Tigers sack entire coaching staff
29 August 2004
Sunday Herald Sun
Ken Piesse
THE biggest purge in Richmond's history began last night when its coaching staff was sacked.
After another insipid performance, this time against Sydney at the MCG yesterday, football director Greg Miller confirmed incoming coach Terry Wallace would have a fresh coaching and management team.
Miller said sweeping change was necessary as the club had been humiliated by its run of 14 consecutive losses, the biggest rout in a single year in the Tigers' history.
By becoming an easybeat and likely to clinch its first wooden spoon in 15 years, the club had lost respect in the football world, he said.
Wayne Campbell has stood down as captain, while up to half of yesterday's team might have represented the Tigers for the last time.
Outgoing coach Danny Frawley said the Tigers have lost momentum because of injury and the replacements had failed to perform under pressure.
Frawley said he felt particularly badly for his immediate support staff, all of whom have been replaced. They include his three assistant coaches – Darren Crocker, Wayne Brittain and Paul Spargo – operations manager Greg Hutchinson and recruiting chief Greg Beck.
"I feel a helluva lot of responsibility about that," Frawley said. "But my hands are tied.
"Danny Frawley will take a very backward step at this club; it is Terry Wallace's turn now."
Surrounded by his wife, Anita, and three young children, two of whom led the team out beside captain Campbell yesterday, Frawley said the pressure to achieve as an AFL coach was incredibly stressful and many supporters and some in the media had been disrespectful.
"We seem to be easy targets," he said. "Coaches should be given more respect; it's one of the big jobs in Australian sport. You are probably among the most accountable people other than the Prime Minister. Whether it is the Australian way . . . unfortunately it seems to be a trend."
Held goal-less for more than an hour in yesterday's one-sided farewell, downcast Richmond players joined the staff as Frawley thanked everyone for their contributions over his 113-game coaching career.
In his press conference last night he:
* Anointed Kane Johnson as the best possible new captain at Tigerland.
* Admitted he was wrong at the end of the 2001 season to think the Tigers (third that year) were just a step away from a Grand Final.
* Named the Brisbane Lions as having this year's premiership "in the bag".
"They are probably the best team of all time," he said.
Many from his home town of Bungaree were at the game, including his oldest brother, Michael, and family. Michael said he was proud of everything Frawley had achieved, both as a player at St Kilda and in the past five years as Richmond coach.
"We go in wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and know what the ramifications are," Frawley said.
"You don't see it (the axe) coming, but when it does it's a disappointing time."
Sydney coach Paul Roos said the criticism of Frawley in the past four months had been "disgraceful".
Roos said he would be ringing Frawley later in the week to wish him all the best and hope that he may stay close to football.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,10599942%255E19771,00.html
