36 hours of hell for Richmond coach Terry Wallace
Mark Robinson | May 20, 2009 10:26pm
FIRST came the post-match spray from a frustrated Terry Wallace.
Then came the emergency talks on Monday between Wallace, Richmond captain Chris Newman and, later, between Wallace, president Gary March and football boss Craig Cameron.
And finally, the crisis meeting Tuesday between Wallace, March, Cameron and more than 12 senior players.
That was the 36-hour firestorm Wallace endured.
At midday Tuesday, Newman and Cameron announced Wallace would continue as Tigers coach.
But there remain more questions than answers.
After his spray at the players after Sunday's three-point loss to Port Adelaide - which included an attack on Mitch Morton that another player described as the "best of all time" - Wallace was confronted by his players, club officials and his own beliefs.
It is understood Wallace questioned himself - not for the first time this season - whether he should continue.
On Monday, the players were questioning Wallace's direction, prompting Newman to approach the embattled coach. Team rules and discipline were also on the agenda.
Wallace's position was saved at yesterday's early meeting of senior players, March, Wallace and Cameron.
The past 36 hours have been full of half-truths, explanations, meetings, denials and, at one stage, an overwhelming belief that Wallace had coached his last game for the Richmond Football Club.
In Perth on Monday night, Wallace's friend Brad Hardie announced on radio station 6PR that he was gone.
Later, several phone calls were made to Wallace during a meeting of March, Cameron and chief executive Steven Wright.
It was agreed that senior players, Wallace, March and Cameron would discuss the coach's post-match explosion in the morning.
Players who did not wish to be named said Wallace had said that Morton - and others - had just cost him his career.
In contrast, Newman told a media conference yesterday Wallace had been "sensational" after the Port loss.
He confirmed he had sought a meeting with the coach on Monday.
"I thought it was a good opportunity for the playing group and the coach to sit down and plan . . . where we are going to go," Newman said.."
March and Cameron said there was nothing sinister about the morning meeting, but at Punt Rd early yesterday word quickly spread about the possible demise of Wallace.
Friends of Wallace and officials told the Herald Sun they feared for his future.
Media began arriving at Punt Rd at 9am. By 9.45am, the finality was overwhelming.
A club official couldn't deny that Wallace was gone.
At 9.37am, heraldsun.com.au reported that it was believed Wallace and Richmond had parted.
Craig Hutchison confirmed the report on SEN minutes later.
Long-time assistant Brian Royal (who was also reported to have lost his job, but did not), Wayne Campbell, Jade Rawlings and David King took training from 11am without senior players or Wallace present.
At noon came the news that Wallace was still coach.
Asked where the coach was, Cameron said Wallace could be at home watching tapes in preparation for the match against Essendon.
He said Richmond had not done a backflip and Wallace was never not the coach.
Wallace did not attend last night's board meeting, nor did he want to talk to the Herald Sun.
His version of events will be fascinating reading.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25509625-19742,00.html
