Hardwick was ‘too young’ for top job (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Hardwick was ‘too young’ for top job

GLENN McFARLANE
Herald Sun
6 Sept. 2016

DAMIEN Hardwick believes in hindsight he was “too young” for the Richmond senior coaching job when he took it on as 37-year-old, but says the experiences have steeled him for the complexities of the role.

Hardwick, now 44, features alongside West Coast’s Adam Simpson, Western Bulldogs’ Luke Beveridge, Greater Western Sydney’s Leon Cameron and Carlton’s Brendon Bolton in The Graduates, a Fox Footy special on the AFL coaches who were formerly assistants to Hawthorn’s Alastair Clarkson, which screens on Tuesday at 9pm.

“I look back on it, and I can’t remember exactly what age I was when I got the Richmond job, but it was too young,” Hardwick said.

“I had only been (an assistant) coach for five years. I look back and you were half embarrassed about how little you actually knew.”
Damien Hardwick says he was too young when he was appointed coach of Richmond. Picture: Getty Images

Hardwick admitted he was still working on his relationship building within the club, saying it was still a work-in-progress after seven seasons at the helm.

“You can have all the great ideas, you can be the best at this and the best at that, but the reality is the forging of relationships at a football club (is so important),” he said.

“I am not overly a people person ... it is something that I think I have got better at, and I still have to get better at after all these years.

“If you get people who want to play for you, work for you, and inspire you, you are in a pretty good trajectory, I reckon.”

Hardwick, who has two years remaining on his contract after missing the finals following three successive elimination final exits, acknowledged dealing with the losses sometimes left him “inconsolable.”

“I used to think I used to feel a loss as an assistant coach ... (but) magnify that by 10 as a senior coach,” he said. “You are inconsolable after a loss.”

“I call it a man cave, where I go and into this state where for 12 hours you just sit there and you are basically rocking in a chair for a period of time, and then you move on.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/damien-hardwick-says-he-was-too-young-when-he-was-first-named-richmond-coach/news-story/fd574dc2df2e0db726832fba5c51ed05

[Penelope]

“I am not overly a people person ... it is something that I think I have got better at, and I still have to get better at after all these years.

“If you get people who want to play for you, work for you, and inspire you, you are in a pretty good trajectory, I reckon.”

Hmmmm.......

[YellowandBlackBlood]

“I am not overly a people person ... it is something that I think I have got better at, and I still have to get better at after all these years.

“If you get people who want to play for you, work for you, and inspire you, you are in a pretty good trajectory, I reckon.”

Hmmmm.......

FFS, I would have thought that THE MOST IMPORTANT characteristic for a coach was to be a good man manager......

[Rodgerramjet]

This is exactly why he has favorites - big flaw

[mat073]

OMG......this is getting more embarrassing by the day - who would ever want to come to this club ???

[Harry]

Who was on the panel that recommend him?  These people are to be banished from the club.

[Diocletian]

Parkin? He seems to be on all of them....wouldn't be like him to try and sabotage Richmond....

[Stalin]

Sir damien CANCER

[mat073]

Hinkley may of stagnated at Port - but he has won numerous finals and they play watchable football.

Hardwick hoodwinked a panel that was ment to be the most comprehensive panel in football history. Now by his own admission he admits he wasn't ready.

Get rid of Hardwick now - get a truck full of gold bullion and park it out front of Paul Roos's home. Do what ever it takes.

[Stalin]

Marty is a quality contributed since he turned to th dark side

[RedanTiger]

Hinkley may of stagnated at Port - but he has won numerous finals and they play watchable football.

Hardwick hoodwinked a panel that was ment to be the most comprehensive panel in football history. Now by his own admission he admits he wasn't ready.

Get rid of Hardwick now - get a truck full of gold bullion and park it out front of Paul Roos's home. Do what ever it takes.

I've always had a suspicion that the expert panel (Gaze etc) had Hinckley ahead but at the second phase, where the board became involved, it moved in Hardwick's favour.
Just a feeling from comments the expert panel made at the time. Can't recall exactly, just a feeling. 

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Hinkley may of stagnated at Port - but he has won numerous finals and they play watchable football.

Hardwick hoodwinked a panel that was ment to be the most comprehensive panel in football history. Now by his own admission he admits he wasn't ready.

Get rid of Hardwick now - get a truck full of gold bullion and park it out front of Paul Roos's home. Do what ever it takes.

I've always had a suspicion that the expert panel (Gaze etc) had Hinckley ahead but at the second phase, where the board became involved, it moved in Hardwick's favour.
Just a feeling from comments the expert panel made at the time. Can't recall exactly, just a feeling.

Agree. Gary March wanted Hardwick IIRC. It was "his man" and he pushed hard for this result.

[RedanTiger]

Agree. Gary March wanted Hardwick IIRC. It was "his man" and he pushed hard for this result.

Thanks for the confirmation Y&B. Thought it may have just been my paranoia. Strange days indeed.

[RedanTiger]

Nobody told me John Lennon

Everybody's talking and no one says a word
Everybody's making love and no one really cares
There's Nazis in the bathroom just below the stairs
Always something happening and nothing going on
There's always something cooking and nothing in the pot
They're starving back in China so finish what you got


Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Strange days indeed -- strange days indeed


Everybody's runnin' and no one makes a move
Everyone's a winner and nothing left to lose
There's a little yellow idol to the north of Katmandu
Everybody's flying and no one leaves the ground
Everybody's crying and no one makes a sound
There's a place for us in the movies you just gotta lay around

Always hits the mark does John.

[🏅Dooks]

Nobody told me John Lennon

Everybody's talking and no one says a word
Everybody's making love and no one really cares
There's Nazis in the bathroom just below the stairs
Always something happening and nothing going on
There's always something cooking and nothing in the pot
They're starving back in China so finish what you got


Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Strange days indeed -- strange days indeed


Everybody's runnin' and no one makes a move
Everyone's a winner and nothing left to lose
There's a little yellow idol to the north of Katmandu
Everybody's flying and no one leaves the ground
Everybody's crying and no one makes a sound
There's a place for us in the movies you just gotta lay around

Always hits the mark does John.