Richmond boss Brendon Gale believes the direction the club is heading is right

[WilliamPowell]

Richmond boss Brendon Gale believes the direction the club is heading is right
MICHAEL WARNER
HERALD SUN MAY 19, 2014 8:01PM

RICHMOND boss Brendon Gale has backed embattled coach Damien Hardwick and the club’s premiership blueprint.

Gale said this year’s dramatic form slump would ultimately make the team better.

“We’ve got some people at the footy club of great character and great capability who are committed to turning this around,” Gale told the Herald Sun on Monday night.

“We believe in the direction we are taking"

“We always felt there would be disappointments along the way. We always felt that in rebuilding the club, that the actual football piece would be the most challenging — given where our list was at, given where the competition was heading and given the introduction of two new teams.

“We’ve been really encouraged with the progress we’ve made so far. But progress and development isn’t linear. You’re going to have setbacks and there are going to be disappointments.”

Asked if the club had overrated its list at the end of last season, Gale said: “No, I don’t think so. We made finals last year and for us it was about getting back to the finals again.

“I thought that was a legitimate aspiration and it’s one we haven’t given up on yet. At 2-6 it’s not great, but we are still alive.

“Without going into specifics we have learnt a lot more about our list and a better understanding of our needs.”

Hardwick, 41, is eight games into his fifth season at Punt Rd and contracted until the end of 2016. His tenure was extended for two more years last December.

Richmond has finished 15th, 12th, 12th and seventh under Hardwick, but is currently 16th on the ladder.

But Gale said any discussion about Hardwick’s future was “completely irrelevant and not even a consideration”.

“We are very comfortable and very satisfied with where Damien is taking our football program to,” Gale said.

“We have rebuilt our football club on the back of focus and discipline and absolute trust in each other and that’s not going to change.

“We understand the frustration and anger of our members and fans. The on-field team are feeling this as much as anyone.”

Gale said the club was aiming to spend more money on its football department next year.

The Tigers spent $19 million on footy operations last year — $3.5 million less than Collingwood.

“Where there are needs, we will invest — that’s one of the advantages of having a stronger balance sheet and being more profitable,” he said.

“It gives you that flexibility to build a strong, sustainable football club.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-boss-brendon-gale-believes-the-direction-the-club-is-heading-is-right/story-fni5f9jb-1226923198281

[Rampstar]

 

[bojangles17]

Well said Benny, well bloody said 

[Rampstar]

Well said Benny, well bloody said 

he's kidding himself

[WilliamPowell]

Well said Benny, well bloody said 

You're kidding

It's spin - again

But because it's Benny doing the spinning the Club thinks everyone will buy it

While some will but a lot won't; not this time

Time to stop talking and time to start showing something, time for action

[bojangles17]

Didn't you reads what he bleedin said, mentioned you find out a lot about the list during a time like this, I expect from that there will be significant changes

[WilliamPowell]

From The Age:

Tigers need to get confidence back, says club chief Brendon Gale
Date: May 19, 2014 - 6:00PM
 Michael Gleeson

Richmond players have become pre-occupied with the result and are playing tentative football that is completely lacking in confidence, according to the club's chief executive, Brendon Gale.

The former centre half-forward said the club undertook regular reviews of its football department and there was no need to launch a broad-ranging review to articulate what has gone wrong and why.

"Clearly, where we find ourselves is very disappointing. We are disappointed and we feel the disappointment and frustration of our fans," Gale said.

He said the most pressing issue to turn around was the confidence and form of the players.

"We have to get back to simply playing better. I think our players are playing without confidence and at times I think there has been a pattern where we have played in a way that is mindful of the result first," he said.

"I think that's the way they have played and why are they doing that? That is the question and we are keen to find out why. We have to get back to taking the game on.

"All we want to see is us playing good positive football and winning and then the season takes care of itself.

"What happened over the last couple of weeks is completely unacceptable. We do not blame anyone, collectively we take responsibility."

Gale said the club was obdurate in its view of the path forward and had anticipated that the football department, as the most difficult section of the club to fix, had always been likely to confront setbacks. He said there was no need for a broad-ranging review of the football department.

"No one asks more questions of us than us. We are working feverishly to try to understand where we are. These things can be very valuable situations if we are honest and frank in our assessment. We are learning a lot about things,

"We review everything we do every week. This is one of the most accountable industries and we look extremely closely at everything we do.

"I think in the last few weeks we are finding out about our list and we will find out more as the season unfolds ... I think as you learn more about your list, it gives you a more refined understanding of what your needs are."   

He insisted the coaching staff led by Damien Hardwick, who signed a two-year contract extension in the pre-season, was sound and that despite losing two senior assistant coaches in Justin Leppitsch and Wayne Campbell, the coaching and development of young players had not suffered.

"We have great people here of exceptional character and I have utmost faith of turning this around. The only thing that matters at the club is the football and it's not going as well as we would like it to be."

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-need-to-get-confidence-back-says-club-chief-brendon-gale-20140519-zrhcz.html#ixzz32AFoMc00

[cub]

We're 2-6 and 16th ffs give me a break

[WilliamPowell]

Didn't you reads what he bleedin said, mentioned you find out a lot about the list during a time like this, I expect from that there will be significant changes

Yeah I did

He also said the "form slump would ultimately make the team better"

Sorry and I've backed this club unconditionally my entire life, but that is nothing but spin

Spin trying to appease the masses, the only way they can make this mess right is stop talking and start doing

[Lozza]

Unfortunately the RFC is a business and Gale is talking up the business as anyone in his position would. Its quite normal as anyone would know that any CEO will be standing on a sinking ship and still see the glass as half full knowing full well that things are not quite as rosy.
Once the first cracks appear then its possible it all comes tumbling down, the performance of the playing group is the first crack but how deep a crack is the key question. At the moment Hardwick and Co believe they can fill in the crack and build on top of it, unfortunately i think the closer truth is that the foundations are unsound and need to be ripped up and replaced, time will tell which method will provide sustainable success.

[MADTIGER2010]

100% behind Benny. We needed stop gaps due to the 2 expansion clubs. At least half of these recycled players will be gone in 3-15 months and will be replaced with more young talent from the draft. We will have a very strong list soon. Vlastuin, McDonough, Astbury and Lennon are great signs this year. Ellis, Conca and Rance were great last year and Cotchin, Martin, Deledio and Reiwoldt the year before. It will come together. Injury and the loss of experienced players has slowed us down this year. Now the stop gaps are being weeded out. This is not a quick process so stop calling for dimmas head ffs people. That's the dumb call which has made us the dumb club it was for 30 years

[tdy]

Look well get a good draft pick out of this at least. Hopefully 3 or 4 inside 40 if we trade for a pick or two.

[Tigeritis™©®]

After reading this I now understand why Peg is our President.

[Rampstar]

I like the part where he says "No one asks more questions of us than us" lol...
 
I got some questions Benny boy

1) Why is the club paying $400,000 a year to Troy Chaplin
2) Why is the club paying $250-300,000 a year to Shaun Grigg
3) Why is the club paying $250,000 a year to Shaun Hampson

Why is the club paying hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of dollars for fill ins and depth players.

As I said they're kidding themselves down their with there own stupidity and mediocrity. The are swimming in it down there. Its unbelievable. By the way where is the President?

[the claw]

Look well get a good draft pick out of this at least. Hopefully 3 or 4 inside 40 if we trade for a pick or two.

what good will draft picks do us. outside of first rounders we cant find good players to save ourselves. we must address what is not working well or be doomned to make the same mistakes and fail.

i know gale cant say much in public but there is nothing wrong in saying that perhaps we got in front of ourselves we will have a revue work out what needs to be done and take a backward step if neccesary.

what really peees me off is they really think they built something sustainable. brendon needs to go look at richos article hes pretty right in what he says.
we have plenty of precedents to learn from but it seems atm they are going to make the exact same mistakes as their predecessors.
brendan talks as if this yr is an abberation well get your head out of your arse son.we have never built anything remotely resembling a good sustainable finals side yet alone a top 4 side.
if they cant even acknowledge that mistakes have been made how the hell can they rectify them. making finals before the build was close to complete  was always the concern all it has done is paper over the cracks and hide the things that we have not done well.