29 June 2004
Herald Sun
Damian Barrett and Mark Stevens
RICHMOND last night killed off the perception its coaching job was a two-way race between Terry Wallace and Rodney Eade.
Although the Tigers have said they want an experienced replacement for Danny Frawley, Richmond football director Greg Miller declared: "I can assure you we will be looking wider than that."
As Miller widened the net on the coaching search, club president Clinton Casey vowed a vigorous hunt would officially begin today.
"We've shown that when we get aggressive in the marketplace, we can pull off the best result possible for the footy club," Casey said.
"I think being able to get hold of Nathan Brown showed that. Rest assured, the appointment of a senior coach will be no different."
Early this month, Casey told the Herald Sun: "Richmond footy club needs someone who has coached before and understands the environment."
Asked if he would contemplate appointing an assistant coach from a rival club, Miller said: "It would depend on how untried they were, and I will leave it at that."
Miller's stance means assistants such as Essendon's Mark Harvey and Brisbane's Gary O'Donnell are in the mix. He said Richmond would offer a long-term coaching contract.
"A coach needs a very good amount of time to stamp his position on the club," Miller said. "Three, four or five-year deals are what you would expect."
Wallace last night reiterated he would be available to return to coaching – if the job was right.
"I am comfortable to speak to anyone when the appropriate time comes," Wallace said.
Frawley, Richmond's coach of the past five seasons, yesterday announced he would not seek a contract extension at the end of the year.
He will coach the club, struggling at 4-9 after 13 rounds, for the remaining nine matches of the season.
"It is disappointing to end like this, I take responsibility for on-field and the buck always stops with the senior coach," Frawley said.
The futures of the Tigers assistant coaches and football staff will be decided by the successful candidate.
The contracts of assistant coaches Wayne Brittain, Darren Crocker and Paul Spargo expire at the end of this season.
"We will wait till the new coach is appointed – it will be his call, a fair bit of that," Miller said.
"He will decide what assistant coaches and football managers and football directors that he wants."
Richmond's coaching sub-committee, headed by Miller and including Casey and coaching legend David Parkin, will immediately start the search for Frawley's replacement.
Casey has empowered Miller to have the greatest say in finding Frawley's replacement.
"We're confident in the process and the people we've put in place to do the job," Casey said.
Casey said the final call was a "massive" decision for the future of the club.
"It's massive in terms of our long-term stability and success," he said.
"The right coach, the right CEO and a good board make up a good footy club.
"At this point of time, one of those corner stones is missing. It's an incredibly important decision to be made."
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,9983434%255E20322,00.html
