” so the club CEO, the board Jock McHale list manager over-reaching it. they actually need has never (with quite a bit more scrutiny Scott said. and, importantly, the football espousing such I don’t think is there to There was only one person been wider. thrown in for good measure): West Coast coach John manager, must operate with the a philosophy, consider next expected to direct in all areas, Successful Italian soccer coach the coach is now a marketer, Worsfold has seen the dramatic coach as a cohesive unit. although he you are just year’s list, and and that was the senior coach. Arrigo Sacchi once described his media performer, chief shift take place since he started “You have got to get the whole may well have a team coach, the one for the Malthouse’s approach was to role as “both a screenwriter and operating officer, teacher, playing in 1987, and then after club on the one page,” said former done the same year after. question and listen and direct director”, a succinct definition in human resources manager and he became senior coach in 2002. Bulldogs and Swans coach things, in the I think you are The system when required. He gave those keeping with a coach’s penchant numbers man, as well as the When he defines the role, it is Rodney Eade last week on Triple amateur era he coaches create under him more and more for plain language. great leader and footy strategist, apparent the qualities required M when asked to describe how he coached in. a club coach to process all autonomy as they proved capable The modern senior AFL coach visionary and entrepreneur. to succeed in the gig go well saw the role of the coach. “I don’t Scott has RODNEY EADE the information of working in a way that added has become, in effect, the CEO The average senior AFL coach beyond getting through to the think you are just a team coach, defined a and manage value to the organisation—it of football, setting direction has 70 people (including the players (even if it is still what I think you are a club coach.” managerial their time is was his idea to give his deputies and driving implementation. players) reporting to him on attracts most people to the job The coach is at the head of role, whatever way you cut therefore critical. control through the NAB Cup, MEN AT WORK: North Melbourne’s This is the clear view of those issues ranging from a player’s in the first place). the system, overseeing the it. The range of issues that fly At Collingwood, during a year including the Grand Final. Brad Scott gives Kieran Harper an in the role. hamstring injury to the latest in “The coach has a massive role different sub-groups within across the coach’s desk and the I spent as an in-house observer, Malthouse is encouraging pat, Eagle John Worsfold “When it is all boiled down, sports science research. in creating a vision for what the football department. types of conversations they the system was explained forever industrious, and Saint Ross Lyon in reflective mood, and Collingwood’s Mick Malthouse and the senior coach is still the leader As well as leading this group, the group wants to achieve,” he “The role of the coach now engage in are never ending with one short phrase: ‘Know competitive, always Nathan Buckley discuss tactics. and the face of the football he has the board, sponsors, club said. “They then assist in the is really critically analysing in their scope. your role, play your role’, a line searching for ways to 64 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 65 the changing face of coaching make the team better, never shirking from the difficult ALL EARS: Geelong coach Chris Scott demands his responsibility of being the players’ attention. leader. He has authority but he is not an authoritarian. It may surprise those who only know him through the media, but he has a talent of knowing when the mood needs to be lightened. Scott said his first season was hugely demanding as he set the direction for the club, not only coaching the players but also the staff about what he expected. He now has total confidence to delegate responsibility to other staff because they understand what he wants. “That gives me more time with the players and developing that coach-player relationship, which I think is a vital component of the coach’s role,” he said. It is essential coaches can rely on their staff to deliver a consistent message because the coach depends on his players According to Geelong CEO others, but it’s not exciting,” Roos, Mark Thompson, Kevin being trained to make good Brian Cook, a modern coach Scott said. Sheedy, Mark Williams, Eade, decisions aligned to the way he has to have the ability to lead “People think it’s exciting, Leigh Matthews, Neil Craig, wants the club to operate. and manage people to collective and there are parts that are Worsfold and Ross Lyon to shine It is why the coaching team outcomes. If that seems like super-exciting, and they get over long periods. is increasingly important, the mumbo-jumbo, it isn’t. reported, but there’s another They are mature people assistant coaches’ roles crucial Cook said on-field 95 per cent that isn’t exciting managers, with their heads factors in team performance, performance remained the and doesn’t get reported.” above the parapet, generally their professionalism and smarts No. 1 performance measure. Worsfold admits the role is aware of the right call in any as essential as the senior coach. And that win-loss column, difficult to describe, such is the circumstances, and very capable The assistant coach works as Eade suggested last week on extent of its reach, but it is, he of driving their vision through long hours, assessing vision, his departure from the Dogs, agrees, comparable to the CEO all levels of the organisation. preparing training and is the main tool when used to of a company. A sense of humour and a sense meetings, being the first go-to assess whether someone can The balance between the of perspective are essential to person for players and providing coach or not. broader vision achieve this objective. one-on-one tuition—as well as No one and immediate Worsfold said getting a feel for promoting ideas through the complains needs to be what is affecting the players on senior coach, or exploring ideas about that found, and and off the field was where he from the senior man. reality, but is It is the boring the coach has devoted most of his energy. Their relationship with players it possible to to be able to “To do that, you need to be extends to phone calls at all really analyse routine that handle both big among the players as much as hours or invitations to dinner. It someone’s decisions and possible. It may not be a formal is pastoral as well as technical. performance separates deal quickly chat with them but an informal The criteria used to select as a journalist? champions with issues feel you get walking among Geelong coach Chris Scott last Brad Scott as they come them,” he said. October was the best public thinks it is from others to hand. Those informal moments are indication yet of how the senior possible but Brad Scott In the where real insight can be gained. coaching role has changed not necessarily textbooks, Any coach worth his salt has and expanded.